In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, hosts Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr.
Liz Hale sit down with Heather Holmgren, a marriage and family therapist and founder of Simple Modern Therapy. Heather shares insights on emotional regulation, the essential skill of deep listening, and how to approach conflict with curiosity rather than reactivity. She explains the importance of self- awareness, emotional control, and co-regulation to help couples navigate difficult conversations. Heather provides actionable advice for slowing down during conflicts, truly hearing your partner, and fostering a healthy, supportive relationship. Tune in to discover practical tips to strengthen communication and deepen your connection.

About Heather:

Heather Holmgren, LMFT and founder of Simple Modern Therapy, has committed her 20-year
career to understanding what makes a modern relationship thrive.Through it all she has found
this much to be true: if you aren't happy with yourself, your intimate and professional
relationships are likely to fail. She has built a flourishing career and flourishing practice helping contemporary individuals, relationships and families learn to love each other, “Love Yourself and Love Your Life."

She is one of eight incredible therapists providing support to individuals and relationships in
downtown Salt Lake City (and Utah, virtually). All Simple Modern therapists have additional
training and expertise in relationship work, as well as providing affirming care to LGBTQIA+
relationships.

Heather is passionate about professional mentorship and has supervised clinicians for the last
ten years. She is a strong advocate for the practice of good mental hygiene, and can be found
speaking on this topic, as well as relationship related issues on Good Things Utah, at Edison
House and for corporations across the state. You can also find Heather, with her colleague
Andrès Brown, providing training, support and consultation to the larger therapeutic
community, expanding the reach of skilled and affirming inclusive relationship therapy.

Insights:

• Heather: "The more aware you are of where you are emotionally, what kind of outside stressors are impacting your mental health and mood can really be a big factor in how you're showing up in your relationships. So take care of yourself. Take care of yourself. It's not selfish, it is self care, and that helps us be much more effective in our relationships. And you know, secondarily, I feel like I have to say that listening is an
  art, and if we think we're good at communicating, we have to ask ourselves, how good am I at really listening to understand at relationally attuning."
• Liz: "Just thinking about speaking of being generous and kind. I think listening is one of the more generous and kindest things that we can do."
• Dave: "I think it's when you're talking about the pause. I just think that there's a power in the pause. The power in the pause to be able to not react, to be able to gives us at least a chance, pause, take a breath, allow our hearts, our minds, our brains, to be able to okay, I'm going to reflect and respond instead of react right now."

Links:

https://simplemodern.org/

https://www.instagram.com/simplemoderntherapy/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/SimpleModernTherapy

https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-modern-therapy/

Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale welcome licensed mental health counselor Andy Hogan, who shares his personal journey with mental illness and how it has influenced his work with others. Andy introduces his REACH acronym—a powerful tool designed to support both those living with mental illness and their loved ones. The discussion dives into the importance of love over fear in the healing journey, methods to recognize and manage symptoms, and ways to build empathy and connection. Learn how to better support mental health with compassion and understanding.

About Andy Hogan:

Andrew personally suffered a manic psychosis breakdown while serving a mission in Taiwan. He was tranquilized and woke up in a hospital in Provo. During a month-stay in the hospital, his high school sweetheart decided to end their relationship. They never talked about why, she just slowly made less and less contact and avoided him over a period of time. 3 years later, Andrew became so desperate for an answer, he proposed. She said, "I can't." This was his rock bottom moment, where the choice was either stop living or start to REACH.

REACH is the acronym for the steps Andrew took personally, and the steps he later would teach professionally of how to find love for mental illness.
1. Recognize the source of my symptoms.
2. Emerge from denial and isolation.
3. Authenticate self and mental illness.
4. Control the disorder as we are able.
5. Heighten our lives.

While learning to REACH, Andrew started dating again. On jod first date with Sariah who had also served a mission in Taiwan, he told her he was the one who went crazy on the island. She replied, "That was you?" She had served in a different mission over a year after his breakdown, but she had heard about the missionary who went crazy. After our date, Sariah talked to her parents who said, "If you decide to love him, we will love him too." They chose to give love for mental illness and Sariah courageously decided to keep dating me. Their marriage started as a choice for love instead of a reaction to fear of mental illness. Making that choice again and again for going-on 30 years now, is how REACH has made for happiness and growing connection in their relationship.

