John Amodeo 
The Authentic Heart 
An Eightfold Path to Midlife Love

The richest, most fulfilling love of your life is yet to
come!

‚The Authentic Heart offers practical, wise, and compassionate
guidance for midlife love.‘–Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with
Heart and After the Ecstasy, the Laundry

‚The Authentic Heart is a groundbreaking, insightful, warmly
written book that I highly recommend to anyone wanting more loving,
joyful relationships. John Amodeo addresses with great clarity,
wisdom, and practicality the key steps that are necessary for
building authentic, mature, loving connections–not only with
others, but also with oneself.‘–John Bradshaw, New York Times
bestselling author of Healing the Shame that Binds You

‚Just what millions want to know–not only how to make love last
but how to make lasting love new again and again. This warmhearted
and clearheaded book is full of practical wisdom.‘–Gay Hendricks,
Ph.D., and Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D., authors of Conscious Loving
and The Conscious Heart

As you enter midlife, you may feel that something you’ve always
longed for has never happened. Frustrated, you may give up on love
or cling to young images of romantic love, hoping that another
person will furnish happiness. You may experience a growing sense
of depression, anxiety, or cynicism. But as psychotherapist and
relationship expert Dr. John Amodeo explains, authentic love takes
time and maturity. At midlife, you hold the extraordinary potential
to become more fully awake and alive in your relationships than
ever before. In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Amodeo helps you
rediscover love at its best. You’ll learn how to overcome the
psychological obstacles that have kept you from developing
satisfying relationships. And you’ll learn the eight enriching
steps that release your authentic self for the fullness of genuine
connection. Whether you’re seeking true love for the first time or
wish to deepen the joy and meaning in your current relationship,
The Authentic Heart guides you along the path to a more vibrant
partnership in the prime of your life.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

THE FIRST STEP: PREPARE YOUR UNDERSTANDING: FROM YOUNG LOVE TO
MATURE LOVE.

New Beginnings.

Comparative Love 101.

THE SECOND STEP: IDENTIFY THE SHAME THAT KEEPS LOVE AWAY.

The Nature of Shame.

Your Inner Critic: The Voice of Shame.

THE THIRD STEP: SUMMON THE COURAGE TO AFFIRM THE AUTHENTIC YOU.

Getting to Authenticity.

Celebrate Your Authentic Self.

THE FOURTH STEP: RESPECT YOURSELF THROUGH BOUNDARIES.

Boundaries as a Foundation for Intimacy.

THE FIFTH STEP: PRACTICE SELF-SOOTHING AND SELF-CONNECTION.

The Softening Ingredient.

Focusing: A Path to Befriending Yourself.

Spiritual Self-Soothing.

THE SIX STEP: RESPECT OTHERS THROUGH KIND CONVERSATION.

Gentle Honesty.

Speak and Connect from Your Authentic Heart.

THE SEVENTH STEP: BUILD TRUST THROUGH A PROCESS COMMITMENT.

Being Committed to the Process.

The Key Ingredients of Trust.

THE EIGHT STEP: DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF LOVE AND SEXUALITY.

The Ingredients of Love.

A Deepening Sexuality.

Conclusion: Toward a Mature Spirituality.

References.

A Guide to Resources.

Index.

Über den Autor

JOHN AMODEO, Ph.D., with over twenty years of experience counseling
clients, is the author of Love & Betrayal and Being Intimate. A
former contributing editor for Yoga Journal, he has taught
workshops and classes at Esalen Institute, the Omega Institute, the
New York Open Center, and elsewhere. Dr. Amodeo has made
appearances on CNN, CNBC, Donahue, and other national television
and radio programs.