How to be a Couple and Still be Free [Paperback] Tessina, Tina B. and Smith, Riley K.

A relationship guide that argues the real secret to lasting love isn't merging into one person — it's staying two whole people who choose each other. Tina Tessina and Riley Smith dismantle the codependency myths that sink most couples: the idea that you should complete each other, that jealousy proves love, that compromise means losing yourself. Instead, they offer practical tools for maintaining independence, setting boundaries, and building intimacy without suffocation. The advice is direct, sometimes blunt, and rooted in real therapy sessions rather than fairy-tale thinking. Think of it as permission to have your own friends, your own hobbies, and your own brain while still building something meaningful together. For anyone who's felt trapped in a relationship or watched their identity dissolve into "we."