Insights:

• Andy: "the thing you can do to help someone with mental illness or to help yourself, if you're the one, if you recognize mental illness in yourself, the thing you can do is to face your fears and learn to love in yourn thoughts, in your beliefs and in your actions, there is something you can do, and it works, it helps. That is the thing you can do for mental illness, is give love. Give love for mental illness."
• Liz: " love this whole fear, this whole idea about fear really creates more pain, creates more separation, but that love and acceptance would create, that's what creates health and connection. They stuff that was really beautiful. I'm going to think differently about mental illness because of our time with you, Andy."
• Dave: "I love the reach acronym. Our illness doesn't define us. It is our feelings. All that we're struggling with doesn't define us."

Links:

www.ReachAndyHogan.com

https://www.youtube.com/@reachandyhogan

In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, Dr. Liz Hale and Dr. Dave Schramm talk with licensed clinical social worker Amelia Hopkin about the emotional and physical struggles associated with infertility. Amelia shares how fertility issues impact relationships, the role of
family support, and the healing power of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy) for couples dealing with reproductive health trauma. She also provides guidance on navigating infertility treatments and offers valuable resources for those on this difficult journey.

About Amelia Hopkin:

Amelia Hopkin has spent the last 23 years providing help and building relationships with medical providers, community organizations, researchers, educators and most importantly, families who experience one of the hardest kinds of experiences... Infant or pregnancy loss, infertility, unexpected birth experiences, various degrees and types of postpartum depression, NICU stays as well as sexual or health related trauma. She has been a speaker and trainer at both national and international conferences (ask her about speaking to the UN and her month at the HRC!), a published researcher, is certified in EMDR and trained in ART (the therapy kind, she's a horrible artist and needs to label her stick figures). As one of the only trained EMDR intensive providers in the state of Utah, she helps those who have limited time and significant trauma find deep and meaningful healing. Click on the EMDR tab for more info on that. When not in the office, Amelia may be getting in over her head on a DIY project, reading books, dreaming up a new travel adventure, finding nature, looking for ways to avoid doing laundry or trying out a new restaurant or recipe.

Insights:

• Amelia: "...if you're experiencing fertility struggles, you are not alone, that number is one in six. There are some really fantastic resources."
• Liz: "the thought of getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, right with whatever it is that is troubling us..."
• Dave" "I think my takeaway the day really is the no shame, no blaming of yourself through this journey, I'm sure, so easily to turn inward and then to have those suffocating feelings that can feel overwhelming, that affect your marriage and your outlook, your life, your eating, sleeping every this will affect your life
  in so many ways. I hope people won't go there or stay there too long. Did you realize this is nothing you did you know anything so not that. Avoid that blame and shame game. Keep those eyes up and looking for resources and help."

Links:

https://www.growing-the-good.com/

In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale sit down with marriage therapists Boone Christensen and Kaprena Moore to discuss how couples can establish and maintain healthy boundaries in their relationships. They explain what boundaries look like in marriage, why they’re important, and how to effectively communicate them. Boone and Kaprena share real-life examples and provide tips on dealing with common boundary issues, including emotional safety, parenting, and handling conflicts. The episode highlights how boundaries can foster love, respect, and protection, rather than control.

About Boone & Kaprena:

Boone and Kaprena own Steps Family Therapy in Spanish Fork, where they conduct individual, couple, and family therapy. They both performed qualitative research in graduate school on the role of clergy in mental health and relational issues. When not doing therapy or spending time with their two kids, Boone loves camping, fishing, and reading research on therapist development. Kaprena loves planning events, writing music, and yoga. They are both consultants for the mental health company, Mindless.

Insights:

• Boone: "I'd say boundaries are the things you do to protect yourself and keep yourself healthy. They are nothing that you expect anybody else to do anything about."
• Kaprena: "When boundaries are about changing and manipulating your partner, they are poisonous. When they are about protecting yourself, they can convey love."
• Liz: "I think boundaries really are about safety. It's not just my feelings, but my partner's feelings. I just I do think of a cocoon a little bit when I think of a boundary or fenced in area where we're both inside, and it's not about the rupture, it's about making room for both of us."
• Dave: "I think that the boundaries perhaps can change. Is that possible over time? Is more understanding and his development and his relationship changes, still to have protection, but there may not be boundaries now we're okay. We need to adjust this. If I have a child that's living at home, or if there's a an accident or mental health or struggles or things okay, we need to adjust the boundaries here of what's happening to keep that protection in place."

