Each episode offers a date-night-discussion to foster conversation, as well as a tiny habit to keep you and the one you love connected: Because happily ever after isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. Habits for Your Happily Ever After is a place to get clear about your marriage communication. Because when your relationships are strong, you’re able to concentrate at work, reduce conflict at home, and receive support for your dreams so you have courage to live your best life. Relationship Coac ...
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1
Emotional Awareness will Turn Conflict into Connection
39:30
39:30
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When you have a conflict with your partner, do you react to what they're saying rather than respond? In this episode, you’ll meet Mary Beth Luedtke, a licensed professional counselor candidate practicing in Grand Junction, Colorado. She is also a dear friend. Mary Beth is here to talk about how our emotional intelligence impacts our relationships: …
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To give you something quick to listen to, we created this bonus of Mariah’s affirmation alphabet. Enjoy. Connect to Improve Your Relationship Communication Visit the show notes here. Please subscribe to my newsletter here. Follow me on Instagram. Reach me at 970-210-4480 Connect with my guest Visit Byron and Mariah's website here.…
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1
Bonus Mariah Edgington: How to Receive Love
28:42
28:42
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In this bonus episode, I talk with Mariah Edgington about how to receive or allow loving opportunities to reach your heart: You'll hear how in order to receive love, you need to first feel worthy of love You'll hear how Mariah's past affected her ability to receive love And you'll get a practice to use to help you affirm your worthiness Connect to …
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Unintentional Hurts: How to Avoid, Heal, and Learn to Do Better
36:17
36:17
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In this episode, I interview the speaking duo of Byron and Mariah Edgington. They met when Mariah was an ICU nurse and Byron was an emergency services flight helicopter pilot. You’ll hear how, even with the best of intentions, Byron hurt his wife’s feelings for years Why Mariah’s neurodiversity diagnosis is deepening their connection to each other …
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1
How to Use *Review* to Improve Your Marriage Meeting
30:25
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Last week I gave you an example of Tyler and Alia and the three things from their marriage meeting. We did that workshop style so you could start and stop the recording while you and your sweetheart have your own Planning session. Today we’ll do the same thing, but we’ll concentrate on Reviewing the previous week. You’ll see the importance of time …
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1
How to Use *Plan* to Improve Your Marriage Meeting
28:13
28:13
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Last week we discussed why and how a marriage meeting can help your relationship. Today I’ll walk you through a typical marriage meeting to help you prepare for yours: I'll explain the Plan-Do-Review template that will help you navigate the nitty gritty details that, if untended, cause conflict Then you’ll see why discussing a Plan at the beginning…
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1
A Marriage Meeting is Even Better for Your Relationship than Date Night
23:38
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Why is a marriage meeting to handle the details of life better for your relationship than a date night? Because the niggling details of life--like whose turn it is to clean the bathroom or who's in charge of dinner--cause tiny resentments when they're unclear. Resentment kills sexual chemistry. A marriage meeting is the place for you to regularly a…
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1
How Science Can Help Your Marriage Communication
34:53
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Are there some aspects of your marriage that aren't what you expect? Today we talk to science writer, Christie Aschwanden, about uncertainty. I recently listened to her podcast from Scientific American titled Uncertain, and I was struck by the parallels in science and relationships. We’ll discuss the unknown perceptions we have that color the way w…
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As Taylor Swift warns us, we can sit on the sidelines of our life believing the bumps and the breakers, the hurdles and the haters, or we can shake it off. There’s strong science behind this. Animals shake to alter their state: so shake off stress, sleepiness, or discomfort. It will work for you too. Follow along with my 60-second shakedown and cal…
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Cultivate Resilience in Your Relationship: How to Begin Again. And Again.
