Sophie’s Top Reads For Relationship Growth

Every relationship is unique. We all go through the ups and downs, and whether you’ve been together 12 months, 5 years, or for over a decade, it can be easy to fall into a rut. But like anything of value, we have to take responsibility for the state of our partnerships and use our power and our being to create excitement, joy, and happiness that will continue forever.

Romantic relationships require ongoing attention and commitment for love to flourish. As long as the health of your relationship remains important to you, it is going to require your attention and effort in order for it to grow. And as it grows, your love will only get better and better.

Nothing is ever perfect, but we must remember that to live and to love is to change and to grow. Growth is conditional - it only happens when we choose to embrace change one moment at a time.

“Change is inevitable. Growth is intentional.” - Glenda Cloud

Here are my top reads to help your love grow stronger and thrive:

• She Comes First by Ian Kerner

Did you know that the clitoris has 8000 nerve endings, twice as many as the penis? Here is everything you've wondered about the female orgasm and how to make it happen. A witty, well-researched and revealing guide to giving your lover an orgasm every time. Short sections cover philosophy, technique, step-by-step instructions and detailed anatomical information, essential to both beginners and experienced lovers.   

• Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller

A groundbreaking book that I go back to again and again. Attached guides readers in determining what attachment style they and their mate (or potential mate) follow, offering a road map for building stronger, more fulfilling connections with the people they love.

 

• The Enneagram in Love by Stephanie Barron Hall

 This comprehensive exploration of the Enneagram offers an in-depth examination of the ways each of the nine types behaves in relationships: how they handle intimacy, express themselves, and deal with conflict. Discover the opportunities and challenges that you and your partner will face while also getting realistic, actionable advice for navigating and overcoming tough spots you might encounter.

• How to Be an Adult in Relationships by David Richo

Richo offers a fresh perspective on love and relationships--one that focuses not on finding an ideal mate, but on becoming a more loving and realistic person. Drawing on the Buddhist concept of mindfulness, he explores five hallmarks of mindful loving and how they play a key role in relationships throughout life.

• Loving Bravely by Alexandra H. Solomon 

Real love starts with you. In order to attract a life partner and build a healthy intimate relationship, you must first become a good partner to yourself. This book offers twenty invaluable lessons that will help you explore and commit to your own emotional and psychological well-being so you can be ready, resilient, and confident in love.

• The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman

Whether your relationship is flourishing or failing, Dr. Gary Chapman’s proven approach to showing and receiving love will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with your partner—starting today.  

• Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski

An essential exploration of women's sexuality that will radically transform your sex life into one filled with confidence and joy.  

 

What do you do to keep the spark alive in your relationship? 

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