The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts

“When it comes to The 5 Love Languages not only does Gary Chapman explain each love language using detailed anecdotes of couples he had encountered throughout his time being a relationship counselor but he also ends each section with a list of examples of using each love language. This was a really great jumping off point for me since I could try out some ideas and see how my Love reacted before getting creative and making up some ideas of my own.”

Read entire review here: http://www.sugarysweetnothings.com/?p=516

Before you read the rest of my review, just know I am a marriage and family therapy graduate student who is currently seeing clients and often works with couples. I am also unmarried but currently dating. Okay, biases addressed.

This book was a quick and easy read that someone could probably get through in one sitting or as I did, read through a couple chapters at a time. Chapman describes each language in detail with case examples of couples he has worked with and some of his own personal anecdotes sprinkle in. The language is straightforward and clear with good questions for reflection and discussion with your spouse at the end of the chapters too. All good things.

This book was definitely not written for therapists and is not research-oriented, which was a nice break from other literature I have read recently. All the same, it's hard to turn the therapist part of me off to not see this book as overly simplistic when it comes to applying to the many couples I have seen. Chapman does cite using this assessment to reach couples who are in dire straits in their marriages, but I wonder how many therapy sessions and other work went into reviving those relationships.

Nonetheless, I see value in trying to better understand how people feel and experience love. The idea of wanting to love someone well resonates with me in a way that makes this book one I will hold onto for my own personal reference and to recommend to clients.