Couple Skills: Making Your Relationship Work

by Patrick Fanning, Matthew McKay, Kim Paleg

Book Overview

This valuable guide teaches the communication skills that couples need to thrive together: listening, expressing feelings, seeing each other clearly, lowering defenses, rewarding rather than punishing... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 157224481X
• ISBN13: 9781572244818
• Release Date: December 2006
• Publisher: New Harbinger Publications
• Length: 328 Pages
• Weight: 1.03 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Great couples book

We love this book! It has saved our relationship! I recommend this to any couple that is going thru a rut. it has excellent communication exercises that can be put into play immediately for lasting results.

Excellent!

I am always looking for books by Matthew McKay, and I am never disappointed. This book is very helpful for couples...

Practical, useful book for motivated couples

Couple Skills is written by three established authors in the self-help field. The authors argue that their approach is unique in that it focuses on action and change, thereby requiring the active involvement of the reader. Furthermore, they have designed each chapter of the book to stand alone, thus allowing readers to pick and choose the sections of the book which are most personally applicable. As a clinical psychologist, I believe that the main strength of this book is its practical approach. Every chapter contains a wealth of helpful case examples, interactive worksheets, and constructive couple exercises. However, as the topic areas addressed become more complicated, so do the interventions, thus demanding an even greater level of participation from the reader. As the authors say in their introduction, this book is designed for couples who are willing to work; there must be a real commitment to engaging fully in the activities suggested in order to derive benefit. Topics addressed include listening, expressing feelings/needs, providing reinforcement, negotiating, problem-solving, coping with anger, and assertiveness techniques. For couples who share joint motivation to work on their relationship and who are willing to put in both the time and effort required to learn and practice the skills set forth here, this book is likely to be useful and informative. However, those who feel more ambivalent towards their partners and/or are looking for a quick fix are likely to be disappointed in work-intensive approach necessary to obtain benefit from this skills-focused guide. Overall, I rate this book 4 1/2 stars, as it does require a high level of commitment.

Excellent for couples and couples' therapists

This is my favorite couples' therapy book. Not only do I use it constantly when I work with couples, but I've recommended and shared it with my interns and with psychiatric residents who are working with couples for the first time. Practical and down-to-earth, it provides useful examples and exercises for couples, both new and long-term. I highly recommend it.

Great book for all couples!

This book offers suggestions and advice from a "panel" of authors. They have insightful techniques and point out how many times so many problems that can result in divorce or breakups can be attributed to a lack of communication. I highly recommend reading this book if you are single or involved, it's useful for everyone.