Renowned relationship expert Dr. John Gottman identified four highly corrosive behaviors, which he calls the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse," that predict marital breakdown if left unchecked.

Gottman published a research paper in the Journal of Marriage and the Family in 1998 sharing the results of a study based on 130 newlyweds from Puget Sound, Washington.

In their quest to discover what makes love last, clinical psychologists and researchers John and Julie Gottman interviewed more than 3,000 couples and followed some for as long as 20 years.

That’s, in part, why “Dr. John Gottman says that each time we use contempt with our partners, it is like ‘pouring acid on love,’” he says.

Susan Falcon, Clinical Social Work/Therapist, New Orleans, LA, 70122, (504) 384-8360, I offer ONLINE and PHONE counseling. After 25 years in practice, I read John Gottman's best selling book "The ...