Drs. Roher and Schwartz lead couples at the crossroads through five steps. Step one asks the reader to identify how he or she feels about the other spouse, learn some healthy communication strategies, and then be the one to make the first move. Step two delves into the Jungian idea of "shadow" emotions, what our unconscious mind and dreams are telling us, and how to move from blaming to self-examination. The third step is a primer on letting go of past hurts and learning how to forgive and feel empathy for one's partner. Step four is all about repair: rebuilding trust and reawakening intimacy and sex. The final step is a detailed section on how to build 10 "connecting bridges" with one's spouse, ranging from reinforcing shared values to affirming each other's significance.
Couples at the Crossroads differentiates itself from other marriage manuals by offering strategies that are based on a vast body of research in developmental and social psychology, neuroscience, clinical psychology, and anthropology. Readers can't help but learn a great deal about themselves—their unconscious mind, behavior patterns, neurochemistry of emotions, dreams, gender traits, and more—in the process of finding their way back to love. This is a smart book that's ideal for couples to read and use together.
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