That Loving Feeling

This book is a guide for relationships, in the form of a fictional account of a couples communication workshop and the couples who participate in it. The couples learn to transform ingrained habits that get in the way of closeness. They overcome feelings of hurt and anger as they grow in appreciation for their own self-worth and understanding of their partners. At times funny and at times poignant, the story accurately portrays how the skills of Nonviolent Communication transforms relationships.

This book is a guide for relationships, in the form of a fictional account of a couples communication workshop and the couples who participate in it. The narrators in the book are Sarah and Gene, a retired couple whose long relationship has hit a rough patch. Other couples are Gina and Doris, whose different living habits are a strain on their relationship; Amir and Mei, who are navigating recovery from an infidelity; and Angela and Dave, a couple with young children who are on the verge of breaking up. The leaders of the class are Jessica and Carlos, who are balancing professional lives and having a family. The couples learn to change their habits of thinking, starting with compassion towards themselves. This is a book for couples who want to experience more closeness—making everyday conversations more satisfying. It's a book for partners who want to speak up for their needs in a way that their partner can hear them without taking offense. It's a book for couples who want to experience the enjoyment of mutual acceptance and giving to each other.

Rick Longinotti is a licensed marriage and family therapist. He and his wife have led couples communication workshops for nearly 20 years, using Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication. Participants enjoy the real issues that they bring from their long relationship, including some of the classic conflicts that couples experience. They have two adult children. Rick has a BA from Stanford University and a MA in psychology from the Western Institute for Social Research.