Stay or Go: Dr. Ruth's Rules for Real Relationships

In this collaborative work "for the person who's wondering whether to stay or go," renowned relationship/psychosexual therapist Westheimer (Columbia Univ. Teachers Coll.; Sexually Speaking), aka Dr. Ruth, with writer Lehu, focuses on individuals who are on the precipice of ending troubled relationships. Couples are challenged to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their situation and encouraged to identify salvageable unions by being open to mutual compromise and thoughtful communication. Westheimer emphasizes that relationships are subjective collaborations between unique people and should be treated as such. Key concepts, bookmarked throughout by "Stop and Consider" questions, prompt practical application. Each chapter addresses financial pressures, power struggles, career goals, waning compatibility, and other relevant stressors that complicate emotional bonds. Above all, readers are instructed to manage expectations of fairy-tale endings by tailoring emotional requirements to the limitations of daily life and the evolution of personalities.