THE RELATE GUIDE TO BETTER RELATIONSHIPS: PRACTICAL WAYS TO MAKE YOUR LOVE LAST FROM THE EXPERTS IN MARRIAGE GUIDANCE

by Sarah Litvinoff

'When I fall in love it will be forever...' or so goes the song. The reality can be different and the truth is that the nature of relationships will change over time. Few things can be more distressing than finding that you and your partner are no longer communicating the way you used to, that problems have developed, or that your relationship seems to have broken down. With 60 years cumulative experience of marriage guidance, the experts at Relate know better than most how to overcome relationship difficulties and in so doing create a strong, long-lasting partnership. This highly practical guide is packed full of relationship advice, exercises and guidelines to help you better understand yourself and your- discover what makes your partner tick- test your compatibility- learn how to talk, listen and hear what each other is saying- improve your sex life- deepen your love through tackling problems together.

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

I work as a life coach and writer from my home in Hackney, east London. Writing came first: most of my books and journalism has been aimed at helping people help themselves. I approached Relate, the UK couples’ counselling service in 1990, because I believed their particular brand of wisdom, commonsense and experience needed a wider audience. I pioneered their series of self-help guides, writing the first three and setting the style and standard for the ones that followed. I have given advice more directly as an agony aunt.

Earlier, my involvement with The Working Mothers’ Association (which has now become Working Families) focused my attention towards how many of us struggle to balance our home and working lives. I eventually chaired the organisation for two years, helping cement its particular mix of giving practical advice and support to parents while working to change the culture within companies and affect government policies. I wrote Working Mother: A Practical Handbook (now out of print) — the first and most comprehensive book of its kind — which was affectionately retitled “The Bible” by its readers. My co-author, Marianne Velmans, was a successful publishing executive with two children, I was a self-employed single mother of one, and we also called on the experiences of other experts: dozens of working mothers from all walks of life.

In 1997 I became one of the first 200 life coaches in the UK. At that time there were no organisations offering training here, so I was delighted to connect with Coach University, a virtual provider of training based in the States. The founder, Thomas Leonard was a great example and inspiration to me.

For me, coaching and writing is the perfect combination. While I can reach hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide through print, there is no substitute for the thrill of working with individuals, and being part of their own excitement as they tackle what has been holding them back and take charge of their own fulfillment.