The Critical Partner: How to End the Cycle of Criticism and Get the Love You Want

by Michelle Skeen

When you are in a relationship with a critical partner—someone who constantly blames you and holds you to unrealistic standards—you may feel picked apart, unworthy, and unhappy. You may start to wonder if you’ll ever be good enough for your partner. This guide can help you repair your relationship by getting to the root of why your partner criticizes you so that you both can build a more loving and supportive partnership. Based in schema therapy, The Critical Partner can help you gradually change unhealthy relationship patterns and help your partner move beyond the need to criticize. Through a series of assessment quizzes and worksheets, you’ll learn what’s driving your partner’s behavior and what makes you vulnerable to critical attacks. You’ll also discover alternative coping strategies for deflecting criticism and break the long-standing conflicts that keep you from moving forward as a couple. This book will help you get to the root of the problem so that you can repair your relationship and get the love you want.

Genres: Self Help

176 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2011

About the author

Michelle Skeen, PsyD, has a doctorate in clinical psychology. She is author of seven books, all designed to enhance relationships by emphasizing the importance of identifying core values and valued intentions, limited thinking, mindfulness, self-compassion, empathy, and effective communication and conflict resolution skills. Her passion is coaching individuals in creating and maintaining healthy relationships by bringing awareness to obstacles (fears and beliefs), which often work unconsciously to limit connections with others. Michelle believes that an early introduction and education in core values and healthy communication are essential life skills for success. To that end, Michelle and her daughter, Kelly, coauthored Communication Skills for Teens and Just As You Are.

Skeen completed her postdoctoral work at the University of California, San Francisco. She codeveloped an empirically validated protocol for the treatment of interpersonal problems that resulted in two books: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Interpersonal Problems and The Interpersonal Problems Workbook. Michelle’s work has appeared in more than thirty publications around the world. She hosts a weekly radio show called Relationships 2.0 with Dr. Michelle Skeen that airs nationally. To find out more, visit her website at www.michelleskeen.com.

Source: https://www.newharbinger.com/author/m...

Reviews

[Faezeh Sharifian · Rating 4 out of 5]

یکی از مشکلات شایع زوجین، انتقادگری است.

در تجارب بالینی بارها و بارها با زوجینی روبرو شده ام که یکی از آن‌ها طرف مقابل را مدام زیر رگبار انتقاد می‌گیرد (همسر انتقادگر).

با گذشت زمان، این تعامل اثرات مخرب خود را بر رابطه بر جای خواهد گذاشت.

سلامت زیستی و آسایش همسری که مدام قربانی انتقادگری همسرش می‌شود، آسیب می‌بیند (همسر آسیب‌پذیر).

اغلب همسر انتقادگر و همسر آسیب پذیر در حلقۀ معیوب، تکراری و ناسازگار دست‌وپا می‌زنند. تکرار این حلقۀ معیوب باعث می‌شود همدیگر را درک نکنند و روز به روز تغییر یا گریز از این حلقۀ معیوب را دشوارتر بیابند.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little book, because there's nothing included but the essentials. It's very good- has exercises, categories for better understanding what drives different types of criticism. Gets to the heart of the matter, right away- no dancing around. Recommended for those in weird, cyclically critical relationships.