Links:

https://stepsfamilytherapy.blogspot.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@boonechristianson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_with_boone_lmft/?hl=en

In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale sit down with Rachel Nielson, host of the podcast Three in 30 Takeaways for Moms. Rachel opens up about her personal journey through motherhood, from the struggles of balancing expectations to finding joy in her role. She shares insights from therapy, practical strategies for decluttering your mental and emotional space, and ways to set healthy boundaries. Rachel also discusses how couples can support one another in parenting and offers actionable steps to bring more joy into motherhood and family life.

About Rachel Nielson:

Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale welcome renowned marriage experts, Dr. Christian Heim and Dr. Caroline Heim, from Australia. They discuss insights from the largest global study on long-term relationships, revealing the key elements that make marriages last. The conversation highlights the importance of commitment, altruism, and shared values while addressing the challenges of hyper-individualism, social isolation, and mental health struggles. Whether you're single, married, or in a long-term relationship, this episode offers invaluable tools and perspectives to strengthen your relationship.

#marraigeadvice #resilience #marraigeresilience #makingmarriagework

About:

Christian Heim FRANZCP, PhD is a psychiatrist, a Clinical Director in Mental Health Services, Senior Lecturer in the School of Medicine at the University of Queensland and a Churchill Fellow. Christian gives keynotes internationally on preventative mental health. In private psychiatry, he subspecializes in war-related and severe childhood sexual trauma, and couple therapy where mental illness is prominent. Christian publishes books and journal articles in the area of preventative mental health. His latest book was co-authored with Caroline Heim: Resilient Relationships: techniques for surviving hyper-individualism, social isolation and a mental health crisis. (Routledge, 2023).

Caroline Heim is an Associate Professor at Queensland University of Technology. She has published two books in theatre studies and is a global authority on the psychology of relationships in the theatre. Caroline gives keynotes internationally and her numerous articles cover various topics from audiences to the mental health of university students. Specialising in empirical research, she has interviewed over 300 people internationally. Before entering academia, Caroline studied theatre and worked in New York winning a Drama League Award.

Insights:

• Christian: "it doesn't matter how you do it. There are different ways to do things however your relationship works, is the way that your relationship works. Don't feel that you've got to find a formula, but the key to me is that your relationship is your greatest asset, and that means that it'll take some nurturing, it'll take some investment, it'll take time, energy and effort, but gosh, it's worthwhile."
  
  
• Caroline: "'I'd say probably, is altruism, our second finding. Because, as I said, it's not much in the literature. And these couples that put the others needs before there's I could see that they had, again, this strong connection. And. So as we said, it's hard to do that in a in a society that says that everything's got to be about me, and it's about my needs, and if I'm not getting what I want from this relationship, then I'm out of here. But as one, as many of the couples actually said it's much easier to walk away and then to stay and fight for your marriage, you and me against the world, basically."
  
  
• Dave: "At so many levels, I love this idea of, I'll call it search inward, turn outward. That's how I like to think of this searching or what are my values and what are our values, and then turning outward with that altruism and how, what can I do for my spouse or my partner today to make their day better? It's this outward mindset, really, of thinking about the we rather than the me. I haven't heard that term hyper individualism, but man, I think that's, that's spot on. I feel like that's like the number one killer in relationships today."
  
  
• Liz: "You know what I'm really happy to hear Caroline and Christian say is that has benefited their marriage, because this five year study, I doubt there was a lot of income they were getting from this study. There was a lot of giving and listening and noting, and so I'm so pleased that there was this flip effect of blessing your own marriage. Really happy to hear that for you and another takeaway, I mean, one of my favorite events with the recent Olympic Olympics was synchronized diving, and I never thought about it to go for the gold. That the more difficult, the more points, the more opportunity for gold. I thought that was just brilliant."