13:44
13:44
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How do we cultivate resilience? Today we’ll explore 3 simple steps you can employ whenever you’ve encountered one of life’s bumps and you need to dust yourself off and start over: You’ll hear about the importance of shaking it off: literally You’ll get a 4-minute date night idea to recharge your battery so you can begin again We’ll talk about the p…
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Do you want more pleasure in your life and your relationship? Today we talk to Courtney Fae Long. Courtney is a leading-edge sexuality educator who teaches couples and individuals how to make magic in the bedroom. In this episode, Courtney walks us through the journey that it takes to transform from a caterpillar into a butterfly when it comes to r…
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Bonus Courtney Fae Long and All-Day-Foreplay
17:01
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Do you need to have a heart connection with your partner to get turned on? Or does physical intimacy help you from that connection? In this bonus episode, Courtney Fae Long offers more ways you can experience loving physical connection. You'll hear Courtney's deeper discussion about this week's habit for your happily ever after, and you'll hear her…
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What if protecting your marriage is actually causing deeper relationship problems? Your marriage is important to you. You want to ensure that what you’ve built with your partner will last. But fear for your marriage will do more harm than good to your relationship. In this episode, we’ll talk about why protecting your relationship is killing your c…
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1
Don't Let the Dinner Dilemma Haunt Your Family
36:09
36:09
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Are you sick of having the "What's for dinner?" argument every night? My guest today is Jenna Lee Rude, the founder of the app Raised on Plants. She's here to offer practical tips to stop dinner-time disagreements and help you feel good about what you feed your family. You'll hear how: Meal prep doesn't have to be overwhelming. Prep quick-grab food…
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Have you ever felt so tired you didn't know what you needed? Today, we’ll break down rest into 3 categories so you know how to treat yourself when you’re exhausted. Because not every kind of tired is the same: You’ll discover how exhaustion is wounding your relationship and why it’s critical to your happily ever after to learn how to give yourself …
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From Page to Pleasure: The Erotic Novel Effect
38:12
38:12
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Feeling pleasure allows you to grow as a human being. We all are taught how growing pains make us stronger. But we rarely talk about how growing pleasures make us stronger. My guest is the romance novelist Grace Woods, author of the trilogy: To Be Continued... This is a steamy book with some great sex scenes, but I was even more compelled by the ch…
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"What is a happy marriage?" is not the only question you should ask. Is your goal to have a happy marriage? Today we're going to address the age-old question of "What makes a happy marriage?" by exploring the deeper truth of marriage: You'll hear why this might actually be the wrong question to ask I'll introduce you to a book and a podcast that ex…
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More with Dr. Zoe Shaw: Expectations, Communication + A Magic Question
29:19
29:19
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Have you thought about what it will take to let go of your shame? To finally own your story? It's not an easy thing to do. It takes time and consideration. That's why psychotherapist, author, speaker, and media contributor Dr. Zoe Shaw is joining me for another episode to talk more about shame. In this episode, you'll get suggestions for mitigating…
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Let Go of Shame. Own Your Story to Improve Your Relationship
43:28
43:28
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Shame is heavy. Don't let it weigh you down. Is your shame heavy? Does it sit on your shoulders and make you feel small? Today my guest is psychotherapist, author, speaker, and media contributor Dr. Zoe Shaw. She is a relationship expert who specializes in the subject of complex shame and codependency. In this episode you'll hear: How the shame you…
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1
Apologize Better: 4 Steps to Make Your Sorry More Effective
28:43
28:43
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Strengthen your relationship when you apologize better. Is it hard for you to apologize to your partner? Is your partner apology-challenged? Your relationship communication will improve when your "sorry" becomes more effective. Today we'll look at how to apologize better: We’ll look at 3 types of lousy apologies so we can spot the bad habits We’ll …
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From Demands to Dreams: Inviting Connection in Your Relationship
19:09
19:09
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3 Magic words to awaken the dream in your relationship. Does it matter how you talk to your sweetheart? Have you ever felt nagged? Or maybe you did the nagging and wished you could take your words back? Today we explore questions that damn your relationship from the get go vs questions that awaken the dream for your relationship. We’ll discuss the …
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Bonus: Make the Most of a Food Truck to Feed Wedding Guests
9:55
9:55
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How can you use a food truck at your wedding or summer party to save money and create a fun vibe? In episode 50 my son, Logan, and I talked about eloping and how laughter helps in your relationship communication. He's back as a guest to offer his wisdom as a food truck owner. It's officially wedding season and Logan has some advice about to handle …
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Why Laughter Helps in Your Relationship Communication
30:05
30:05
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Do you struggle in your relationship to communicate about problems without being a jerk? How does laughter impact your relationship communication? It comes easily to my son, Logan. It's his superpower. I'm thrilled to have him as a guest on the podcast to celebrate the milestone of my 50th episode. Logan's superpower helps him be a better husband. …
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Why an Invitation is Better Than an Agenda for Your Relationship
21:41
21:41
