From Genesis to Revelation, Choosing Intimacy goes on an in-depth exploration to discover the biblical foundation for mutual intimacy. People are lonely. Too many suffer from fractured relationships and simultaneously long for deep connection with friends, family members, and co-workers. But the unrelenting persistence of addictions, abuse of authority, and struggle with depression, anxiety, and anger leave people feeling empty and powerless. Increasing numbers of Christians entering counseling offices wonder why a love for the Lord, obedience to God’s Word, and commitment to clearly defined roles do not result in satisfying intimate relationships. Where did it all go wrong? Choosing Intimacy offers a refreshing biblical perspective, over 40 years of professional counseling experience, personal insights, and practical skills for overcoming the power struggles that strangle intimacy.
A behavioral scientist explores love, belongingness, and fulfillment, focusing on how modern technology can both help and hinder our need to connect. A Next Big Idea Club nominee. Millions of people around the world are not getting the physical, emotional, and intellectual intimacy they crave. Through the wonders of modern technology, we are connecting with more people more often than ever before, but are these connections what we long for? Pandemic isolation has made us even more alone. In Out of Touch, Professor of Psychology Michelle Drouin investigates what she calls our intimacy famine, exploring love, belongingness, and fulfillment and considering why relationships carried out on technological platforms may leave us starving for physical connection. Drouin puts it this way: when most of our interactions are through social media, we are taking tiny hits of dopamine rather than the huge shots of oxytocin that an intimate in-person relationship would provide. Drouin explains that intimacy is not just sex—although of course sex is an important part of intimacy. But how important? Drouin reports on surveys that millennials (perhaps distracted by constant Tinder-swiping) have less sex than previous generations. She discusses pandemic puppies, professional cuddlers, the importance of touch, “desire discrepancy” in marriage, and the value of friendships. Online dating, she suggests, might give users too many options; and the internet facilitates “infidelity-related behaviors.” Some technological advances will help us develop and maintain intimate relationships—our phones, for example, can be bridges to emotional support. Some, on the other hand, might leave us out of touch. Drouin explores both of these possibilities.
We All Crave An Authentic Experience Of Intimacy. Though our hearts crave intimacy, though our minds understand our deep need for it, the self-revelation it requires is often too daunting a task. Complete and unrestrained sharing of self exposes the deepest human fear of being rejected for being ourselves. InThe Seven Levels of Intimacy,Matthew Kelly both acknowledges and calms our fears, while teaching us how to move beyond them to experience the power of true intimacy.Matthew reveals that each relationship is built upon a pattern of interaction. In the beginning stages, we rely on casual interactions, gaining familiarity by focusing on superficialities and facts. We grow closer and begin to share our opinions, learning to accept each other and embrace the growing relationship despite the difference in our experiences and viewpoints. Once our differences and opinions are shared and accepted, we feel safe enough to reveal our hopes, dreams, and feelings, developing trust. With this trust, we open ourselves and are able to share our legitimate needs, becoming liberated from carrying the burden of our real needs alone. At last, we are deeply intimate and both willing and able to reveal our deepest fears. We are beyond judgment and feel trust and acceptance. By moving through and building upon each level of intimacy, we find comfort and gain trust in our partners and ourselves until, by developing and deepening our intimacy within each level, we are able to fully open ourselves, finally opening to the possibility of truly being loved. It is through mastering the seven levels of intimacy that we will break through to fully experiencing love, commitment, trust, and happiness.The Seven Levels of Intimacyis a brilliant and practical guide to creating and sustaining intimacy, whether you are looking for a deeper sense of connection with your spouse, looking for more fulfillment in your relationship with your boyfriend or girlfriend, trying to improve your relationships with your children, or simply wondering what you should be looking for in a partner.With profound insight and the use of powerful, everyday examples, Matthew Kelly explains how we can nurture the intimacy in our relationships.The Seven Levels of Intimacyredefines how we view our interactions with others. This new understanding leads us to successfully create the strong connections, deep joy, and lasting bonds that we all long for.
Originally published in 1987, this paperback, from the author of THE DISCIPLINE OF MARKET LEADERS demonstrates how companies can profit from establishing more co-operative customer-supplier relationships and describes how customer intimacy works, how to implement it and what pitfalls to look out for. Illustrated with examples from top companies.
What does it really mean to love another person? Is there such a thing as the 'perfect' partner? How does infatuation differ from the real thing?The need to love is central to our idea of happiness, yet it sometimes seems that the more we reflect on it the more elusive it becomes. In this lucid and graceful meditation on the deeper meanings of intimacy, John Armstrong explores the ideas that have shaped how we view affairs of the heart. Drawing on poetry, novels, philosophy, paintings and music, he shows how love is inextricably bound up with perception and the imagination: that loving a real, complicated person and being understood and valued by them in turn is not something we find, but rather something we create.
Build the strong, deeply powerful relationships you’ve always desired in this inspirational guide to intimacy from Matthew Kelly, bestselling author of The Rhythm of Life. We all crave the heartwarming, incomparable connection of intimacy. But oftentimes, this complete, unrestrained sharing of ourselves is too daunting a task. Now, in The Seven Levels of Intimacy, Matthew Kelly explains step-by-step how to move beyond our fears and experience the power of true intimacy. By achieving each of Kelly’s seven levels, we can understand and gain confidence in our partners and ourselves until we are fully able to experience love, commitment, trust, and happiness. With profound insight and the use of powerful and relatable examples, The Seven Levels of Intimacy redefines the most important relationships in our lives and how we view our interactions with one another. By finally comprehending and experiencing the great depths of intimacy, we can create the strong connections, deep joy, and lasting bonds that we all long for in our lives.
The comprehensive guide to getting close—and closer . . . Renowned psychologist Dr. Paul Coleman gives readers a step–by–step, clear path to improving their relationships by helping them identify intimacy problems, understand key differences between men and women, change perceptions, overcome arguments, and effectively communicate. He also covers sexual intimacy and affection issues, including intimacy during stressful times, transitions, and as relationships progress. This book is a beacon for those looking to solve their struggles with intimacy. • Tools and exercises for both physical and emotional intimacy • Self-assessment tests and exercises to help pinpoint issues • For couples, singles, and families, men and women • Coleman is an expert with an active practice and specialty in intimacy issues who’s made appearances on Oprah, Today, and Geraldo
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN HOW TO LOVE When you fall in love you may be repeating bad relationship habits that you learned growing up or in a previous unhealthy relationship. No matter what your history, Getting Love Right can explain how to build and maintain healthy intimacy, including: * How to recognize if you are in a compulsive, apathetic, or healthy relationship * How to become a person who is capable of healthy intimacy * How to choose a healthy partner If you are in a relationship or want to be in one, Terence T. Gorski will teach you that love isn't just something that happens -- love is something you can learn.
In 2010, at age 36, while going through yet another agonizing breakup, Bryan had an epiphany: He knew nothing useful about how to do intimate relationship well. In that moment of painful realization he vowed to never suck at intimacy again. Thus began an extraordinary journey into the realms of love, sex, relationship. In summer 2015, with already legions of readers all over the world following his adventures, his essay "Choose Her Every Day (Or Leave Her)" went viral, exploding to over a million readers daily. This book (which includes that essay) is Bryan's anthology of stories, insights, practical tools, and secrets (that should never be secrets!) to help guide you on your own journey to thriving in love and intimacy.