Links:

Resilient Relationships

Dr. Christian Heim

In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz
Hale chat with Maggie Reyes, a master certified life coach and marriage mentor. Maggie shares five powerful questions that women can use to improve their marriages, without needing their partner to change. These questions help women shift their mindset, engage their emotional intelligence, and create positive change in their relationships. Maggie emphasizes the importance of understanding our emotions, managing expectations, and grieving unmet hopes while building strong, lasting connections. Learn how asking the right questions can transform your marriage and empower you as a partner.

About Maggie:

Maggie Reyes is a Master Certified Life Coach and Modern Marriage Mentor who specializes in helping driven, ambitious women create their best marriages, without waiting for their partners to change or adding more work to their lives.

She is the creator of The Marriage MBA Program, a 6 month mentorship in creating a successful marriage using principles from positive psychology, cognitive science and simple coaching tools that you can learn today and apply tomorrow.

Maggie is the author of the best selling Questions for Couples Journal which has over 3,000 4 star ratings on Amazon. And she is the host of the The Marriage Life Coach Podcast which is consistently ranked among the top 2 percent podcasts out of over 2 million podcasts tracked by ListenNotes. When she isn’t teaching or coaching she loves obsessing over Formula 1 Racing, Bridgerton, reading fan fiction, sexy romance novels and watching superhero movies and Mexican Rom Coms with her hubby.

Insights:

• Maggie: "That you have choices, that you can think about what you want in your relationship and then take positive forward action towards that. I think that's the core of everything that I teach. And if someone is listening to us today and feeling frustrated or feeling sad, if I could just be that voice in your ear that says you have choices."
• Dave: "I'm going to actually combine both of your takeaways. I love that generosity Liz and the choices Maggie. I often call this, and it's been re iterated today. I think a challenge of lifetime. There are probably many challenges of lifetime. One of the those who stuck my mind lately, and it relates to what we're talking about today, is feeling disappointed, feeling feeling stressed, feeling worried, feeling irritated, even feeling angry, all those right, natural emotions we're going to feel those in our relationships. I believe this is difficult. That's why it's the challenge of a lifetime to feel all of that and still be kind, and still be generous."
  
  
• Liz: "That generosity is the highest form of love, being generous. And like you said, sometimes it doesn't, life doesn't call for that, right? But I think, especially in love and in marriage, generosity is often, I think, the call of the day. So I love that."

Links:

https://maggiereyes.com/

In this episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection, Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale welcome betrayal trauma expert Dr. Crystal Hollenbeck to discuss the emotional complexities and recovery strategies for betrayal trauma. The conversation dives into the impact of betrayal, particularly the intense anger experienced by the betrayed partner, and how to navigate the healing process. Dr. Hollenbeck outlines therapeutic techniques, including her self-regulation model, and discusses why many partners remain in relationships post-betrayal. This episode is filled with practical advice, research-backed insights, and hope for those struggling to overcome the devastating effects of betrayal in relationships.

About:

Dr. Crystal Hollenbeck is a Betrayal Trauma Specialist and helps couples heal the wounds of
betrayal trauma. Her article recently published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy
provides recommendations for clinicians to help betrayed partners manage the complexity of
betrayal trauma anger. Her book entitled, "Betrayal Trauma Anger: You are not crazy, you are
angry, and you should be" is coming soon.

Crystal is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Florida State Qualified Supervisor for those seeking a license in Mental Health Counseling or Marriage and Family Therapy. In addition, she is also a Certified Professional Life Coach. Being a Therapist and a Life Coach gives her the unique ability to help clients heal from the past and live their best life today. Her approach to counseling and coaching is non-judgmental, caring, and solution focused. She believes counseling and coaching are an essential part of a person’s ability to live the life they desire and she strives to provide a counseling setting where you can feel safe to work through the difficulty you are facing with hope. Dedicating her life to helping others as a therapist and
coach is a result of post traumatic growth from her own personal life experiences.

Insights:

• Crystal - "Betrayal is a devastating injustice. And although you're going to feel like you're crazy, you're not crazy, you're angry and you should be."
  
