Ph.D. Bonnie Eaker Weil

This book surprised me by how often financial problems were tied into other problems especially sexual infidelity. The book is full of examples from the author's years of practice. Brain chemical imbalances were also a factor in some cases. The penultimate chapter is "The Brain-Body Connection." It has clear definitions of the parts of the brain, their function, the hormones and neurotransmitters.

There are lots of evaluations and lots of suggested dialogues in the book. Eight stages of a relationship are defined:
1. Euphoria
2. Magical thinking
3. The power struggle
4. Transition
5. Breaking up
6. Making up
7. Reromanticizing
8. Real and lasting love.

In order to progress to the "Real and lasting love," Seven steps are defined.
1. Calculate the cost
2. Examine your power dynamic
3. Divest yourself of the past
4. Break up with your money
5. Define the currency of your relationship
Refinance your relationship
7. Invest in your future

The book was an easy read. Working through the exercises and discussing them will take a lot more time than reading the book. Taking time to discuss the pitfalls and feelings is the way it ought to be.… (meer)

Just be careful with this one -- it kind of screws with your head and makes you all confused about what to do. There's some good advice in here, if you're mature and wise enough to really get what she's saying and are then able to use bits and pieces to make your own decisions. But if you're in the stage of your life where everyone plays games and no one really knows what they want, this will just confuse you further. AND -- it might provide false hope for a relationship in which both parties are not in it for the long-haul!! So, I repeat... proceed with caution!!!… (meer)