Building Intimate Relationships

The PAIRS course acts as a kind of bridge between marriage education and therapy, working both with couples in healthy relationships hoping to improve intimacy, and with distressed couples trying to save their marriages. Building Intimate Relationships is an edited work with contributions from the creator of the PAIRS program and the most experienced PAIRS leaders. It describes the elements of the PAIRS course and discusses the application of the theories and techniques taught in the PAIRS program. Chapters include discussions on intimacy, communication, conflict resolution, emotional literacy, sensuality and sexuality, spirituality and gender issues.

Mo Therese Hannah, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Siena College in Loudonville, New York and an Advanced Clinician in Imago Relationship Therapy. Dr. Hannah is co-editor of Preventive Approaches in Couples Therapy (1999, Taylor/Francis) and of Healing in the Relational Paradigm (1998, Taylor/Francis). She is the co-author of The EQ (Social-Emotional Intelligence) Program (2000, Symenet Press). Since 1996, she has served as Editor/Managing Editor of The Journal of ImagoRelationship Therapy. She practices couples therapy near Albany, New York.

Foreword, Mo Therese Hannah Preface, DianeSollee Introduction to PAIRS, Rita DeMaria Part One: The PAIRS Program in Context1. An Overview of the PAIRS Program, Rita DeMaria 2. The Saga of the Development of PAIRS, Lori H. Gordon 3. The Voices of the PAIRS Leaders, Barbara Bogartz Part Two:The PAIRS Program: Through the Voices of the Leaders4. The PAIRS Relationship Road Map, Robin Temple 5. Emotional Literacy and Healthy Relationships, AnnLadd 6. Communication and Conflict Resolution, J.Thomas DeVoge and Joyce B. DeVoge 7. PAIRS and Family Systems, Bonnie Gordon-Rabinowitz and Marc D.Rabinowitz 8. Bonding and Emotional Literacy, CarlosDurana 9. Sensuality and Sexuality, Don Adam and DonAzevedo 10. Contracting: Clarifying Expectations, Ellen B. Purcell 11. Spirituality and the PAIRS Program, Teresa Adams 12. PAIRS Research, CarlosDurana Part Three: Special Populations andAdaptations13. Stepfamilies, Bill and Linda Wing 14. PEERS: Programs for Youth, Seth Eisenberg 15. PAIRS Short Programs, Kelly Simpson Part Four:Practical Realities16. Exploring Gender Issues in the PAIRS Program, Elaine Braff 17. PAIRS: Health and Wellness-Preliminary Considerations, Christine Hibbardand David Hibbard 18. Ethics, J. ThomasDeVoge Epilogue: Spiritual Partnership, RabbiMorris Gordon Closing, Rabbi Morris Gordon Appendix Contributors Index