The Love Prescription

Seven Days to More Intimacy, Connection, and Joy

By: John Gottman PhD, Julie Schwartz Gottman PhD

Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Kiiri Sandy

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“This book feels so hopeful because it’s direct, it’s really honest, and it’s so actionable.”—Brene Brown

From New York Times-bestselling authors Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman, a simple yet powerful plan to transform your relationship in seven days

What makes love last? Why does one couple stay together forever, while another falls apart? And most importantly, is there a scientific formula for love?

Drs. John Gottman and Julie Schwartz Gottman are the world’s leading relationship scientists. For the past forty years, they have been studying love. They’ve gathered data on over three thousand couples, looking at everything from their body language to the way they converse to their stress hormone levels. Their goal: to identify the building blocks of love.

The Love Prescription distills their life’s work into a bite-size, seven-day action plan with easy, immediately actionable steps. There will be no grand gestures and no big, hard conversations. There’s nothing to buy or do to prepare. Anyone can do this, from any starting point.

The seven-day prescription will lead you through these exercises:

Day 1: Make Contact

Day 2: Ask a Big Question

Day 3: Say Thank You

Day 4: Give a Real Compliment

Day 5: Ask for What You Need

Day 6: Reach Out and Touch

Day 7: Declare a Date Night

There is a formula for a good relationship, and this book will show you how a few small changes can fundamentally transform your relationship for the better.

©2022 John Gottman, Julie Schwartz Gottman (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Think you can’t make relationship changes in a week? Drs. John and Julie Gottman say, yes, actually, you can—and they have 40 years of breakthrough research on marital stability and divorce prediction to prove it. . . . This book feels so hopeful because it’s direct, it’s really honest, and it’s so actionable.”—Brene Brown

“By distilling decades of research into seven simple strategies, their book can offer an intervention that is easy and fun. There are no hard conversations required . . . Each chapter introduces a specific relationship-building exercise that can help in any relationship stage . . . It reminded us that no matter how busy we get, we do actually have enough time to be kind to each other.”—The New York Times

“Whether you’re looking to fix specific problems or get the most out of your marriage or romantic relationship, couples therapists John and Julie Gottman will get you moving in the right direction. . . . There isn’t a marriage or romantic partnership out there that won’t benefit from this book.”—New York Journal of Books

The Love Prescription

Marriage and the family are under attack today but this book which is clearly written give us the tools to strengthen our marriage and our family. It’s not something for just listening to but something to be put in action. We hope to do so and to recommend this book to others based on out testimony to its effectiveness.

Relationship CPR

This is needed no matter what state your relationship is in. Very encouraging and exciting with immediate results.

Practical, straightforward and totally doable

I loved this book and the practical, tactical things that I learned and applied right away. I highly recommend this book no matter where you are in your relationship.

Great read

Like the simplicity and honesty in the writing. Very science driven yet so relatable to everyday relationships and families

Helpful for neurotypicals

The book has great ideas and suggestions. I appreciate what they’re doing and am employing many concepts. The trouble is, it doesn’t address when there might be executive functioning struggles, anxiety, or depression that might make things difficult for a couple. It assumes a lack of connection is all that’s going on.

Fun & Informative

Some great takeaways in this book like noticing bits of affection/attention; and, the 20-2-1 negative/positive interactions ratio. So many great gems in there. Worth the read!

Fantastic relationship book

This book was well written and read very well. I was able to listen to it multiple times.

pretty good

It's nice to hear a summary of the studies done in the field! Important read for couples.

This book is therapy!

This book has been so insightful and offers particle tools to strengthen relationships! It’s laid out simple enough for a kid to understand. My husband and I listened to this book together and it was amazing! Real life therapy! Highly recommend.

Profoundly insightful

Good for reflecting on what went wrong in an ended relationship as well as how to make things go right now and in the future.