  
• Dave - "I think the take home for me, at least one of the many, is that avoiding that self-blame, it's that all of a sudden that inward right and anger, anger turns this inward, and then it's some of this, you know, maybe outward at first, but then it's this inward of what? What did I do? Am I not skinny enough? Why? Why did they do kind of searching for the why and then blaming themselves for this? I love that message."
  
  
• Liz - "I've never heard the great advice around self-harm regarding using an ice cube, rubber band, rubber band, I've heard, but Ice Cube I haven't. I really love both of those, actually. So, thank you for that. Because as I get that, I get that you're just trying to use access to physical pain to release the emotional pain. Makes perfect sense, actually, but harmful. We're just continuing the on the harm, so we have to stop, and I really appreciate you bringing that to our attention."

Links:

https://crystalhollenbeck.com/

In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, hosts Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale sit down with Dr. Debi Gilmore, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, to discuss Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Dr. Gilmore shares insights into how EFT helps couples strengthen their emotional bonds, navigate pain, and foster connection. She also offers practical tips couples can use to improve their relationships, including the “Four Mantras of Love” and the “ARE” model (Accessible, Responsive, Engaged). This episode is packed with strategies to help couples rediscover connection and navigate challenges in their relationships.

About Dr. Debi Gilmore:

Dr. Debi Gilmore is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, public speaker, professional educator, author, and co-owner of The EFT Counseling and Education Center, a large mental health clinic specializing in couples therapy serving Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, and Arizona. Debi trains therapists seeking licensure or certification as an Emotionally Focused Therapist. She is co-founder and developer of the Building A Lasting Connection™ and Lasting Connection System™ mats. The Building A Lasting Connection™ (BLC) relationship program is based on her doctoral dissertation focused on premarital education. The Lasting Connection System™ mats and BLC program are being used by therapists and workshop facilitators across the world.

Insights:

• Debi: "The takeaway is I need to be better. I need to listen more intently, I need to love more abundantly, and I need to forgive more swiftly. So I'm going to say what I'm taking away is I will apply those things to myself."
• Dave: "I love acronyms. It's the R, the A, R, E, is it? Make sure I got to write the accessible, responsive and engaged."
• Liz: "It's really a combination of what the two of you have both talked about, I love that. What's the glory in your story? Dave, that's so beautiful. And for Debbie to suggest, when she first sits down with a couple, is to say, tell me about the first time you saw her. Tell me about the first time you saw him. For any of us to really go back in time, whether we've been married a year, 10 years, 30 years, 50 years, to remember those earlier times. They're precious, right? And they're powerful at the same time."

Debi Gilmore’s Resources:

www.drdebigilmore.com

www.eftcounseling.org

Instagram: thttps://www.instagram.com/the_love.therapist/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/degilmo/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdebigilmore/

In this episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection podcast, hosts Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale sit down with Christian St. Jacques, a holistic men's and relationship counselor, to explore the challenges men face in prioritizing mental health. Christian shares his journey of overcoming a dysfunctional family background, highlighting the importance of grounding oneself in purpose-driven values rather than performance-based identities. He discusses common obstacles men encounter, such as societal expectations and the struggle to balance roles as husbands and fathers. The conversation offers practical advice for men to achieve intentional growth and foster stronger connections in their relationships and communities.

About Christian St. Jaques:

bout Christian St. Jacques: Christian St. Jacques is a licensed mental health care associate (LMHCA) in Washington State who received his Masters in Counseling and Mental Health at Northwest University. He specializes in working with teens, young and older adult males, and couples. Christian draws from a variety of evidence-based approaches including Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT), Attachment, Family Systems model, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution Focused Therapy.

He addresses every client holistically by evaluating all biological, psychological, social, and spiritual variables that factor in an individual's mental health. Working within a variety of therapeutic frameworks that are adapted based on the needs of the individual or couple.

The issues and challenges that you bring to counseling will provide the context for our work. In your time together, you will explore any one or a combination but not limited to your cognitive mental models, current and past relational patterns to gain insight into the origins of your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.

Christian St. Jacques Links:

https://www.narrative-counseling.com/

Today Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale sit down with Dr. Dean Busby, a seasoned professor from Brigham Young University, to delve into the truths and myths surrounding human sexuality. The discussion covers a wide range of topics, from gender differences and the impact of religiosity on sexual experiences to the challenges couples face across different life stages, including pregnancy and menopause. Dr. Busby offers expert advice on improving sexual relationships, emphasizing the importance of communication and understanding in fostering a strong, intimate connection.

