The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert

by John M. Gottman

The most common method recommended for resolving conflict—used in one guise or another by most marital therapists—is called active listening.

You’re not a bad person if you end a relationship with a partner who is grappling with severe psychopathology and is unable to think and function independently.

Common interests keep you together. That all depends on how you interact while pursuing those interests. If a husband and wife who love kayaking are able to glide smoothly down the water together, their mutual hobby enriches and deepens their fondness and interest in each other.

The research shows that if your discussion begins with a harsh start-up, it will inevitably end on a negative note, even if there are a lot of attempts to “make nice” in between.