I’m doing a Hold Me Tight workshop this weekend. They’re exhausting but I absolutely love leading them. It’s amazing to see couples work through hard conversations and build closeness through the sessions.
I like to share a list of resources with the participants when we wrap up so I decided to share my list with you too! These are some of my favorites but I would love to know what you would add to the list.
Just a note, some of the links are affiliate links so I get a small commission to buy more books.
Resources
Understanding Attachment Strategies & Your Cycle
Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Dr. Sue Johnson EdD
Created for Connection: The “Hold Me Tight” Guide for Christian Couples by Dr. Sue Johnson & Kenneth Sanderfer
Secure Love: Create a Relationship That Lasts a Lifetime by Julie Menanno
Attachment 4 The People podcast with Michael Ashenfelter and Michael Leach – especially episodes 2-4
Repairs & Forgiveness
The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World by Desmond Tutu & Mpho Tutu
Why Won’t He Apologize? | Harriet Lerner | TEDxKC
Betrayal Trauma Video Series with Kelly Bourgue
Sex and Physical Intimacy
Foreplay Radio – Couples and Sex Therapy Podcase with George Faller and Laurie Watson https://www.foreplayrst.com/
Wanting Sex Again: How to Rediscover Your Desire and Heal a Sexless Marriage by Laurie Watson
The New Frontier of Sex & Intimacy | Dr Sue Johnson | TEDxUOttawa
Healing Sex: A Mind-Body Approach to Healing Sexual Trauma by Staci Haines
The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You’ve Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended by Sheila Wray Gregoire
Come As You Are: Revised and Updated: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by Emily Nagoski Ph.D.
Additional Resources
The Emotionally Focused Therapy Workbook for Addiction: How to Heal the Loneliness and Shame That Trigger Addictive Behaviors by Michael Barnett LPCC
Fight Right: How Successful Couples Turn Conflict Into Connection by Julie Schwartz Gottman PhD & John Gottman PhD
Journey Through Trauma: A Trail Guide to the 5-Phase Cycle of Healing Repeated Trauma by Gretchen L. Schmelzer PhD
Trauma Survivors’ Strategies for Healing: A Workbook to Help You Grow, Rebuild, and Take Back Your Life by Elena Welsh PhD
I forgot to add it to the printed list but we also talked about the Gottman Card Decks. I love sharing the free app with couples who are just getting back to talking with each other.
Just for fun, here’s a slide from my presentation that makes me smile. (Yes, I really do have a donkey named Susan Johnson. I’m a bit of a nerd.)
