Is Romantic Love Constant? No, Says Dr. Sue Johnson

Grow Your Relationship
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We just returned from the Psychotherapy Networker Symposium in Washington, DC. We took workshops and heard from the top experts in our field. One of my favorite day-long workshops was with Dr. Sue Johnson, author of Hold Me Tight-Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love, on "Harnessing the Power of Emotion."Here are some of the points that Dr. Johnson made:

  • Marriage is a series of connections and disconnections. The essential problem in relationships is "emotional disconnection."

  • Romantic love is not constant; we fall in and out of love throughout our relationship.

  • Relationships are based upon "attachment," our survival code. Historically, if we called and no one came, our survival was threatened. We look to our partner for connection and protection.

  • In relationships, people are fighting for their lives, and asking their partner: "Are you there for me? Do you see me? Am I lovable?"

  • We are wired to be in relationships and are all terrified of rejection and abandonment.

  • The quality of a person’s relationship is the number one predictor of the chance of a second heart attack after someone has had a first.

We'll be sharing more with you next week.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you are in a relationship that hurts and feel disconnected, have difficulties communicating, and/or are experiencing a crisis, we can help. Call us at 410-363-2825 or email info@relationshipswork.com.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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