Sandy is not your average marriage counselor. She does not strive to be neutral. She does things that are unorthodox, like encourage her clients to reveal things to each other even if those things are painful. Sandy admits that it isn't her job to make them feel comfortable.
This whole book takes place inside of Sandy's office. Gretchen and Steve are separated and have come to the therapist for help in managing their hurt feelings toward each other and dealing with the care of their two children. Sandy agrees to take them on because in their first meeting she asks Steve to do something unconventional. She wants Steve to hand over a large sum of money to Gretchen and he agrees. Sandy sees this willingness as promising.
However, the little spark of hope that Sandy sees between the couple is in danger of being blown out. Steve has been unfaithful and irresponsible in the relationship, and now Gretchen is exploring other relationships too. Steve sleeping with someone else has caused two things: pain and loss of trust. But Sandy understands Gretchen is there because deep down she thinks Steve can change. There is a green chair in her office that Sandy believes represents where the marriage is sitting, and the couple is often encouraged to literally look at the marriage. This serves as a powerful tool in examining what the marriage needs and seeing the marriage as its own entity.
Sandy ruminates often about her dead mother and how she insisted on Sandy learning accounting at an early age. She finds this useful in her practice because in Sandy's mind, marriage is like accounting. Anything you add only screws things up. Sandy's peculiar methods shake this couple out of their tendencies to add unnecessary complications to their relationship.
Reading this novel is the equivalent of being a mouse in the corner eavesdropping. Sandy doesn't pay lip service to being impartial; getting inside her head provides a gratifying view of the mistakes the couple is making. Ultimately, Steve and Gretchen had to give each other up in order to find their way back to each other. It's satisfying to experience a marriage counselor who is emotionally invested simply because she is human and because she cares. I give this book a 4/5.
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