I Want This to Work

An Inclusive Guide to Navigating the Most Difficult Relationship Issues We Face in the Modern Age

By: Elizabeth Earnshaw LMFT CGT

Narrated by: Elizabeth Earnshaw LMFT CGT

“Elizabeth Earnshaw’s gentle guidance will help any type of couple, whether they are dealing with small day-to-day problems or long-standing conflicts. She takes an accessible approach to couples therapy on the page, making these relationship tools feel easy - and even fun.” (Lori Gottlieb, LMFT, New York Times best-selling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone)

A contemporary, culturally inclusive, and easy-to-digest relationship guide for the modern age

Today’s generation is changing the rules about committed relationships - and looking to create more meaning within their lives. We are more selective before getting married, with more diverse families and family structures, and we’ve seen a whopping 18 percent drop in divorce rates. In this new environment, what couples need more than ever are effective, flexible tools to communicate, navigate hard times, and create deeper connections with their partners.

Elizabeth Earnshaw is here to help. The renowned Gottman therapist, founder of A Better Life Therapy, and influential Instagram therapist behind @lizlistens has helped to transform countless relationships. With I Want This to Work, she presents for today’s generation the most effective and proven steps for relationship success.

“We’re in a cultural moment,” she says, “where people are hungry to absorb the principles for healthy relationships. This audiobook answers that call.”

Here, couples will learn how to work with the three challenges they must tackle to repair and strengthen their relationships: conflict, healing, and connection. They’ll learn fundamental principles including:

• Why it’s not working
• Creating space that makes it safe to connect
• How to navigate hot conversations
• The five-part relationship system
• Busting the romantic notion that our better half “completes” us
• Growing up and growing out - how both your early years and the social connections you make as an adult influence your relational beliefs, feelings, and patterns

In a supportive and relatable voice, Elizabeth simplifies complex concepts and provides core insights, exercises, and reflections to take these tested principles into real life.

Culturally tuned in, LGBTQIA+ friendly, and for both married and unmarried couples, this audiobook brings us an accessible guide to relationship healing and creating enduring intimacy.

©2021 Elizabeth Earnshaw, LMFT, CGT (P)2021 Sounds True

Critic reviews

“This book is an essential guide for couples who desire to build vital relationship skills, particularly during challenging moments. The tools for growth and learning are written in a warm and no-nonsense manner. I Want This to Work can be used as a stand-alone resource or in tandem with therapy. The book will help couples gain a unique understanding of how to talk about and work through hard things.” (Nedra Tawwab, LCSW, therapist and New York Times best-selling author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace)

“Elizabeth is hands down one of the most professional clinicians I’ve had the privilege of working with. The work she does on relational health is incredibly impactful because it’s delivered in a way that’s both digestible and compassionate.” (Dr. Nicole LePera, New York Times best-selling author of How to Do the Work and founder of @the.holistic.psychologist)

“I Want This to Work does a beautiful job of exploring the many issues the modern-day couple faces, while normalizing the reader’s experience by offering examples of couples working through similar challenges. A necessary read for anyone wanting to improve the quality of their relationships.” (Vienna Pharaon, LMFT, owner of Mindful Marriage & Family Therapy, founder of @mindfulmft, and relationship expert at Motherly)

Why isn't this mandatory?

This book and framework should be mandatory across the nation's high schools!!! I just can't believe in my forties how ill equipped we are to deal with relational issues and relationships. and I consider my 18 year marriage pretty dang good! This is by far one of the most important things we do in life and impacts every other area of our lives. I like her framework and the questions/activities. She gives very insightful exploration no matter what stage of a relationship one may be in. I believe it will help all relational interactions, not just the 'couples' type relationship.

Worthy read

Work on yourself first - then work on your relationships, and you will reap the benefits of this book. Highly recommend it to adults trying to find a companion, love, and a partnership without leaving themselves behind.

Solid advice on successful relationships

My girlfriend and I (over 70) enjoyed the book. We learned some good pointers on overcoming past obstacles that affected us today. Really appreciated the Scripts section of the Appendix.

Spectacular information

The author presents SO many wonderful concepts. I loved the information from the different sources and modalities that she shared.
This is a book that ANY couple Could use as a workbook, unfortunately it doesn’t quite translate with as much impact in audible form.

Excellent content bereft of pdf

Excellent content, passionate and engaging narration. Exercises and appendix should be provided in pdf format.

Shifted my perspective on everything.

Incredible book and has shifted my mindset. So many powerful tools and knowledge to be gained.

I want this to work too. Excellent information, excruciating execution

It is taking every ounce of my physical and emotional determination to continue to listen to this book for the wonderful information that it contains. Unfortunately, the narrator sounds as if she is learning to read for the first time. The cadence is strange, her stresses and inflections are random and incredibly distracting, significantly taking away from the important info she is sharing. This author should never be allowed to narrate another book again, unless she can learn how to talk to adults in a way that doesn’t make one feel like a developmentally stunted child. It’s concerning to imagine whether she speaks to her clients this way in real life.