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  • Published: 4 February 2025
  • ISBN: 9780593719169
  • Imprint: PEN US eBook Adult
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 256

Matters of the Heart

Healing Your Relationship with Yourself and Those You Love




A groundbreaking, heart-centered road map for everyone who seeks greater fulfillment in their relationships—with family, friends, romantic partners, and themselves

As a psychologist and minister with more than twenty years of experience, Dr. Thema understands how challenging it can be to create and cultivate healthy relationships—and how critical it is for our well-being. Matters of the Heart draws on the wisdom of science, sacredness, and lived experience to help readers tend to the garden of their hearts and build their best relational lives.
Love is not a level playing field, and improving your relationship with yourself, which includes healing trauma and setting boundaries, is often the first step toward leveling the field. Dr. Thema shares evidence-informed practices, traits, and skills that can enhance your relationships overall, as well as solutions to challenges within common relationship dynamics. With her wise and compassionate guidance, delve into:

• hot topics such as control issues, emotional unavailability, and releasing someone who doesn’t love you
• practical activation activities to apply what you learn from each chapter
• case studies that illuminate the process of healing and growing your heart
• how to shift your mindset and patterns around romance
• and so much more

One of the major predictors of wellness is the nature of our relationships. Our culture is in a mental health crisis, exacerbated by the loneliness of the digital age and realities of post-pandemic society. Whether you are trying to level up a happy relationship or rebuild trust after an unhappy one, Matters of the Heart will empower you to connect to yourself and to others, heal your heart, and thrive in all areas of your life.

  • Published: 4 February 2025
  • ISBN: 9780593719169
  • Imprint: PEN US eBook Adult
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 256

About the authors

Thema Bryant, Ph.D.

Thema Bryant, Ph.D., a renowned psychologist, author, professor, sacred artist, and minister, weaves together psychology, spirituality, and social justice as she illuminates paths to healing, liberation, and love. Dr. Bryant completed her doctorate in clinical psychology at Duke University and her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical Center’s Victims of Violence Program. Currently a tenured professor at Pepperdine University, Dr. Bryant directs the Culture and Trauma Research Laboratory and imparts wisdom to future generations of healers and leaders. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Bryant’s influence extends far and wide. Her role as the former president of the American Psychological Association in 2023 underscores her commitment to advancing the field of psychology and advocating for mental health equity. Dr. Bryant, host of The Homecoming Podcast, is a mother of two phenomenal children and lives in Los Angeles on land cultivated by the Tongva people.