"The quality of our personal relationships has never mattered more. It isn't enough to have lots of friends on social media. Or to give 'everything' to work hoping that will validate your existence. When familiar certainties are dissolving, we need to give and receive closeness to feel fully alive. We also need self-trust to do far better than getting by. But how do we stay safe and open to others in a world that can seem harsh, indifferent - and unpredictable in the extreme? Stephanie Dowrick's Intimacy and Solitude starts with the most fundamental relationship of all: how you understand and care for your own self - knowing this will inevitably mirror all your most needed relationships. Using her exceptional gifts as a storyteller, as well as decades of work with people of all ages and cultures, Dr Dowrick brings to life the most profound and persuasive insights psychology offers - and much more. Through timeless wisdom and many moving examples, Dowrick shows that we can leave behind the anguish of insecurity, loss or loneliness. We can claim the self-understanding essential for loving others. We can look at our own lives with fresh appreciation, going forward into a life that's richer, calmer and far more secure."--