Compassionate Love in Intimate Relationships

Drawing on interviews conducted with Black couples in the US, this book explores relational resilience and identifies unique adaptation strategies that enable couples to overcome the multigenerational effects of violence and sexual mass trauma from slavery and activates compassionate love in flourishing relationships.

Josiane M. Apollon earned her PhD in Family Therapy at Nova Southeastern University and has been a Licensed Mental Health Counselor for over 20 years, serving multicultural clients in the US and abroad. She is the Clinical Director at Integrative Wellness, specializing in couples and family therapy.

Introduction: A Path to Human Integration 1: The Historical Context of Humanity and Sexual Mass Trauma 2: The Cultural Context of the American Slavery System 3: Appreciative Inquiry Methodology and Systems Theory with Couples 4: Analysis of Couple Systems: The Integration of Spirituality, Compassionate Love, and Sexuality 5: Implications for Future Couple Research and Clinical Practice