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Why are you sometimes thrilled to follow your sweetheart’s lead and sometimes you run in the other direction? Or worse: push your sweetheart away when they make a suggestion? In this episode, we’re going to talk about the powerful difference between an invitation and an agenda. We’ll look at the difference between an invitation which feels like a h…
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Roles, Assumptions, Expectations and How 90 Seconds Can Change the Way You Argue
53:25
53:25
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Do you and your partner take on certain roles in your relationship? Today my guest is Chantel Landeros, founding partner and psychotherapist at Thrive Marriage & Family Counseling in Grand Junction, Colorado. In this episode, Chantel talks about how remaining curious will keep you from feeling stuck in a relationship role. You’ll hear: Why establis…
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Pleasure: The Most Vulnerable Emotion + How to Cultivate Pleasure
45:40
45:40
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What is pleasure? Why does it matter? How does feeling pleasure impact you? Impact your relationship? In this episode, you’ll hear from transformational coach and author, Kirstin Hotelling Zona. Kirstin left the safety of her tenure-track position as a professor—complete with the security of lifelong health benefits to follow her desire: wherever t…
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1
Your Relationship Will Change when You Notice Without Judgement
16:42
16:42
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What do you notice when your partner forgets to clean the kitchen? Do you add it to the list of evidence that your partner is bad at doing the housework? Or do you get curious about your partner's perspective on why they didn't do the chore? In this episode, you'll hear about the power of noticing in your relationship. When you can notice without j…
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Real Self Care is Built on Capacity and Nourishment
22:28
22:28
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Why does self-care play such a vital role in your relationship? If you feel like you are living beyond your capacity, it may be getting in the way of your self-care. And when you're not taking care of yourself, it can harm your relationship. In this episode, we'll talk about how to decide what's important to you so you can avoid relationship confli…
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How to Build a Relationship as you Discipline Your Child
56:25
56:25
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If you've ever wondered when to intervene with your child and when to let go and trust them to know what's good for them, this episode is for you. Allison Evans joins us again to offer clarity on why staying out of your child's business is actually the caring thing to do. In this episode: You'll hear about how the age-old struggle of nourishing you…
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How Does the Death of a Child Impact Your Marriage?
57:15
57:15
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My guest today, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, lives into this question. Her son, Finn, died by suicide two and a half years ago. The pain Rosemerry felt was extreme. Her world crumbled. In this episode: You'll hear about how hurt can disguise love You'll learn how to use your love-translator You'll understand the importance of being patient with yours…
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If My Partner Loves Me, They'll Empty the Trash
55:27
55:27
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Don't you wish this were true?? When you have unspoken expectations of your partner, it feels bad for both of you. My guest today, Allison Evans, promises you’ll feel much freer if you stay in your own business. In this episode: You’ll hear a different perspective about the struggle for fairness when it comes to chores You’ll realize why you might …
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1
What are Loving Lenses and How Do They Help Your Relationship?
50:35
50:35
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What happens in your marriage when life falls apart? In the last three years, Chris and Sarah Dedmon have faced a mountain of grief including the loss of two parents at the same time. In this episode they talk with me about how their marriage has survived these difficult times. You'll hear: Why a clean ask will help your spouse understand your grie…
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Grief Can Be Wordless: Here's 2 Tools to Help You Grieve
16:20
16:20
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There is no right way to grieve. There is also no wrong way to grieve. How do you navigate the unpredictability of grief? I'm offering two tools to help. You'll hear: How a grief sandbox allows you to process grief that has no words Why a grief pillow can help you heal when you feel the heaviness of grief in your body Connect to Improve Your Relati…
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Want a Lifetime Marriage? Advice from a 59-Year Relationship
34:53
34:53
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What does it take to have a 59-year marriage? You want a lifetime of love, but how do you deal with the difficult times? Today you'll hear from Jean Hodges, my high school theatre teacher. She was married almost 6 decades before her husband, Jack died. You'll hear: About the 3 phases of love during a lifetime Why marriage is a love-laboratory and w…
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1
Create a Pressure Relief Valve for Your Relationship
16:56
16:56
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Conflict is a normal part of a relationship. How you handle conflict will determine the flavor of your relationship 10 years from now. Do you yell, and call your partner names? Or do you know how to be kind, even when the moment is difficult? Create a pressure relief valve so you don't blow up your relationship when conflict makes you scared or ang…
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1
Bonus: Breathing Meditation Trees Make Oxygen for You to Breathe
5:21
5:21
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There is enough. Do you struggle with that feeling of overwhelm or scarcity? You're constantly panicked that you'll "run out" or "lose out" or somehow "miss out?" Maybe you feel like YOU'RE not enough? This bonus episode is a meditation designed to be used with episode 34. This meditation will remind you that support is all around you. You'll be gu…
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There is enough. Do you struggle with that feeling of overwhelm or scarcity? You're constantly panicked that you'll "run out" or "lose out" or somehow "miss out?" Maybe you feel like YOU'RE not enough? This bonus episode is a meditation designed to be used with episode 34. This meditation will remind you that support is all around you. You'll be gu…
