Being Intimate: A Guide to Successful Relationships (Arkana)

Intimate relationships can be the most fulfilling aspect of our lives, yet they can also be fragile and fraught with difficulty. Romantic ideals can keep us hooked into unrealistic fantasies and derail our quest for true love. Also, we may find it difficult to know and express our authentic feelings, wants, and longings, which may lead to disconnection and disappointment.

Being Intimate examines the ways that satisfying relationships can be achieved. By understanding our own feelings and wants and communicating them clearly, we can create a climate in which love and intimacy can flourish. Introducing and explaining practical techniques, which include a process called "Focusing" (described in detail), the authors show how we can develop connection and trust in our own felt experience, which leads to trusting others and life. For people entering new relationships or seeking ways of improving current partnerships and friendships, this book will be of immense and lasting value.

John Amodeo, Ph.D., MFT, is the author of Dancing with Fire: A Mindful Way to Loving Relationships (Quest Books, 2013), The Authentic Heart: An Eightfold Path to Midlife Love (John Wiley & Sons, 2001); Love & Betrayal (Ballantine Books: 1994); and co-author of Being Intimate (Penguin Books, 1986). Dr. Amodeo holds graduate degrees in both Clinical and Transpersonal Psychology. He has been a licensed marriage and family for over thirty years, and has offices in San Francisco, San Rafael, and Sonoma County. Dr. Amodeo was a writer and contributing editor for Yoga Journal for ten years. He has spoken throughout the country and internationally on love and relationships, and has been featured on national television and radio programs that include CNN, Donahue, and New Dimensions Radio. He has been interviewed or contributed articles to publications that include The Chicago Tribune, The Dallas Morning News, The San Jose Mercury News, The Rocky Mountain News, and The Toronto Sun. He has led workshops at centers such as Esalen Institute, The Omega Institute, and The New York Open Center. He is currently an adjunct faculty member of Meridian University, based in Petaluma, California.