Rewire Your Brain For Love:

Creating Vibrant Relationships Using the Science of Mindfulness

Marsha Lucas, Ph.D. (Hay House, 2012)

Available in paperback, hardcover, and digital editions


On the way to finding and creating vibrant, successful relationships, too many of us end up tangled in the same old patterns, tripped up by relationship habits that get in our way whether we “know better” or not.

We're on autopilot, and the navigation system is not only mis-wired, it's operating in stealth mode.

Rewire Your Brain for Love explores how we developed our current relationship wiring, and how to modify it through mindfulness meditation. The book shows how a short daily practice can result in seven key relationship benefits, including improved communication with yourself and others, an enhanced ability to handle fear, and being more emotionally authentic and resilient.

“With Rewire Your Brain for Love, Marsha Lucas has pulled off an achievement that is as valuable as it is rare: she synthesizes complex neurophysiological information about the brain’s role in relationships, in clear, reader-friendly ways; and combines this with effective tools and suggestions for beefing up the capacity for attachment. And there’s a bonus: she’s a really fine, witty, accessible writer. Anyone who struggles with garden-variety anxiety about love, all the way up to fullblown phobia, should read this book, more than once. And it should be dog-eared and well worn on every therapist’s reference shelf.”
— Belleruth Naparstek, LISW, author of Invisible Heroes and creator of the Health Journeys guided imagery series

“This is great stuff. The latest, best mindful brain science in a wildly practical form, with wise and clear practices that can radically transform your relationships.”
— Jack Kornfield, PhD, author The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology

“With entertaining humor and enlightening clarity, Dr. Lucas blends cutting-edge discoveries in neurobiology and psychology with time-honored practices from ancient wisdom traditions to help us navigate the challenges of intimate relationships. Full of real-life examples and practical tools, this book is a delightful must-read for anyone wanting to get along better with other people.”
— Ronald D. Siegel, PsyD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School; author of The Mindfulness Solution

“Rewire Your Brain for Love is delightfully engaging and easy to read. Everyone will find something life-enhancing inside these pages.”
— Christiane Northrup, MD, author of the New York Times bestsellers Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause

“Honest, warmhearted, and funny. Marsha Lucas explains neuroscience in plain English, so all of us can understand. She brings great clarity to the sometimes murky waters of romantic relationships and gives us a wonderful introduction to mindfulness meditation and its benefits.”
— Sharon Salzberg, author of Real Happiness

“Marsha Lucas takes the mystery out of two mysterious subjects—the inner workings of our brains and the successful pursuit of true love. She’s a wise and funny cupid, bringing together our hearts and minds as she explains amygdalas and anxiety, frontal lobes and commitment-phobes. She’s an excellent advocate for meditation, presenting its benefits in a unique, compelling way.”
— Priscilla Warner, New York Times bestselling author of Learning to Breathe

“Each of us has the potential to live with an open, loving heart. This book shows us how meditation awakens our capacity for increased presence, intimacy, and understanding in our relationships. With clarity and humor, Marsha Lucas gives us both the fascinating science behind this transformation, and the practices that make it possible.”
— Tara Brach, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Radical Acceptance

“Dr. Lucas shows readers how to use the power of neuroplasticity—the capacity of the mind to change the brain—to build up the ‘circuits’ of resilience, empathy, and assertiveness for relationships. Her voice is warm, funny, down-to-earth, practical, and so very helpful. This book is like having a best friend who is both savvy about the brain and a world-class therapist.”
— Rick Hanson, PhD, bestselling author of Buddha’s Brain

“A smart and reader-friendly guide for an exciting journey through our hearts and brains. Dr. Lucas skillfully interweaves her therapeutic and neuroscientific knowledge with personal wisdom into a rich, meaningful, and accessible tapestry that expands our self-awareness in the service of sustaining and deepening our relationships.”
— Louis Cozolino, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Pepperdine University; author of The Neuroscience of Human Relationships

“Dr. Lucas provides an accessible and practical guide to help us bring alive the exciting intersection of mindfulness and neuroscience for healthier relationships and a better life.”
— Elisha Goldstein, PhD, author of The Now Effect and co-author of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook

“You hold in your hands a unique piece of work. Marsha guides you carefully, to help you understand the unique benefits of mindfulness from the inside-out, and so helps to ignite or re-ignite your passion for the meditative practice. Better relationships lie at the heart of a life of health and well-being. Through reading this book, you learn to become an electrician of your own brain, and discover specific mind techniques that lead to a better relationship with both yourself and those close to you. A delight to read—highly recommended!”
— Shamash Alidina, author of Mindfulness for Dummies and Relaxation for Dummies

“Ever wondered why you get stuck in the same old relationship patterns? With no-nonsense wit and warmth, Marsha Lucas shows you what’s happening at brain level when habits form, persist, and most importantly, shift. Crucially, she also shows you how to apply this knowledge to transform your intimate connections—all with the simple practice of mindfulness. This book will bring joy not just to many readers, but to those who share their lives.”
— Ed Halliwell, co-author of The Mindful Manifesto

“Psych Central’s Recommendation: Worth Your Time! Rewire Your Brain for Love is one of those great hybrids between self-help and education. If you’re looking for a method to tackle relationship problems (or even just ‘life’ problems), you’d be hard-pressed to find a better primer.”
— Dan Berkowitz, PsychCentral Book Reviews

“Change your brain’s pathways and you change the path of your relationships: that’s what neuropsychologist and psychotherapist Marsha Lucas, PhD offers in Rewire Your Brain for Love. She uses her sense of humor and compassion as much as her knowledge of neuroscience and mindfulness to get you growing toward new, more vibrant relationships. Incredibly useful and highly engaging!”
— Marci Shimoff, New York Times bestselling author of Happy For No Reason and Love For No Reason

Rewire Your Brain For Love:

Creating Vibrant Relationships Using the Science of Mindfulness

Marsha Lucas, PhD (Hay House, 2012)


Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book

With a passion for neuroscience and the ability to relay it in a clear, unintimidating, and often funny manner, neuropsychologist Marsha Lucas delves into how the human brain works —or often doesn’t — in relationships.

Rewire Your Brain for Love explores how we developed our current relationship wiring, and how to modify it through mindfulness meditation. Lucas shows how a short daily meditation practice can result in seven key relationship benefits, including improved communication with yourself and others, an enhanced ability to handle fear, and being more emotionally authentic and resilient.