Healthy Relationships 101

Do relationships have to be so difficult? Maybe not. Don't we all want to be more satisfied in our relationships with everyone in our life? Friends, family, co-workers, husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend—these are the relationships we most value. When we look at the news, what do we see? Endless stories about how we're all getting along? No! Most of what we see is about all the fighting and the disruption in our world. We can choose to be a part of that, or we can choose to have relationships that flourish harmoniously.

If you drive a car, you bring it in for a tune-up. You take care of your health with check-ups. Where do you go for a relationship check-up? This book is about cultivating and sustaining healthy, thriving, fulfilling, and meaningful relationships. The key to this is greater awareness. And it doesn't have to be so difficult.

Christine Kiernan-Producer, Thomson Reuters, New York

"I picked up Healthy Relationships 101 on a friend's recommendation. Once I started reading, I couldn't stop until I'd read it cover to cover. Author and Relationship Foundation director Michael Jascz has created a compelling narrative, in which he interweaves personal history and anecdotes from students with clear-cut information and guidelines for becoming a more effective communicator. Among the lessons the book spells out: how to express oneself without placing blame on others; how to empathize and be a better listener; how adverse childhood experiences can affect our present-day relationships and what we can do to change this. For those of us who did not have the good fortune to pick up effective communication skills in childhood, and for others just wanting a brush-up, this book is an extremely engaging, useful guide. I'd recommend Healthy Relationships 101 to adults, children, school groups, workplaces—to anyone wanting to improve her/his relationships with others and the world at large."

Barbara Davis Thompson, Psychotherapist, MSW, MA, New York City

"Michael Jascz has written a powerful book that is engagingly readable. No surprise that good relationships are one of the critical elements of a satisfying life. Michael spells this message out smartly and effectively. His book gives example after example from the lives of those emotionally hacked by bullies, uninformed parents, and other authority figures whose hurtful words and behaviour carry the power to emotionally damage for a lifetime. His book Healthy Relationships 101 shares transformative information on how to develop the types of relational skills that allow you and yours to tune into the most important needs and wants of oneself and others.

Just imagine every child, teacher, and parent experiencing being heard and understood. Healthy Relationships 101 is Michael's impassioned dedication to reaching families, teachers, society, and the young people of the world. He asks us to meet the challenge of developing 'Relationship Smart' children and to start now, reaching them at the youngest age possible. Michael asks the world to listen up; change is possible. There have been over 80 student incidences of attempted or completed mass murder and suicides taking place since 2010 in our school systems. 'Enough is enough! These tragedies can be prevented.'

Christine E. Ivey - Licensed Drug Dependency Counsellor, Masters in Counseling, San Antonio, Texas

"I am so impressed with your book! This piece of work is invaluable. Who isn't in a dysfunctional family these days? Most of our clients have a true addiction and have been masking their emotions with some type of substance and have no clue who they are, much less what a healthy relationship looks like. I am doing an hour and a half workshop using your book.

Thanks from the bottom of my heart for what you are doing."

Natalie Burke - Public Health Graduate Student, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia

"I just located a link to your book online. I am absolutely floored by it."