Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

In his self-help guide Living to Relate, Dr. Dermot Casey explains that humans exist in continuous relationships from birth until death, influencing survival and overall well-being. Casey tells us that early attachment experiences shape relational templates and guide interactive patterns throughout our adult life. He talks about the differences between relationships that provide energy and those that drain personal resources, and teaches that self-relating is a constant process that directly affects relational quality and health outcomes. Casey speaks on technological changes that have increased online interaction but have massively cut into face-to-face communication. He emphasizes the importance of prioritizing and adapting relationships to meet physical, emotional, and social needs, asserting that deliberate awareness and adjustment of internal and external relational patterns support stability, satisfaction, and lifelong well-being.

Living to Relate: Cultivating a Deeper Connection with Yourself and Others in a Digitally Driven World by Dr. Dermot Casey is a wonderfully practical guide to improving the quality of our human connections. The world feels smaller than ever, and even though we have great access to people all over the world, it isn't exactly a hard sell to convince readers that this modern reality has actually made us far less social. This is covered, but the book is more about how we first reach into ourselves, and then outward toward others. For me, the standout concept that Casey gives is “inward-outward relating” and “impathy,” which has us supporting the awareness of our own experiences to strengthen communication, decision-making, and implement self-care. Casey writes in a comfortable, straightforward, conversational style, so what he says is easy to absorb and, more importantly, it's actionable. Overall, this is an exceptionally insightful and important read. Very highly recommended.