Mad About Us: Moving From Anger to Intimacy With Your Spouse

"Dr. Gary Oliver is not only my key mentor in life, but the person who actually helped me really understand what's beneath the power of anger and what you can do about it."
--Gary Smalley, author of The DNA of Relationships

"Every couple needs this book! Why? Because conflict is inevitable and Gary and Carrie Oliver show you, step-by-step, how to use your conflicts to your advantage. They give you the tools you need to cultivate deeper and deeper intimacy – not in spite of your conflict, but because of it! With their help you'll create an emotional safety net for your relationship. And you'll turn your conflicts inside out with Mad About Us."
--Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott, authors of Your Time-Starved Marriage

"If you're serious about having a passionate, caring, connected marriage... then walk to the counter and buy this book right now. We cannot think of a more courageous couple than Gary and Carrie Oliver. What they learned in the battles they faced over the years can help keep your marriage from becoming a war zone. Even more, their 'I can do that!' wisdom can turn 'mad' into 'madly in love' with your spouse."
--John and Cindy Trent, The Center for StrongFamilies

"Years ago we planted two trees....feet from each other and watched them grow over the years. In the early stages they were both nourished by the sun and rain and grew independent of each other. Then their root systems went deeper and began to intertwine with each other to the point where today if you look deep beneath the surface they appear as one. But it didn't happen without struggle, roots wrapping around each other, at times crowding each other out and fighting for nourishment. And today they bring shade, strength, and beautiful color to our lives. A bit like becoming one in marriage. We bring our own root systems into our union, as we grow we fight for our place and ultimately become so interdependent and connected that we can't discern where one of us begins and the other ends. Our dear friends, Gary and Carrie Oliver, bring a vulnerable, inside look at God's grace in taking two strong trees and making them one, not in spite of the struggles but because they walked through the storms of life...together. The Olivers unpack an inside look into the God- given emotion of anger and how they not only grew through the struggles but glorified God and experienced the intimacy that can only come through the struggles. Gary and Carrie are two of our heroes. Read this book, Mad About Us, and they will become your heroes as well."
--Dr. Gary and Barb Rosberg, authors of Divorce-Proof Your Marriage

"If you want to take your marriage from good to great, if you want to discover the DNA of intimacy in ways that can transform your marriage then you must read Mad About Us. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it can be to increase the passion and deepen the intimacy in your marriage. This is a book you'll read more than once and recommend to your friends."
--Tim Clinton, President, American Association of Christian Counselors

"Anger has been a destroyer of many marriages, but one of the powerful things Gary and Carrie show us is how to harness the energy of anger to lead us into a deeper level of intimacy in marriage. Not only is this a clear, practical book on enriching our marriages, it is also an intimate and honest look into the marriage of the authors. I've known Gary and Carrie for years, and they lived the reality of what they've written."
--David Stoop, PhD, author of Better Than Ever: Seven Secrets to a Great Marriage

As speakers at national and international marriage conferences, the Olivers have a longing for Christian couples to develop Christ-centered marriages; this includes dealing with fear, frustration, and anger—issues that prevent intimacy.

Throughout the book they demonstrate how the energy—or passion—of anger, a God-given emotion, can be harnessed in ways that build and strengthen a marriage relationship, freeing couples from one of Satan’s most destructive weapons—unhealthy anger

Carrie Oliver, MA, was a wife, mom, author, teacher, university professor, and licensed professional counselor helping people develop healthy ways to deal with their emotions and relationships. Carrie spoke nationally and internationally, coauthored over 100 magazine articles and two other books, Raising Sons and Loving It! and Grown-Up Girlfriends. Gary and Carrie raised three sons together. Carrie passed away in July 2007 after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer.