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Tell Me the Truth About Love

13 Tales from Couples Therapy

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Drawing on more than 30 years of therapeutic encounters with people facing hurdles in their love lives, former chair of the British Psychoanalytic Council Susanna Abse takes us deep inside one of the most fascinating realms there is: other people's relationships.

Candid and captivating, each chapter is inspired by a classic timeless story. Parents blow their straw house down; Rapunzel yearns for companionship but remains trapped in her castle. Couples strive to navigate the fall from Eden, the bitter taste of the poison apple and strangers in their beds.

From dealing with infidelity to navigating our changing role within a single relationship over the course of a lifetime, Tell Me the Truth About Love sheds vivid light on the human heart and its struggle to both embrace life's greatest gift and protect itself from pain. Inside, you will find solace, wisdom and unparalleled insight into how, and why, we love.

©2022 Susanna Abse (P)2022 Penguin Audio Essays Love, Dating & Attraction Marriage & Long-Term Partnerships Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships Nonfiction Inspiring

Critic reviews

"A must-read for everyone wanting to understand more about what makes us fall in—and out—of love." (Philippa Perry)

"A charming, useful kind book about the pains and hopes of relationships." (Alain de Botton)
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An honest portrayal of the inner world of couple's relationships. So much is relatable which makes the book impossible to put down. It was enjoyable and thought provoking to read.

Honest & relatable

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An enjoyable insight into behaviour and therapy. Well narrated, a little slow to start but once your past the first tale the rest was very interesting.

An enjoyable insight

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Susanna Abse is not a narrator, but she is so engaging and engaged in the narration of these stories and the people within them, giving us a glimpse behind the scenes of her professional practice, it is impossible not to become involved and to empathise with her and with the couples in her consulting room. I am not usually a fan of audiobooks narrated by authors, but this is an exception. Fascinating stuff.

Fascinating insights about relationships

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This is a lucid and helpful book from the authors’ couch which was fascinating from start to finish. All psychotherapists and couples counsellors should listen or read this as I felt I was an observer in the consulting room. There is a wide array of cases and dilemmas some of course which cannot be solved. Excellent put together and such rich material.

For all therapists

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This was a great book to listen to. It runs through relationships that strike a chord with me. It made me think about some of the relationships I have had and how I may be happier and successful going forward. Thank you Susanna

Makes me think about my relationships

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