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To be fully effective as a couple, family, or work system, the presence is required of both intimate and strategic interactions. By moving in a rhythm from one to the other, there will be a balance or a "seamless braid." Competent alliances can switch flexibly and appropriately from the intimate to the strategic and back again over time. Difficulties in human relationships may be the result of an imbalanced or inappropriate use of one or both sets of interactions.

Optimism is embedded in every form of psychotherapy practice, from psychoanalysis to behavior modification. Our goal is to help clarify where Gestalt therapy's theory and practice place it on the therapeutic spectrum. After first outlining our theoretical background, we explore various definitions of optimism, differentiating it from pessimism, hope, and courage. We then describe why we believe that psychotherapy is an inherently optimistic enterprise. Finally, after surveying the emerging field of positive psychology, specifically focusing on the work of Seligman, we discuss optimism using a Gestalt frame. We conclude that optimism is inherent in the Gestalt approach which, at its core, is about how to approach and embrace the unknown.

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"Abstract This article deals with the concept of commitment as it relates to the sustainability of a loving relationship. After first describing the beginning stages of romantic love, we provide a historical perspective and then offer a relational definition. We then discuss the concept of commihnent, focusing on the difficulties in meeting it. We break commitment down into three phases - promise, effort, and discipline - and list important skills for enhancement. We end by discussing how to better live out a loving relationship, including when to let go and when to end. Key words: commitment, endings, intimacy, love, relationship."

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