About:

Dean M. Busby, Ph.D. is a professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. He received his Ph.D. in Family Therapy from Brigham Young University. Following his schooling he taught at Syracuse University and Texas Tech University, where he was the department chair, before returning to Brigham Young University. He is a published author of books, book chapters, and research articles in the area of marriage relationships, sexuality, assessment of couples, and relationship trauma. His research has garnered university and national awards and been funded by federal and state grants. Dr. Busby has taught at the university level for more than thirty years, primarily in the area of dating and marriage relationships, sexuality, and research methods. His courses are popular and well-received. Dr. Busby has been married for 40 years and he and his wife Colleen are the parents of three sons and the grandparents of 10 grandchildren.

Insights:

• Dean - “Start talking about sexuality; in your families and in your relationships. There isn’t a semester that goes by where I don’t cry with a student about the damage that has been done to their lives because a parent has felt like, “we can’t talk about that because that means they might experiment with it.” So they have had very difficult and unnecessary experiences just because of basic levels of ignorance. You have to stat talking to your kids. Fathers in-particular have to start doing a better job. They are the worst in the whole family as to who talks the least about sexuality -and they need to be in the middle of this conversation; for so many reasons that we know from research. Start talking with your children. Help them to feel comfortable that you are a trusted place to come and have a conversation about these bodies that they have and what’s going on with them."
• Liz - "“The sexual debut. How important that is for the man and the woman. What this responsibility is for us as parents – to talk to our young people about the expectations of that. Ladies first, we really base our sexual experience on the woman and that is such a responsibility for men; for their patience and their turning towards a woman. And, a woman also has a responsibility to ready herself for love making. So we both have responsibilities in this wonderful cycle of life and sexuality.”
• Dave - "“There is hope in any relationship if people – create a safe space and open up and communicate regardless of time passed.”

Dean’s Key To A Stronger Marriage Connection:

“You can’t change another person, you can only invite them to be in a relationship with the better you.” If you want to move your relationship, move yourself, then your partner because they love you, they will move with you. You can’t do it by pushing them in a particular direction, it just doesn’t work. "

Links:

google scholar; https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=YAThg_4AAAAJ&hl=en Chelom Leavitt; https://chelomleavitt.com

Today Dr. Liz Hale and Dr. Ray Christner discuss the pivotal role fathers play in their daughters' lives. They explore how dads can empower their daughters, the significance of role models, and the importance of emotional intelligence. Dr. Christner shares practical examples and personal experiences, emphasizing the impact of everyday choices and the modeling of respectful behavior.

parenting #girldad #fatherdaughter

About Ray
Dr. Christner received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the California University of Pennsylvania (now Pennsylvania Western University, California), where he continued to complete a Master’s degree and certification in School Psychology. He worked as a school psychologist for several years before returning to school for further education. He earned his Masters and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM; now The PCOM School of Professional and Applied Psychology).

Insights:

• Ray: Being a father is probably the most important job I've ever had, and maybe many ever will have. So just remembering our small everyday choices really do pave the way to our daughters having a refined definition of what their future looks like. So focus on those little, those little everyday choices.
• Liz: Creating that safety for when things don't go well. And being there before, during and after. For a child for a daughter. It's just that's just really beautiful. I think it's so crucial.

Links:

https://drraychristner.com

https://psychedtopractice.com

Today hosts Dave Schramm and Liz Hale discuss the intersection of positive psychology and Gottman research on marriage with Dr. Vagdevi Meunier. Dr. Meunier, a licensed psychologist and clinical assistant professor, shares insights on how couples can increase positivity in their relationships, explains the PERMA model from positive psychology, and discusses why 85% of couples report not having fun in their marriage anymore. Learn practical tips for fostering positivity, engagement, and connection in your relationship, and discover the importance of buffering your relationship from external stress. 

