While almost everyone knows how to fall in love, very few understand how to maintain a relationship over time.

Early in his counseling career, Dr. Gary Chapman noticed a recurring pattern among couples: they were failing to meet each other’s emotional needs. One partner might say, “He doesn’t love me anymore,” while the other insists, “I’ve done everything I can to make this work.”

After reviewing twelve years of counseling notes, Dr. Chapman realized that most relationship problems fell into five main categories — later named the 5 Love Languages…