Healthy Dependency: Leaning on Others Withouth Losing Yourself

Asking for help does not mean we are helpless, Drs. Bornstein and Languirand tell us. Especially in difficult times, it is more important than ever to connect with the people around us. Their more than twenty years of research and study prove that too much dependency in our relationships--whether with family, friends, lovers, or co-workers--can be a bad thing, but too little dependency is just as bad. To achieve balance and better define this flexible middle ground between rigid independence and unhealthy overdependence, Dr. Bornstein coined the phrase "Healthy Dependency" and, with his colleague and wife, has written the definitive book on the subject. Laced with case studies, anecdotes, and questionnaires, they give us the rationale and skill-building tools to help us to change the way we think about ourselves and others. Among the benefits of Healthy Dependency are increased satisfaction in love relationships, greater likelihood of academic and career success, better family communication and improved parenting skills, and enhanced physical and psychological health.