Susan Quilliam – författare

For some people, an argument with a loved one is a catastrophe, a sign that a relationship must surely be over, for others a heated discussion is a way of letting off steam, a way of ensuring that passion is kept alive. But what is 'normal' communication for couples? How can you get past the raised voices or silent disapproval, to listen and understand what is really being said by your partner? Relationships change over time, and the way we communicate does too. This practical, readable and sometimes humorous book, based on over 60 years of cumulative experience from Relate, the marriage guidance experts, will help couples to break free of old patterns of behaviour and avoid using words as weapons when the going gets tough. It will help encourage upfront discussion rather than resorting to nagging, and will give you the skills you need to understand what your partner is really trying to say to you - to bring discussion rather than confrontation back into your relationships.

Packed with relationship advice from Relate, the marriage guidance experts, Staying Together offers guidelines to help couples survive and grow through their relationship problems so that they need not separate and may maintain their commitment to each other. Case histories, quizzes and questionnaires show how this is possible and even how to make a partnership stronger. The book covers how to: --confront difficulties --understand your partner --re-negotiate an improved relationship --develop skills to make improvements last --assess when problems first appeared and how they developed --face changes --communicate and meet a partner's needs --create good times --build on commitment and happiness.

Choosing a romantic partner is one of contemporary life's biggest adventures. But other aspects of modern living – being globally more mobile, a fall in religious belief, social liberalization and more job opportunities (but longer working hours) – mean meeting a mate has rarely been so challenging, and rarely so important.In How to Choose a Partner, Susan Quilliam guides us through the process of finding the right partner for us as individuals. The real challenge is that we grow. Drawing upon rich cultural material, psychology and her background in relationship therapy, Susan presents partner choice as a self-development journey, driving us to learn more about ourselves, about other people, about life and the way we want to live.