Fighting for Your Marriage: Positive Steps for Preventing Divorce and Preserving a Lasting Love

"This is a great book and has helped my wife and I come back from the brink. It is old (originlly 1990s I think but this version is 2001) and American but this does not detract from the book at all; the points it raises are timeless and not specific to any national trait! Its main point is that most issues in a marriage can be traced back to bad communication. Although you talk together, you might not be able to hear or understand or even talk effectively or, as with us, all three! This sounds odd because I can talk perfectly well with my friends, but the book explains why this can all go wrong with the most valuable, important and loved person in your life - your partner. Chapter titles like "When what you heard isn't what I said", "Talking Safely without Fighting" and "Playing together: How to succeed in fun" all help explain. The book then presents ways to work round them; simple techniques to help break the vicious circles that can occur. Using these techniques you can start to recover some trust, respect, love, support and all those things you need to then be able to sort things out long term. For Jackie and I this was exactly what we needed. We found the book very readable, not condescending at all, and although it is a tad sugary in places these were very easy to over look. For us, it's been a marriage saver and far better than any counselling services that we have used in the past, I wish we had heard about it years ago. So, if you both are committed to fighting to save the marriage rather than fighting each other to get out of the marriage, then spend the money on the book and not solicitors. "
~ Written on 2008-04-30

"The authors' presentation of the PREP approach is concise and meaningful for clinicians, therapists, and individuals alike who are seeking a model for conflict resolution and enrichment of ANY intimate relationship. Although written in the context of heterosexual marriage, the same principles obviously apply to homosexual and non-traditional unions. Highly recommended from a doctoral level clinician who has found this model to work in both straight and gay/lesbian relationships."
~ Written on 1998-06-09

"I have been trained by Markman, Stanley and Blumberg in the PREP program. Since the training, my spouse and I have worked with couples using their techniques and I have delivered numerous short presentations on the PREP program. The book is an excellent introduction to the process and if followed carefully, it can enrich the relationship of engaged couples and improve any marriage. I highly recommend it. Dr. M. Jean Turner, Associate Professor Family Studies Dr. William C. Bailey, Associate Professor Family Studies--both of the U. of Arkansas"
~ Written on 1998-03-06