How to Stop Destroying Your Relationships: A Guide to Enjoyable Dating, Mating and Relating

by Albert Ellis, Robert A. Harper

Lost enough loves for three lifetimes? Want to break bad habits and replace them with good ones that last?

Whether you are male or female, single or married, gay or straight, Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), created by world renowned therapist Dr. Albert Ellis, can help anyone-at any age-learn to maintain healthy and lasting love. Simple and effective, the proven REBT techniques in this landmark book show you how to relate lovingly and intimately, for the long-term.

Using a non-judgmental approach, here is more than just a guide to getting along better with a "significant other." You'll also find help for improving relationships with friends, children, and even in-laws. Discover practical information on:

*Getting Your Relationships Together by Getting Yourself Together
*Realistic Views of Couplehood
*Communicating and Problem-Solving
*Better Sex for Better Couplehood
*Saving Time and Money and Enjoying Life More
*Having or Not Having Children
*Building a Deep and Lasting Relationship
*Self-coping statements and exercises to keep you emotionally fit

...and much more to help you take matters into your own hands-and heart-and stop the cycle of relationship ruin. With healing doses of wisdom and humor, Dr. Ellis puts you firmly on the path toward a lifetime of love.

Genres: Psychology, Relationships

282 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2001

About the author

Albert Ellis was an American psychologist who in 1955 developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). He held M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in clinical psychology from Columbia University and American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). He also founded and was the President of the New York City-based Albert Ellis Institute for decades.
He is generally considered to be one of the originators of the cognitive revolutionary paradigm shift in psychotherapy and the founder of cognitive-behavioral therapies. Based on a 1982 professional survey of USA and Canadian psychologists, he was considered as the second most influential psychotherapist in history (Carl Rogers ranked first in the survey; Sigmund Freud was ranked third).

Reviews

[Chad E Spilman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some principles that stood out to me in this book are to try and understand the other persons frustration.

If the other person does or says something you dont like you can compromise solutions or accept them for who they are but berating that person wont help.

Having problems and arguments are a normal part of a relationship and talking through and about them toward a solution are normal rather than complaining.

[Davina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting approach. I can see it being difficult to apply. I am asked to get at the root of my beliefs that drive my behavior. But this isn't a fishing expedition so I can flagellate my father for his sins, but an investigation in to those beliefs which spin annoyance in to anger. There is a great focus on underlying "musts" "shoulds" and all kinds of ways in which I try and control, or proscribe the world around me. It's pretty interesting. I've made an observation, in reviewing another of the author's books, that this reminds me of Buddhism. Essentially, I am asked to observe my behavior, notice the underlying beliefs, and to use a Buddhist metaphor, to drive out the rotten peg. I appreciate his approach.

[Zac Stojcevski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should have been written from the ground up, like the authors claim rather than being renovated from something written 4 decades earlier. Relationships and their nature have changed, people are less patient and seem to lack the stamina required in the exercises and vignettes offered here. As such, this cobbled together offering unfortunately dilutes for the reader the power of REBT and disappointingly I found it not to be as strong an offering from the Author and hi eponymous institute.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is fine and has some helpful exercises in particular, but I would recommend skipping this one if you already practice or are very familiar with REBT. In that case it may be repetitive or tedious to read.