Tell Me the Truth About Love
by Susanna Abse
In Tell Me The Truth About Love, Susanna Abse draws upon thirty-plus years of couples therapy to present thirteen case studies about love, relationships and what makes them go wrong (and sometimes, go right again). Abse makes it clear that not only names have been changed, but the stories themselves are fictitious, albeit based on actual experiences. The book is divided into three sections. The first speaks of human fragility, and the way in which in love, “we armour ourselves against this fragility because we are afraid”. The second section speaks of betrayal – how it rocks the foundations of a relationship but, in some cases, can be followed by healing and a closer bond. The final segment is about the relationship between couples and their own (or the partners’ respective) children. The respective sections present case studies in individual chapters, each inspired by a fairytale which hints at the universality of the challenges faced by the couples seeking therapy.
Is this a relationship manual? Not really, and it’s not a self-help book either. However, it provides some striking insights which should be of value to anyone who is in or has ever been in a relationship with a significant other. It also found it interesting to follow a psychotherapist “in action” and understand better how this profession works. There are some poignant moments as Abse shares her satisfaction at a successful session or, on the other hand, the frustration when certain couples terminate their therapy with any sense of “closure”. There is also a topical element to the book, as Abse shows the added difficulties of therapy over Zoom in the midst of a raging pandemic.
I must admit that this is not my usual kind of book,
but I found it an engaging, helpful and, ultimately, hopeful read.
ebook, 208 pages
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