Beyond Boundaries: Learning to Trust Again in Relationships

A Note from the Author

When Henry Cloud and I wrote our book Boundaries, we had no idea how much interest people would have in it. But a significant question emerged: Once I have had a relational problem and have had to set a limit, how do I know when to take a risk again with someone? People found that though they were happy with the freedom their boundaries provided, they still wanted connectedness and often didn’t know how to reestablish it.

That is why this book is called Beyond Boundaries. It is designed to teach you how to identify and grow from whatever went wrong in the relationship, help you to determine if someone is worthy of your trust now, and show you how to manage the process of opening up in a gradual and safe way.

Just as the laws of boundaries are clear, so are the rules of closeness and risk. You were meant to live beyond self-protection and to become close to other people again. It is well worth the risks and the effort to have the relationships you truly desire.

—Dr. John Townsend