The Long-Distance Relationship Survival Guide

Skyrocketing phone bills. Layovers and missed flights. Countless hours spent pining, worrying, and wondering, Why do we do this to ourselves? Long-distance love can be one challenge afteranother, but as most committed couples will tell you, the rewards well outweigh the stresses. In this sensitive yet sensible guide, long-distance veterans Chris and Kate provide strategies for making the distance seem shorter and outline eight essential skills for relationship success:Communicating effectivelyEstablishing mutual goals and expectationsDealing with issues of trust, fidelity, and independenceHaving fun in spite of the distanceManaging time, schedules, and stressKeeping the relationship realBalancing sex and emotional intimacyMaking the transition to same-city livingBased on interviews with more than 100 couples and packed with knowledgeable tips and honest advice, THE LONG-DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP SURVIVAL GUIDE proves that, with patience and dedication, a loving relationship can not only survive but also thrive across the miles.

Chris Bell and Kate Brauer-Bell fell in love in Cincinnati, a few weeks after Chris had accepted a job 500 miles away, thus beginning 19 months of phone calls, emails, and countless trips by car or plane. Married since 2003, they now live together in Maineville, Ohio, with their son, George. Chris Bell and Kate Brauer-Bell fell in love in Cincinnati, a few weeks after Chris had accepted a job 500 miles away, thus beginning 19 months of phone calls, emails, and countless trips by car or plane. Married since 2003, they now live together in Maineville, Ohio, with their son, George.