Making Marriage Work For Dummies

by Simring, Steven; Klavans Simring, Sue; Busnar, Gene

• ISBN13: 9780764551734
• ISBN10: 0764551736
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-11-23
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

The inspiration for countless one-liners, witty sayings, stage farces and not a few murder mysteries, marriage is more than just a relationship between two people. It's one of life's biggest adventures and a healthy marriage can be one of life's greatest gifts. But weathering the stresses and strains of married life and maintaining healthy marital bonds over a span of decades takes work, and sometimes you need help from a friendly expert. Which is where Making Marriage Work For Dummies comes in.Drawing on their experiences with thirty years of marriage, during which they raised three children, as well as decades of couples counseling, experts Steven and Sue Simring show you how to build a strong, happy and long-lasting marriage. They offer priceless tips on how to deal with most problems that come up between married couples, and they offer advice on how to: Make your relationship more romantic Work out big and small differences Argue in ways that strengthen you relationship Resolve disputes over money Cope with mid-life change Handle a spouse who cheats Deal with families and in-laws Reduce stress on your marriage Understand your partner's annoying habits and quirks Balance career and family goals Seek professional help when you need itIllustrating their points with insightful, often amusing anecdotes from their own marriage and from the marriages of hundreds of couples they've counseled over the years, the Simrings explore such crucial topics as: Deciding if marriage is right for you Six common marriage myths Understanding the roots of marital problems Communicating with your partner The do's and don'ts of fair marital fighting Making marriage sexy Examining the marriage life cycle Ideas for resolving money differences Succeeding with remarriageFilled with ideas you can use now to keep your marriage as strong as the day you took your vows, this is a survival guide for everyone committed to making marriage work.

Author Biography

Steven Simring, M.D., M.P.H., and Sue Klavans Simring, D.S.W., are experienced lecturers and psychotherapists who have appeared regularly on The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Montel Williams Show. Gene Busnar is a freelance writer.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xxiii
Introduction	1	(6)
Part I: What It Means To Say ``I Do!''	7	(28)
Taking a Candid Look at Marriage	9	(12)
The Five Building Blocks of a Working Marriage	21	(14)
Part II: Can We Talk?	35	(52)
Understanding the Roots of Marital Problems	37	(10)
Communicating with Your Partner	47	(18)
Fighting the Fair Way	65	(22)
Part III: Making Marriage Sexy	87	(32)
Developing a Great Sex Life	89	(16)
When Sex Falters	105	(14)
Part IV: Examining the Marriage Life Cycle	119	(84)
The First Years of Marriage	121	(18)
The Growing Family	139	(18)
Women and Men at Midlife	157	(18)
Making the Most of Marriage at Midlife	175	(14)
Remarriage and Stepfamilies	189	(14)
Part V: Maintaining a Healthy Marriage	203	(80)
Reducing the Stress on Your Marriage	205	(14)
Exploring the Role of Money in Marriage	219	(12)
Examining Extramarital Affairs---and Knowing What to Do about Them	231	(18)
Getting Outside Help	249	(18)
Understanding Divorce and Its Alternatives	267	(16)
Part VI: The Part of Tens	283	(40)
Ten Ways to Make Your Marriage More Romantic	285	(8)
Ten Things You Should Never Say to Your Partner	293	(8)
Ten Ways To Have a Fair Fight	301	(6)
Ten Signs That Your Marriage Is in Trouble	307	(8)
Ten Ways to Have a More Exciting Sex Life	315	(8)
Appendix A: References	323	(12)
Appendix B: Resources	335	(6)
Index	341