Alumna Angela Skurtu publishes book
Angela Skurtu, formerly known as Angela Murray, recently published the book Pre-Marital Counseling: A Guide for Clinicians, (Routledge, March 2016). Skurtu is an alumna who graduated from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in 2007 with a bachelor of arts in psychology. She received her master of education in counseling from the University of Oregon in 2009.
“I threw around a book idea here and there like most people do, but I never thought I would actually get a book professionally published!”, she said. Skurtu had a chance meeting with the Routledge editor at a conference for the American Association for Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT).
Skurtu always makes it a habit to sit next to someone new at a conference or networking event. At the annual conference in Miami in 2013, Skurtu happened to sit down next to the editor and pitched her idea for a premarital book. The editor immediately suggested Skurtu should submit a proposal for the book.
“At first I was excited,” Skurtu reports, “but then I got very anxious. Anyone can talk about writing a book, but the actual process takes a lot of work. I worried I couldn’t do it.” Skurtu states that she avoided the project for another three months until her husband Joshua Skurtu, also a University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa 2007 graduate, reminded her that she was missing a big opportunity.
“At that point, I knew I had to get down to business,” explains Skurtu. She then read books about how to write a nonfiction book. About three months later, she submitted her proposal to the editor. The initial reviews came back very positive and she was offered a contract to write her book.
Fast forward 14 months, Skurtu’s new book Pre-Marital Counseling: A Guide for Clinicians is scheduled for release on March 12, 2016 with Routledge. The book covers the predictive factors for marital success, five habits for healthy relationships, and tips to keep the spark in relationships long term.
Angela Skurtu is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist in St. Louis, MO. She owns a private practice in Ballwin, MO. She helps adults and couples achieve quality sex lives and relationships through education, seminars, and counseling sessions.