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Make Your Marriage Better by Learning How to Communicate Sex. Laundry. Morthers-in-law. Are you avoiding certain subjects—just to keep the peace? Entering into discussion with your spouse can be difficult. It involves talking and listening! But mastering this kind of communication can be the difference between finding fulfillment and remaining unhappy in your marriage. What you need is straightforward, no-no advice that will get you through the most uncomfortable discussions. From conversation-starters to how to wrap things up, relationship expert Paul Coleman, Psy.D. offers realistic scripts that detail strategies for couples to talk about (but not fight about) tough topics, including. Sex Jealousy Kids Money Career Life Goals We Need to Talk: Tough Conversations with Your Spouse is the honest guide that will help you open up—and ultimately improve your marriage. About The Author Paul Coleman, Psy.D. is a psychologist and relationship expert. He has conducted more than 40,000 therapy sessions and is the author of ten hooks, including The 30 Secrets of Happy Married Couples, How to Say It Couples, Getting to the Heart of the Matter, and Life’s Parachutes: How to Land on Your Feet During Trying Times. Dr. Coleman lives with his wife of twenty-five years and their three children in Dutchess County, NY Table of Contents Introduction Chapter One: Five Hidden Conversational Traps The Culprit Behind Most Conversational Goof-Ups What Your Senses Can Tell You The Five Toxic Traps Rough Start-Ups A Black-and-White Mentality All Problems Can Be Solved Do You Confuse Feelings with Facts? Allowing Arguments to Escalate Your Next Step Chapter Two: The SAIL Approach to Conversation Why You Do the Things You Do Three Questions to Help You Understand Yourself The SAIL Method The Sticky Issues Ahead Chapter Three: Manipulation and Game-Playing Games Couples Play Understanding a Manipulative Person Why Couples Get in Trouble Good Openings Good Follow-Throughs Chapter Four: Friends and Family Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? Relationship Strain—The Different Players Good Openings Good Follow-Throughs Check Your SAIL Chapter Five: Adversity The Marriage Immune System Halting the Battle of Wills Dialogue Dos Good Openings Good Follow-Throughs Chapter Six: Sex Talking about Sex Talking Dirty—Or No Talking at All Low or Mismatched Desire Performance Problems Rules for Sex Talk Good Openings Good Follow-Throughs Chapter Seven: Parenting Discipline Dilemmas and "Emotional Soup" How the Past Interferes with Your Present Five Ways to Improve Spousal Communication Without Talking Good Openings Good Follow-Throughs Chapter Eight: Emotional Distance Are You in a Rut? What Makes an Emotionally Distant Couple? Pumping Up the Passion Relearning Intimacy Good Openings Good Follow-Throughs Chapter Nine: Money and Chores House Rules The Issues Behind the Issue Going to Extremes Putting Limits on Money Good Openings Good Follow-Throughs Chapter Ten: Online Chatting and Porn The Hardcore Truth Excuses, Excuses Complications from Too Much Porn Good Openings Good Follow-Throughs Chapter Eleven: Drinking When Is Drinking a Problem? What You Need to Know to Help Get the Help You Need Seven Guaranteed Outcomes Good Openings Good Follow-Throughs Chapter Twelve: Unfulfilled Dreams Can You Cope with Unexpected Changes? Good Openings Good Follow-Throughs Chapter Thirteen: Cheating Cheating 101 The Immediate Consequences of an Affair Phases of Repair Good Openings and Follow-Throughs: The Roller-Coaster Phase Good Openings and Follow The Depressed-Accepting Phase Good Openings and Follow-Throughs: The Rebirth Phase Chapter Fourteen: Ten Quick Conversations Appendix: Sample Script for Quick Reference Index