The Prerequisites for Relationship Success
(Audio CD Series)

Dr. Atkinson describes the groundbreaking discoveries that researchers have made about the emotional habits that are necessary for relationship success, and the important discoveries from neuroscience that unlock the secrets of how we can develop new relationship habits that last.

For a description of Disc 1, click here

For a description of Disc 2, click here

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This book introduces Pragmatic/ Experiential Therapy for Couples (PET-C), a step-by-step approach to couples therapy developed at The Couples Clinic in Geneva, Illinois.  PET-C translates recent advances in neurobiology and the science of intimate relationships into practical strategies for helping couples improve their relationships.  In PET-C, partners learn to identify internal states which perpetuate outmoded thoughts, attitudes, and interactions, "re-wire" these states for more flexibility, and activate alternate states which support new avenues for thought and action.

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“Destined to be one of the most important books on couples therapy of this decade.  A must read for the informed psychotherapist.  Atkinson makes a brilliant case that successful psychotherapy literally rewires the brain for more flexibility by forging new neural networks and enabling clients to shift emotional states away from hurt/protection and toward intimacy.  This revolutionary volume shows that partners need to become more skilled at responding to upsetting things that their partners say or do.  Atkinson guides the reader step-by-step through the processes of helping clients identify and shift emotional states.  A tour de force of scientific sophistication and clinical wisdom.  Emotional Intelligence in Couples Therapy will be a classic!”

          Douglas H. Sprenkle, Ph.D.
          -Former Editor, Journal of Marital and Family Therapy
          -Recipient, American Association for Marriage and
           Family Therapy Award for Cumulative Contribution to Family
           Therapy Research

"All couples therapists have observed first-hand that during intense interaction partners can find that their brains are “emotionally high-jacked” and all the communication skills they have been carefully coached to enact disappear.  This is a critical reason for the alarmingly high relapse rate after seemingly successful therapy.  In Emotional Intelligence in Couples Therapy, Atkinson explains the scientific basis for this phenomenon and, more importantly, he offers step-by-step guidance for therapists to help couples deal with the intense affect that can disable effective communication.  Any couples therapists concerned about increasing their effectiveness and avoiding relapse need to master this powerful new approach!”

          Thomas C. Todd, Ph.D.

 -Director, Marriage & Family Therapy Program,
   Adler School of Professional Psychology

Over the past thirty years, groundbreaking studies on the relationships of couples have identified specific interpersonal habits necessary for relationship success. This workbook details each of these crucial interpersonal habits and offers dozens of guidelines and exercises for helping relationship partners implement them.

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"Developing Habits for Relationship Success is a highly accessible workbook for couples desiring to improve their relationship. Brent Atkinson draws on the latest research into the behavior of couples in intimate relationships and the impact of the emotional brain on human interaction. He helps couples understand the often confusing complexities of long-term relationships and provides a specific step-by-step guide to developing habits that greatly increase the chances of having a successful, loving relationship. Having good relationships is difficult. This workbook makes it easier!"    
         Harvey Joanning, Ph.D.
         -Professor Emeritus and former Director,
          Marriage and Family Therapy Doctoral Program,
                                                                                           Iowa State University.

"In his ground-breaking approach for improving couple relationships, Atkinson offers concrete strategies based on years of research and painstaking attention to clinical practice. I, along with many others, have long awaited this workbook in which he shares his exciting and revolutionary ideas via a user friendly, step-by-step system that can be easily tailored for each client. The habits for relationship success illustrated in this workbook dramatically improved my own clinical work and I routinely share them with students and supervisees."   
                     Teresa McDowell, Ed.D., Director,
                     Marriage and Family Therapy Program,
                     School of Family Studies, University of Connecticut