#marriageadvice #marriageandfamilytherapist #marriage #marriagecounselling

About:

Dr. Vagdevi Meunier (“Dr. V”) is a licensed clinical psychologist & Certified Master Gottman Therapist with over 30 years of experience in counseling, education & clinical consultation. Since 2000, she has held a Clinical Assistant Professorship at The University of Texas in Austin & previously taught as a professor at St. Edwards University for over 10 years. Dr. Meunier specializes in relationship therapy, specifically with couples & families. She has an extensive history & passion for multicultural psychology, especially eastern influences on psychological practice & cross-cultural relationship research.

As a Master Gottman Couples therapist & Professional Trainer for The Gottman Institute since 2006, Dr. Vagdevi Meunier leads “The Art and Science of Love” couples workshops locally in Austin, throughout the United States, as well as, Internationally. Dr. V has presented professionally in the US, Canada & India & incorporates mindfulness, neurobiology & positive psychology into her psychoeducational lectures. Dr. V published a chapter on Positive Couple Relationships from evidence based research around the world and has written several articles on the Gottman method of couples therapy.

Dr. Vagdevi Meunier is the founder & Executive Director of The Center for Relationships. She is the Advisor to all TCFR doctoral level trainees & therapist team members. Her mission behind TCFR is to promote and provide a community counseling, training & outreach center that specializes in helping relationships to flourish based on leading best practices and relationship science. The Counseling services & educational programs at TCFR include couples intensives, retreats, groups & community forums to support healthy relationships, conflict management & trust recovery.

Insights:

• Vagdevi: "It doesn't take a lot of time to make a difference, to increase positivity in your relationship, whether you're separated from your partner or in the same room with them. You can harness technology or you can just practice that engagement and positive emotions when you're face to face. And a little bit goes a long way. And our motto in Gottman work is "small things often."
  
  
• Dave: Couples can manage external stress effectively by working together as a team, preventing it from affecting their relationship. Despite coming home stressed, it's crucial not to take it out on each other. Although challenging, it's possible to remain kind even when frustrated or angry, highlighting the importance of choosing kindness in maintaining a strong relationship.
  
  
• Liz: I love the statement, "Darling, I'm hurting. Will you help me?" That was quite beautiful instead of the attack. It's just like, and having really that good feeling between us. Right? Like, I know you love me and I love you. Trust. That's trust, I believe.

Vagdevi Links:

https://www.findmycenter.org/

Today Dr. Liz Hale and Dr. Dave Schramm sit down with Jessica Bishop, creator of Budget Savvy Bride. Jessica shares her knowledge on planning a beautiful wedding without breaking the bank. With practical tips on everything from using silk flowers to DIY projects, Jessica explains how couples can save money while still having a memorable day. She emphasizes the importance of focusing on the marriage itself rather than just the wedding day. Listeners will gain valuable insights on budgeting, planning, and prioritizing for their special day.

About:

Jessica Bishop is the founder of TheBudgetSavvyBride.com, the #1 online resource to help couples all across the world plan a beautiful wedding on a budget they can actually afford. Jessica is a wedding industry veteran and wedding budget expert. Jessica has seen weddings from nearly every angle throughout her career– from her early days working at a wedding cake bakery at the age of 15 to doing catering service, wedding photography, invitation designing, and day-of coordination… to being a bride herself! She’s infused her 360-degree wedding experiences from the last 25 years to build a comprehensive wedding planning resource to help couples through the planning process with less expense *and* less stress! In 2018, Jessica squeezed all her best tips, advice, and checklists into her book, The Budget- Savvy Wedding Planner & Organizer, which has been a #1 Best Seller on Amazon many times over! Over 225,000 copies have been sold to date.

Insights:

• Jessica: Wedding planning serves as a valuable testing ground for marriage, teaching lessons in decision-making, prioritizing, compromising, and communication, ultimately helping to build a strong relationship foundation. Enjoy the process and be intentional in your efforts.
• Dave: To reduce stress and avoid misunderstandings, couples should openly share their expectations and visions for their wedding from the start. Understanding each other's perspectives and maintaining constant communication about decisions and finances will help manage differences and foster compromise throughout the planning process.
• Liz: Dr. Bill Doherty suggests that the process of wedding planning marks the beginning of the marriage itself, serving as a significant test for the couple. Each wedding, like a marriage, is unique, reflecting the personalities and histories of the couple. It’s important to remember that minimizing time, money, and stress are key factors in making the experience memorable.

