13 Things Mentally Strong Couples Don’t Do: Fix What’s Broken, Develop Healthier Patterns, and Grow Stronger Together

Psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker Morin (13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do) offers solid advice for couples wishing to strengthen their relationship. This latest work follows the format of her previous books by identifying 13 negative or unhealthy behaviors to avoid. In this case, the discussion focuses on behaviors guaranteed to sabotage relationships. Selected topics include keeping secrets, failing to set boundaries, the inability to communicate respectfully, and blaming others. Each chapter highlights one behavior and follows a uniform format. There’s a description of the conduct at hand, a quiz to assess its impact on the readers’ relationships, and an explanation of how the behavior typically evolves. Morin provides tips for changing negative behaviors and conversation starters to help readers tackle the issue with their partners in a healthy, nonthreatening way. Each chapter also includes a case study demonstrating how one couple dealt with that specific problem. A brief conversation with an expert on each topic concludes every chapter, providing readers with a broader perspective.