According to Harriet Lerner in The Dance of Intimacy, what should women re-evaluate in intimate relationships?

• A. Whether the intimate relationship is working and a healthier balance between other-oriented and self-absorption should be pursued.
• B. Whether women should prioritize men's needs over their own.
• C. That intimate relationships are inherently healthy and require no change.
• D. That women should suppress strength and independence.

Answer: (A)

Reevaluating how the relationship functions and pursuing a healthier balance between being other-oriented and taking care of oneself is the main idea here. Harriet Lerner explains that intimacy can become unbalanced when women focus excessively on others’ needs at the expense of their own boundaries and growth. The best answer reflects this by urging women to assess whether the relationship is working and to move toward a balance that honors both connection and personal autonomy. The other options misfit Lerner’s perspective: they either push women to prioritize men’s needs over their own, claim that intimate relationships require no change, or suggest suppressing one’s strength and independence.