Make Love Work: A Practical Guide to Relationship Success

Description

'Incisive, practical and inspiring . . . required reading for anyone in or venturing into a relationship.' -Jennifer Ward-Lealand We all want to make the most of our relationship. Still, sometimes our background, our insecurities and the way we communicate can stymie its success. With more than three decades of experience, clinical psychologist and family therapist Nic Beets is recognised as one of Australasia's most trusted experts when it comes to relationships. Make Love Work breaks down the science behind why we act the way we do in relationships, even when it goes against our best interests. If you've wondered why you find relationships so hard or why your relationship has stalled; why you behave the way you do; or why you can't make sense of what your partner does, Make Love Work explains the reasons clearly and empathetically. It gives you the tools you need to understand how to be successful in a relationship - from acknowledging your insecurities to being a team player and handling conflict well. There are practical strategies for handling common areas of stress: setting boundaries, sex and intimacy, money and parenting. Plus, excellent advice on the really tough issues: infidelity, abuse, major stress, loss and grief. Make Love Work is your essential bible for making your relationship the best it can be.

Nic Beets is a clinical psychologist and family therapist who has specialised in relationship and sex therapy throughout his three decades of practice. He has been with the same partner since he was 17, fellow psychologist Verity Thom. They have two children who have taught them much about love and priorities. Another joint project is a fortnightly column for The New Zealand Herald called 'Intimacy, Actually', which answers readers' questions on love, sex and relationships. As well as seeing clients, Nic provides training and supervision in relationship therapy and the Developmental Model in particular. In addition, he is the coordinator and host of the Sex Therapy Interest Group, an Australasian peer-support network for sex therapists that has been running for more than 20 years. A keen waterman, Nic loves anything related to the sea. His current passions are SUP surfing and long-distance waka ama (outrigger canoe) racing.