Our Favorite Books on Relationships + Intimacy
Let’s get real for a second. In this day and age, when we have questions about ANYTHING, we tend to look to the internet for quick and easy solutions. Easy dinner recipes? Google it. What does it mean when I get the UI symbol on my washing machine? Google it. How to build intimacy in marriage? Google. Yes, it might seem like the subject ‘how to get intimacy in relationships’ is a google-able topic and while the world wide web is always a helpful resource, we’re here to share our favorite relationship books for couples. If you’re an old fashioned bibliophile or if you simply feel like picking up a book on relationships, you’ll appreciate this.
It’s an all inclusive perspective at building intimacy whether you’re hitched or single. Dr. Harper is a licensed professional counselor, board supervisor, certified sexologist, applied clinical nutritionist and then some. She brings a witty, direct and entertaining voice to the world of love and sex.
“Love is not a nebulous idea. It’s not a vague notion of warm and fuzzy. It’s the real daily interactions of sharing our lives with someone, caring for them, and having them care for us in return. Love is what we do, day in - day out, not what we profess in our status updates.”
If you’re curious about soul relationships and karmic partners, this is your kind of read. It’s an energy and spirit led conversation that really digs into the spiritual dimension of relationships.
You might have heard of his text, Many Lives, Many Masters. In Messages from the Masters: Tapping into the Power of Love, Dr. Brian Weiss shares a collection of testimonies and experiences of folks who have received messages from spirits, past lives, and through reincarnation. This book explores meditation exercises and methods to diffuse anxiety to bring on healing in relationships.
“We feel the emotions of the people whom we have helped or hurt, loved and hated, or affected positively or negatively. We feel their emotions very deeply, because this is a powerful learning device, a sort of instant intense feedback about our behavior while we were on earth, in physical bodies. We learn through relationships, and thus it is important that we understand how we have touched others.”
By combining Western psychology and Eastern teachings of Buddhism, this book is a collection of wisdom and guide to unlocking ourselves from difficult emotions. Approaching relationships with this book will provide clarity and mindfulness in a holistic way.
If you’ve read ‘The Four Agreements,’ you’re going to love this book. By squashing fear-based thoughts that lead to painful stories we tell ourselves, Ruiz demonstrates how to heal our emotional wounds and find joy in our relationships.
“The only way to master love is to practice love. You don’t need to justify your love, you don’t need to explain your love; you just need to practice your love. Practice creates the master.”
This might not seem like the typical book to keep intimacy alive but hear us out. One of the most common things that couples fight about is money so reading a book about money management will diffuse tension and bring you closer. It’s a win, win.
A tried and true favorite, this is an all time favorite that can be revisited often. As a refresher, the five love languages are quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service or physical touch. More often than not, you and your partner will have different ways of receiving and giving love. Understanding both your love language and your partners can strengthen and build intimacy in your relationship.
“Love can be expressed and received in all five languages. However, if you don’t speak a person’s primary love language, that person will not feel loved, even though you may be speaking the other four. Once you are speaking his or her primary love language fluently, then you can sprinkle in the other four and they will be like icing on the cake.”
What are your favorite books on how to build intimacy in a relationship? We’d love to know what gets your mind working and what’s helped rebuild your relationship. Send an email to hello@magnoliawellnessoc.com and clue us in!