Title: Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
Author: Sue Johnson
First published April 8, 2008
300 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780316113007 (ISBN10: 031611300X)
Rating: 4.11
Overview
Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Sue Johnson is a groundbreaking book that introduces Emotionally Focused Therapy to the general public. This therapy has been hailed as the most successful couples therapy by the New York Times and Time.
By viewing a love relationship as an attachment bond, this therapy has helped countless couples re-establish safe emotional connections and preserve their attachment bonds. In this book, Dr. Sue Johnson shares her insights and expertise and teaches couples how to save and enrich their relationships.
By focusing on key moments in a relationship, such as recognizing the demon dialogue or revisiting a rocky moment, Johnson provides seven healing conversations that will help couples nurture their relationships and ensure a lifetime of love. Through illuminating advice, practical exercises, and case studies from her practice, this book will guide couples towards a more fulfilling and loving relationship.
About the Author
Meet Dr. Sue Johnson – a pioneer in couple therapy and adult attachment, and the mastermind behind Emotionally Focused Couple and Family Therapy (EFT). Her groundbreaking work in the field has earned her several awards, including the American Psychological Association’s “Family Psychologist of the Year” and the Order of Canada in 2016.
Her book, Hold Me Tight (2008), has become a best-seller, selling over a million copies worldwide as of 2021. Couples have found her book to be a helpful tool in improving and repairing their relationships.
The book has also inspired a relationship enhancement program called Hold Me Tight Online.
As the founding director of the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT), Sue has trained numerous counselors in EFT all over the world. She offers guidance to 80 affiliated centers, and you can learn more about her and her work at drsuejohnson.com.
Editoral Review
Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love is a non-fiction book written by Sue Johnson, a clinical psychologist and couples therapist. Published in 2008, the book delves into the psyche of relationships, and how couples can achieve lasting love and intimacy.
Johnson’s book follows the theoretical framework of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), a cognitive therapy technique that prioritizes emotion regulation as the main ingredient for successful couple relationships. It is presented in seven distinct conversations which are designed to help couples understand their own patterns of attachment, and thereby restructure their emotional responses to the needs and desires of their partner.
Throughout the book, Johnson provides many examples of common couple conflicts and how they might be managed using the EFT approach. Her writing style is accessible, straightforward and jargon-free, which makes the book not only a helpful therapeutic tool but also an easy read for anyone looking for insight into the complicated world of relationships.
The book is well-structured, and each conversation flows logically from one to the next, culminating in the final conversation, where couples are encouraged to speak directly to each other about their deepest feelings and deepest fears. Despite its emphasis on couple therapy, Hold Me Tight is relevant for anyone seeking to improve their understanding of relationships.
It draws heavily on attachment theory, showing readers how early childhood experiences of attachment can shape patterns of behavior and relationships throughout our entire lives. It has the potential to help readers identify their own attachment patterns, and how these patterns may be affecting their current relationships.
However, a potential drawback of the book is that there is a high level of emotional vulnerability required by both partners to successfully implement the recommendations provided. The book’s suggestions may be difficult for some readers to implement successfully in their own relationships, especially if they have previously experienced trauma and have not had access to therapy.
Furthermore, the book tends to focus primarily on romantic relationships, leaving out other important forms of support and relationships. Overall, Sue Johnson’s Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love is an insightful and highly engaging read.
It is well worth the read for anyone looking to improve their relationships, who feels stuck or are looking for practical advice. Its application of attachment theory to relationships is informative, making it a must-read for therapists and anyone else interested in personal transformation.
I would give the book a rating of 4.5 out of 5.
