Permanent Partners: Building Gay & Lesbian Relationships that LastToday, more than ever before, gay and lesbian couples want long-lasting, fulfilling, happy relationships. But in order to accomplish this, the notion of "partnership" itself must be radically reinvented. Gay men and lesbians must learn to imbue relationships with the same importance that their heterosexual counterparts do - in a society that still offers none of the same support. This book, written by a psychotherapist who specializes in working with lesbian and gay male couples, offers clear, compassionate advice and counseling on the internal and external problems faced by two men or two women as they create a life together. Warmly supportive, Dr. Betty Berzon draws on real-life examples from her professional practice and her own long-term partnership to help couples improve communication, "fight fair," resolve conflicts, and affirm both their love and their commitment in a relationship that works today, tomorrow, and forever. Book jacket. |
Contents
ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE | 9 |
BUILDING COMPATIBILITY | 25 |
FEELING GOOD ABOUT BEING GAY | 44 |
Copyright | |
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able adult anger angry become beginning behavior BETTY BERZON child childhood comfortable conflict couple's deal develop domestic partner Domestic Partnership effect Elaine emotional Esther experience express fantasy fear feelings felt fight friends gay and lesbian gay male gay or lesbian gay/lesbian gender-role Giselle give happening he/she Helen heterosexual his/her homosexual identity important individual inhibited sexual desire inhibition intimacy intimate partnership intimate relationships involved jealousy Jeanine Jeri joint tenancy KERRY kind lesbian and gay lesbian couples lives look Lori Loulan lover male couples marriage Mattie monogamous mother negotiation never non-gay one's parents partner Pepper Schwartz person power of attorney present problem relationship Roberta Achtenberg role safe sex same-sex sexual desire sexual orientation share silent treatment social someone Sometimes strategies Susan talk tell tension things understand usually women