Extending beyond the usual discussion of romantic love and marriage, the author sets out to show how all our relationships - with parents and children, with friends and colleagues, with ourselves and God - can be either nurturing or soul-destroying. He identifies the traps of counterfeit love and teaches a four-stage process for breaking free of the "trance" that keeps us locked in the past. The book also advises on building a more solid foundation for healthy relationships of all kinds. Avoiding the popular over-emphasis on "feelings", it focuses on a "soulful" love - one that calls on the creative imagination, in touch with reality, rather than fantasy. John Bradshaw has worked as a counsellor, theologian, management consultant and public speaker, and his other books include "Homecoming".