From the foreword: "It can be very difficult to end a romantic relationship, even when you know it is harmful. When I talk about a harmful relationship, I do not mean the relationship that goes through difficult stages of disharmony and disappointment; these are an inevitable part of the development when two independent and changing individuals want to maintain a loving partnership. When people cannot find a fulfilling relationship, the reason is often their inability to let go of an irrevocably unsatisfying relationship and move on." (Dr. Howard M. Halpern).