Love in the Present Tense: How to Have a High Intimacy, Low Maintenance Marriage

Drawing on their expertise on personal growth in the workplace and from their experience with couples in their popular workshops, Morrie and Arleah Shechtman present a new approach that challenges common notions about what makes a good marriage work. They recognize that myths about marriage often lead people to aim for unrealistic ideals. Examining eight myths about relationships—including “Love will carry you through the hard times,” “You need to work on your relationship if you want it to be good,” and “Spending lots of time together is very important”—the book also presents contrasting realities to help strengthen the bond. For those working to build a relationship or struggling to hold one together, this book provides powerful new ways to overcome old behaviors and create a new connection that springs from a shared understanding of one another's needs.

Morrie Shechtman is a psychotherapist, a teacher, and a counselor who now runs a successful management consulting company. Arleah Shechtman is a psychotherapist with a clinical specialization and works with adolescents, small groups, and people experiencing grief and loss.