The author and his wife undergo couples therapy with best-selling author Terry Real, a masculinity expert, to improve their marriage. Real challenges the author to confront his anger and emotional immaturity, pushing him to take responsibility for his behavior and work towards change. The therapy sessions reveal the couple's core negative image of each other and the ways in which they have been stuck in destructive patterns. Real's approach emphasizes the importance of relational empowerment and the need for men to confront their immaturity and learn to express their emotions in healthy ways. The author and his wife experience a shift in their marriage, with increased communication and a greater capacity for repair.