Selected Resources for Couples and Therapists
Partnering: A New Kind of Relationship
Hal Stone, PhD and Sidra L. Stone, PhD provide a readable book for couples to learn how enhanced knowledge of self can add satisfaction to your relationship, while retaining a strong sense of self. This text is a natural extention of their first book, "Embracing Our Selves" in which individuals learn about their primary and disowned "selves" as an engaging way of appreciating and improving one's life.
The book is available in paperback for at most bookstores. Additional materials can be found at www.Delos-inc.com.
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
This bestselling 1999 book is based upon the research of over 650 couples, over 14 years by behavioral psychologist, John Gottman, Ph.D., Unversity of Washington, Seattle.
The book is a readable mixture of research findings and concepts for improving relationships. A major feature of the book are the creative and insightful exercises for couples.
Each participant in "Couple Skills" is required to purchase a copy of "Seven Principles that Make Marriage Work." The book is available at most bookstores in paperback or directly from Dr. Hirschmann
The Seven Principles
1. Enhance Your Love Maps
2. Nurture Your Fondness and Admiration
3. Turn Toward Each Other Instead of Away
4. Let Your Partner Influence You
5. Solve Your Solvable Problems
6. Overcoming Gridlock
7. Create Shared Meaning
John Gottman conducts workshops in Seattle and around the country for couples and therapists.
Workshop schedules and an array of learning material are available at the website, "www.gottman.com" or by call ing toll free 888-523-9042.
Divorce Busting
Michele Weiner-Davis guides readers through a process of working with the strengths within a committed relationship to make a relationship stronger. It provides marriage saving techniques for individuals and couples.
Creating Connection: The Practice of Emotionally Focused Marital Therapy
This book by Susan Johnson is written for therapists. It values attachment theory as the paradigm for the understanding the intimate connection between partners. Interventions are formed from a combination of structural family therapy and experiential therapy principles and techniques. The research on emotionaly focused marital therapy is as strong as any in the field, however, the book is written as a practice manual and is easy for a therapist to understand.
Internal Family Systems Therapy
Emotional experience is a manifestation of family-like characteristics within the mind. This therapist's manual descibes the characteristics of "parts" of the mind and their relationship to the "Self" of the mind that helps balance the range of human feelings and behaviors. Many of the interventions parallel the Emotionally Focused Marital Therapy. It also has striking similarities to "Partnering" Stone & Stone written for couples.
Dick Schwartz developed the Internal Family Systems Model. It has wide applications for individuals, couples, families and groups in distress. His Center for Self Leadership is a valuable resource.
