Relationship Recovery
Tuesday, February 8 2005I hope this finds you well. Love is in the air, or at least, Valentine's Day is in the air. As the shops and restaurants gear up for the Big Day, our thoughts invariably turn to love and relationships.
I've long been of the opinion that disappointment in love can have a lasting and undermining effect on our future relationships and self-esteem. Clinical psychologists are now reminding us that lovesickness can kill and should be taken more seriously as a legitimate diagnosis by doctors. In a report in The Psychologist magazine Professor Alex Gardner said "people can die of a broken heart. You get into a state of despair and hopelessness. In extreme cases lovesickness could drive people to take their own life."
Frank Tallis, a clinical psychologist in London points out that before the 18th century lovesickness had been accepted as a natural state of mind for thousand of years.
Coincidentally, my own teenage son has spent the last week having tension headaches, an aching back and neck and is covered in hives. Could it have anything to do with the fact that he's besotted with a girl who has not replied to his texts or returned his calls? Oh, and I dare not say a word to criticise her!
What I do know is that coming out of a major relationship and moving on requires planning. It doesn't automatically happen. The effects can linger for years. You may even hang on to the disappointment and sadness which prevents you from ever really committing and making a success of a future relationship. I have asked the wonderful Cherry Claus to write an entire course on the subject! I'm delighted to say she has.
Relationship Recovery launches today and is honestly the best guide I've ever seen to getting over heartache and disappointment, putting the past into perspective, getting closure, as the Americans say, and really moving into the future with renewed optimism and enthusiasm.
If you feel you're still carrying around baggage, or holding a candle for someone from the past, do this course! Don't let the past deprive you of another drop of your precious energy and joie de vivre. Forward not Backward as the Labour Party slogan says!
Over to Cherry:
