Straight from the Heart: An Essential Guide for Developing, Deepening and Renewing Your Relationships - Softcover

Cutright, Layne; Cutright, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0965137104 ISBN 13: 9780965137102

Publisher: Heart to Heart, 1996

Synopsis

Explores the dynamics of human interaction, and gives exercises for developing communication skills, designed to build intimacy, trust, and understanding

About this title

About the Author

Paul and Layne have been in a romantic and professional partnership for 23 years. They are founders of The Center for Enlightened Partnership that offers training and coaching in the fine art of relating via the World Wide Web and teleclasses. Paul and Layne have taught relationship and communication skills to thousands of people all over the world. Their work has ranged from working with senior and mid-level Japanese business executives in Tokyo to presenting a paper and workshop at the International Conference for Conflict Resolution in St. Petersburg, Russia. They have also trained others in the methodologies they have developed who are teaching all over the world.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Another example is when you are talking to people and your words spark a memory or emotion about something in their own life, and they jump in excitedly to talk about themselves. It leaves you feeling unheard and unimportant, doesn't it. Perhaps you do this with others, making them feel the same way. Or perhaps if people are telling you about a problem they are having with you, you don't even let them finish, you interrupt them to defend yourself. This behavior is a handicap in any relationship, for it makes people reluctant to bring up issues that can only be resolved by open sharing and mutual problem solving.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

The beauty of Heart-to-Heart Talks is that they provide structure for your communication. Structure is to these processes what soil is to a seed. The soil provides a foundation, a place for the roots to take hold. The roots give nourishment to the young tree as well as the stability and strength it needs to grow to its full size. The structure of these communication processes creates a foundation of safety, respect, tolerance, and clarity that can support you through difficult times and help your relationships achieve their full potential.

Of course, other things are needed to nurture a seed into a sapling, then into a mighty oak. For openers, your personal truth is like water to the seed. just as water germinates the seed, your truth sparks new growth in your relationships; without a constant supply of it, they will wither away. Another essential ingredient to bring to your relationship is love. Love is like the warmth of the sun, bringing sustenance, healing, and comfort to a cold, hardened heart. Without the life-giving force of the sun, none of us on this planet could exist. The same is true of love. Some people have lived so long feeling isolated and misunderstood that their hearts are heavily guarded lest they be hurt anymore. Your focused love during a Heart-to-Heart Talk can help people to gently open just as a flower opens to the sun. Only when people's hearts are open can they feel connect with others. This feeling of connection will grow into more love, trust, understanding, and intimacy in your relationships with them.

Edition details

• Publisher: Heart to Heart
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0965137104
• ISBN 13: 9780965137102
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 144