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Do you struggle with that feeling of overwhelm or scarcity? You're constantly panicked that you'll "run out" or "lose out" or somehow "miss out?" Maybe you feel like YOU'RE not enough? This bonus episode is a meditation designed to be used with episode 34. This meditation will remind you that you can trust your body. You can calm your body. You'll …
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What do you do when you lose control? You're a volcano and you just erupted. Would you believe that your breath--that simple thing that's always with you and you take for granted--is the best thing to help you get regulated quickly. Amygdala Hijack In this episode we talk about the amygdala hijack: why it happens and how to calm your system down. B…
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Do You Have Clear Boundaries in Your Relationship? Step 6 of Improve Your Relationship Communication
17:50
17:50
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Do you set a clear boundary in your relationship? Or are you sending mixed signals in your relationship? This episode discusses 4 ways you might be sending a mixed signal: You take the trash out yourself in spite of your agreement You criticize your spouse for not taking out the trash You drown your spouse in solutions for getting the trash to the …
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1
Get More "Thank Yous" Part 5 of Improve Your Relationship Communication
20:13
20:13
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“It doesn’t count if I have to ask for appreciation.” This is a common complaint in my coaching practice. You want your spouse to notice you cleaned the bathroom and say thank you. You go to the gym partly because you want to look good for your spouse, but then they just complain that you’re late getting home. You feel invisible when you do all tha…
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1
Improve Your Relationship Communication Step 4 Beware Conditions
23:38
23:38
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I stomped down the hall as my husband’s icy zinger bit me from behind, “We were having fun until you came home.” Ouch! He never talks that way. He’s typically so kind. But he was hurt. And I was the one who’d hurt him. How did I hurt him? I strangled him with conditions on my love, one after another until, gasping for air, he exploded. This week’s …
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Improve Your Relationship Communication Step 3 The Clean Ask Formula
29:53
29:53
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How do you ask your partner for what you want? In today's episode we discuss The Clean Ask Formula. You'll learn how anger--if harnessed effectively--can help you ask cleanly and improve your relationship communication. This week’s habit for your happily ever after is: Strive to eliminate a dirty ask and reach for the clean ask. This week's habit i…
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Get Clear About What You Want to Reduce Marriage Conflict Part 2 of Better Communication
20:07
20:07
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Want to resolve conflict in your marriage communication? How do you get clear so you can avoid the typical conflict triggers that lead to poor communication? Hear about the MAJOR conflict in my marriage. Are you ready for it? It was about how my husband--even though he got up later than me--didn't make the bed. Seriously, it was a conflict that las…
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Improve Your Relationship Communication Step 1: Overcome Fear
29:46
29:46
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It would make it so much easier if relationship communication fears came out of your mouth wearing blue smoke. Then your partner would know to slow down and listen more carefully. But fears hide. And then fears pollute your relationship communication. 6 Steps to Better Marriage Communication I've written a book! Or at least I've almost finished. Th…
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1
Don't Let Your Inner Child Sabotage Your Relationship
30:02
30:02
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What is a codependent relationship? And how do I transition to an interdependent relationship? This is an interview with therapists Dawn Larson and James Buchanan. They bring the wisdom of more than 40 years as professional therapists, and then they get personal. You’ll hear about the codependent relationships they both exited and how they’ve creat…
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When Happily Ever After for Your Relationship Includes Divorce
31:53
31:53
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How do you know when it's time to divorce? We all face relationship struggles. What’s the difference between struggles that will make your relationship stronger, and struggles that signal it’s time to divorce? My guest, Kate, talks about how long she considered leaving her marriage. She was concerned about the impact on her three sons. She wanted t…
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The Yin-Yang Balance in Your Relationship
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31:03
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Is your relationship an "opposites attract" sort of thing? Today is my first interview on this podcast, and I'm thrilled to welcome Shannon Markland to talk about the yin and yang in her relationship. In this episode you'll hear: The story of how Shannon met her husband, Patrick, and how that first meeting set a template for their relationship How …
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Meet The Ghost in Your Relationship: Is Your Spouse Silent? Doesn’t Share News?
25:05
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When you ask your spouse a question, do you get one-word replies instead of a conversation? Today we’re talking about the role of friendship in your relationship and what happens when the friend doesn’t show up. Today I’ll introduce you to The Ghost who haunts your relationship You’ll understand why the Ghost makes it difficult to connect with your…
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Meet The Saboteur: Is Your Partner Controlling or Critical? Are You?
28:09
28:09
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Is your spouse controlling or judgmental? Does your spouse keep score in your relationship? I’m Rebecca Mullen, a relationship coach living in Western Colorado. Today I’ll introduce you to The Saboteur: the shadow side of The Partner You’ll understand why the Saboteur is controlling and critical And you’ll get a magic question that tames The Sabote…
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