The Heart of the Matter: Perspectives on Emotion in Marital: Perspectives on Emotion in Marital Therapy

First published in 1995. Intimate relationships are at the core of our emotional life. There is no other context so infused by and responsive to the ebb and flow of human emotion. A large part of human communication is emotional communication, involving minute signals concerning closeness and distance, and dominance and submission. This information is of central importance in organizing interactions with significant others. In addition, the social interactions most crucial to our senses of well-being, positive adaptation, and physical and emotional health are those that occur with significant others on whom we depend for our sense of security and belonging in the world. This book examines the role of affect in intimate relations and in the redefinition of such relationships in therapy.