Synopses & Reviews
Couple Skills is different from other relationship books in that it focuses on action and change rather than theory. You can pick and choose what you most want to learn, focusing only on skills and chapters that are relevant to your needs. Each chapter has a standardized format and covers one skill.
The book covers a wide range of topics: listening skills; expressing feelings and scripting needs; reciprocal reinforcement; clean communication; identifying and changing cognitive distortions; negotiation; problem solving; assessing and changing aversive strategies; coping with anger; coping with an angry partner; time out; identifying schemas about your partner; old tapes: separating your partner from your parents; coping with your defenses; identifying and intervening in your couple system; expectations; rules; and acceptance.