The Secrets of Happily Married Women

From the authors of the best-selling The Secrets of Happily Married Men comes the much-anticipated follow-up book The Secrets of Happily Married Women. In their first book, Dr. Haltzman and his coauthor Theresa Foy DiGeronmio outlined a recipe for men about growing a happy marriage: treat marriage with the same sense of purpose, resolve, and single-minded devotion that they have for their job. Although that workplace formula works well for men, an entirely different set of criteria resonate with women.

In The Secrets of Happily Married Women, Dr. Haltzman tells us stories from real women who are happy in their relationships. These women know how to get more out of their partners by doing less, by not trying so hard to make men perfect, not dragging them to couples therapy, not expecting them to think or behave like a woman. These are women from Dr. Haltzman's clinical practice and culled from thousands of contributors to his Web site www.HappilyMarriedWomen.com. They have learned to understand how men really work and tap into men's powerful hard-wired desire to please women and "be a better man."

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction 1

1. Know Your Husband 7

2. Nurture His Needs—and Yours 45

3. Fight Better 63

4. Talk Less 103

5. Have Lots of Sex 127

6. Take Charge of Your Own Happiness 163

7. Heal Thyself 191

Epilogue: When Mamma’s Happy, Everybody’s Happy 209

Notes 211

About the Authors 215

THE AUTHORS

DR. SCOTT HALTZMAN is clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University and medical director of NRI Community Services in Rhode Island. He also has an active private practice, with a focus on marriage counsel-ing for individuals and couples. You can reach him at DrScott@HappilyMarriedWomen.com.

THERESA FOY DIGERONIMO is the author of more than fifty books in the fields of education, parenting, and family relationships.

Praise for The Secrets of Happily Married Women

"Well done and recommended."—LIBRARY JOURNAL

"This delightful . . . humorous and entertaining book is a must-read for savvy brides-to-be." —LADIES FIRST??

"What a relief to read a book that makes so much sense. Scott Haltzman and his coauthor, Theresa Foy DiGeronimo's, keen insight into male and female differences and insightful counsel about how to create marital happiness should be read by all couples who want a formula for a passionate marriage. I heartily recommend this book to both men and women."—HARVILLE HENDRIX, author, Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples and Receiving Love

"If you're a married woman, buy this book. It's love insurance. Haltzman not only understands men, he 'gets' women too; he's bilingual. He'll help you understand why the things you do to get through to your husband don't always work and more im- portantly, what you can do differently to get better results. His concrete, field-tested, and practical tips will, without question, make your husband, your marriage, and you happier and grateful you followed his advice."—MICHELE WEINER-DAVIS, author, Divorce Busting and Getting Through to the Man You Love