Relationship Theory

Relationships are complicated. Yet, it’s an unfortunate reality that while most of us have to learn complex geometry that we’ll probably never use, we don’t get a single formal lesson in how to relate to others. In this one-stop guide, psychologist Melanie Joy reveals the common psychological dynamics that underlie all kinds of relationships - with a romantic partner, friends, family members, colleagues - in short, with anyone in any situation. Understanding these dynamics will help you make all your relationships healthier and more resilient.

In Couples That Work, INSEAD professor Jennifer Petriglieri rejects conventional one-size-fits-all solutions and instead focuses on how dual-career couples can tackle and resolve the challenges they face throughout their lives - together. She identifies three key phases of exploration and personal growth in every couple's work-life journey, showing how partners must navigate these together to strengthen their bond.

While C. G. Jung had a natural intuitive understanding of the transference and countertransference, his lack of a "coherent method and clinical technique for working with transference and his ambivalence and mercurial attitude to matters of method," have, in the words of therapist and Jungian scholar Jan Wiener, sometimes left Jungians who are eager to hone their knowledge and skills in this area "floundering and confused."

Finding evidence in new psychological research, the myth of Psyche and Cupid, Shakespeare’s plays, Freud’s case histories, Anne Frank’s diaries and contemporary novels, Carol Gilligan discovers that the roots of a more hopeful view of love are all around us.

Healthy relationships require the establishment of a firm foundation of trust. How do you build, rebuild, regain, or establish trust as an individual or in your relationships? When you are just starting in a relationship, in the middle of building a relationship, or having relationship problems, trust is the ingredient that will help keep you and your relationships healthy and strong.

Are you ready to break free? As someone who's traversed the treacherous terrain of attachment theory and boundary setting, I've felt the suffocating weight of insecurity and the fierce desire for autonomy. But through my own journey of suffering and growth, I've unearthed invaluable insights that have reshaped my relationships and my life. Gain a deep understanding of the underlying mechanisms shaping your relational dynamics.

A philosophical map for the labyrinth of modern life, Become Who You Are reveals a radically new theory of mental health and “the opposite of depression.” Drawing from the insights of Friedrich Nietzsche, Marcus Aurelius, and Abraham Maslow, along with hundreds of scientific findings, each moment will challenge your intuitions and catalyze personal evolution. If you're ready to embark on a transformative journey of personal growth and self-actualization, this book will be your guide.

If you were brought up in the Western world, you've been trained on fairy tales of love and relationships that are misleading at best, and at worst have you making mistake after mistake in starting relationships with the wrong kinds of people who will waste your time and keep you from finding a loyal partner. Science has the answer! Or at least a guide to save you the time and effort of discovering for yourself how many wrong types of romantic partners there are.

Best-selling author Naomi Wolf demythologizes motherhood and reveals the dangers of common assumptions about childbirth. With uncompromising honesty, she describes how hormones eroded her sense of independence, ultrasounds tested her commitment to abortion rights, and the keepers of the OB/GYN establishment lacked compassion. Wolf's courageous willingness to talk about the unexpected difficulties of childbirth will help every woman become a more knowledgeable planner of her pregnancy and better prepare her for the challenges of balancing a career, freedom, and a growing family.

Technology is our new life partner. No longer confined to the sidelines, new interactive technologies like AI therapists, avatar friends, and robot assistants are ready to transform technology's role from basic tools of convenience to intimate elements of our social and emotional lives.

If you've experienced trauma, your nervous system may be stuck in "fight-or-flight" mode—leading to symptoms such as hypervigilance, extreme anxiety, and distrust of others. You may struggle with intense emotions, or have nightmares and flashbacks. And you may even experience physical symptoms such as an upset stomach, a pounding heart, or shakiness. This compassionate guide offers a breakthrough approach to bring your mind and body back into balance.

Addiction is a disorder in self-regulation. Individuals who become dependent on addictive substances cannot regulate their emotions, self-care, self-esteem, and relationships. In this monumental and illuminating text Philip Flores covers all the reasons why this is so. But it is the domain of interpersonal relations that he makes clear why individuals susceptible to substance use disorders (SUDs) are especially vulnerable.

Breaking free, stepping forward, and taking control of your life are all things we dream of when our self-identity starts to retreat. The problem is that while these phrases sound like anything is possible, you feel like the gap you have to cross is so vast you’ll never get to the other side.

Are you still waiting for your child to say the words "Mama" or "Dada" or string together a few words to form a sentence? As a parent, you want to ensure that your child receives the best start in life, which means learning the vital skills that will help them navigate through childhood and adolescence. But this goal is stifled when their development is delayed and they struggle to learn how to speak or use language as expected.

De Brevitate Vitae (frequently referred to as On the Shortness of Life in English) is a moral essay written by Seneca the Younger, a Roman Stoic philosopher, to his father-in-law Paulinus. The philosopher brings up many Stoic principles on the nature of time, namely that men waste much of it in meaningless pursuits. According to the essay, nature gives man enough time to do what is really important and the individual must allot it properly.

Awkwardness discusses how we ostracize and punish those who fail to fit into existing social categories, how we all depend on-and are limited by-social scripts and norms for guidance, and how these norms frequently let us down when we need them.

This audiobook seeks to teach one partner in the relationship how to relate to and cope with a partner who has limited emotional maturity and capability. It seeks to give better clarity while taking into consideration the cognitive, emotional, and social deficits that are engrained in the partner's brain. It should take some of the anxiety and pressure from the more social and emotional partner by shedding some light on the fact that they are not the ones with the deficiency, despite what their partner is telling them.

With this unique and highly practical guide, you'll learn the science of attachment theory, and how to apply it to your coparenting relationship. Secure attachment refers to the bond between a parent and young child, which gives that child a stable and secure basis from which to negotiate life going forward. A child with a secure base can weather the storms of trauma and life changes—such as those caused by divorce—much more easily than a child who doesn't.

The United States is obsessed with virginity from the media to schools to government agencies. In The Purity Myth Jessica Valenti argues that the country’s intense focus on chastity is damaging to young women. Through in-depth cultural and social analysis, Valenti reveals that powerful messaging on both extremes ranging from abstinence curriculum to Girls Gone Wild infomercials place a young woman’s worth entirely on her sexuality. Morals are therefore linked purely to sexual behavior, rather than values like honesty, kindness, and altruism.

Are you carrying the weight of everyone else’s expectations? This book hands that weight back—politely, firmly, and for good. In The Let Me Theory, Amelia Hart shows you how to stop living by invisible rules—“shoulds,” people-pleasing, and fear—and start living by self-permission, boundaries, and truth. It’s a clear-eyed field manual for reclaiming your time, energy, and identity—without apology.