NEW paperback

Celibate Wives: Breaking the Silence

Every woman in this book expected frequent and fulfilling sex in her marriage. But now they have been in sexless marriages for 5, 10, even 20 years. Some drifted into celibacy, others chose it suddenly in reaction to a husband's infidelity or for another reason. Some have fought it in every way while others resigned themselves or even accepted it willingly. All shared the need to get their stories out in the open, to examine what sexlessness was doing to them emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Celibate Wives reveals the ramifications of this phenomenon, showing how women blame themselves, make excuses for their husbands, and spiral downward through frustration and anger to depression and other self-destructive behavior. Joan Avna and Diana Waltz not only expose this secret misery, they offer solutions. Easy-to-use lists and exercises, like The Unmailed Letter and Anger on a Scale of 1 to 18, take the reader through the process of grieving for the loss of sex and rebuilding self-esteem. Rather than masking their lives in fantasy to kindle a brief flame of passion, women learn to overcome depression and direct anger into productive channels. As experienced therapists and experienced celibate wives, the authors know there is no answer for every woman. They gently approach the three solutions for celibacy: putting the sex back into marriage, leaving a loveless marriage, and staying in a celibate but otherwise fulfilling relationship. Celibate Wives shows women where they can turn to for help - for example, to women's support groups - for empathy, understanding, and possible solutions. This book brings women to the point where they can make the decision they need to make and feel comfortable with it. Active and courageous women have broken their silence to share the stories of their celibate marriages. They have done this in the hope that other celibate wives might gain support, derive comfort, muster courage, and learn from their experience. Heartrending, frank, and instructive, this book lets celibate wives know they are not alone., ISBN13: 9781565651227 ISBN10: 1565651227 Material Type: paperback