Jessica Bishop Links:

https://thebudgetsavvybride.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bouquet-toss-a-wedding-planning-podcast/id1539773975

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/budgetsavvybride/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=%40thebudgetsavvybride

The Budget Savvy Wedding Planner & Organizer 

Starting July 1, we will be releasing bonus content from previously unreleased discussions from select season two episodes. 

go to: https://www.youtube.com/@utahmarriagecommission

In this episode, the Stronger Marriage Connection team—Dr. Dave Schramm, Dr. Liz Hale, Sarah Gowans, and Rex Polanis—wrap up Season 2 with a mailbag episode. They address various audience questions about managing transitions to parenthood, dealing with mental health issues, navigating infertility, and handling physical illness in relationships. The team provides insightful advice and personal stories, emphasizing the importance of communication, support, and mutual understanding. Tune in for valuable tips and heartfelt discussions to strengthen your marriage and relationships. 

Today Dr. Dave and Dr. Liz welcome Alec Atkinson, founder and CEO of Harvest React, to discuss side hustles for married couples. Alec shares insights on starting and managing side hustles, the importance of financial freedom, and the impact on relationships. He provides valuable advice on avoiding scams and ensuring both partners are on the same page. The discussion also highlights success stories and the potential benefits of e-commerce side hustles.

About Alec Atkinson:

Alec Atkinson is the founder and CEO of HarvestReact, a social media marketing and e-
commerce company he founded in June 2021. HarvestReact helps people thrive in e-
commerce, having hundreds of clients in its flagship program. Before his entrepreneurial
journey, Alec served as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in
Chicago, Illinois, from 2019 to 2021. Alec graduated from BYU in Business Strategy this past
December. Alec also helps oversee the deployment of capital for two niche hedge funds and a family office in the private banking world.

Insights:

• Alec: You can feel encouraged to pursue a side hustle, as it can be a great opportunity. Be careful and vigilant, seek best practices, and educate yourself thoroughly. Once you're ready, dive in and enjoy the journey. It might be challenging, but it will be either rewarding or a valuable learning experience. Find the benefit and joy in everything you do.
• Dave: You might find the idea of side hustles for couples intriguing, especially if you enjoy thinking about new ideas and taking them to the next level. While the creative process can be exciting, it's important to remember that it's not for everyone. People have different personalities and risk tolerances, and side hustles can sometimes cause stress and strain relationships. It's crucial to be on the same page with your partner, do your homework, and work as a team to ensure a successful and enjoyable experience.
• Liz: There are ways to pursue a side hustle and to do it fairly safely, where you can really minimize some of the risk. If it is in someone's heart and mind to really find ways to access extra money and finances because you have a dream for your family, I'm all about it and it sounds like Harvest React would really be something to look into.

Alec Atkinson Links:

https://harvestreact.com/

Email: alec@harvestreact.com

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

Podcast.stongermarriage.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strongermarriage/

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strongermarriagelife/

Dr. Dave Schramm:
http://drdaveschramm.com

http://drdavespeaks.com

Dr. Liz Hale:
http://www.drlizhale.com

Today, we are joined by, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist Sean Grover to discusses the challenges of maintaining a couple-centered marriage amidst the demands of parenting. Grover, an expert with over 25 years of experience, shares insights from his books and provides practical tips for preventing parent burnout. The episode emphasizes the importance of self-care, creativity, and effective communication in strengthening marital bonds and fostering a happier family life.

About Sean:

Sean Grover is a psychotherapist and best-selling author with over 25 years of experience.
Sean has appeared on the Today Show and over 200 podcasts and radio shows, and leads one
of the largest group therapy practices in the United States.

Insights:

• Sean:Don't give up. It's never too late to start again. You can retrain your brain, even after years of chronic illness. I was reading about people who overcame 22 years of illness by retraining their minds. I have a young patient with an incurable intestinal disease who has been symptom and medication-free for two years now. Remember, people are more adaptable than we think. You can challenge and change behaviors and rewire your brain. So, don't give up.
• Liz: Your happiness as a panent is so important to your child. It's everything. When you, as a parent, genuinely enjoy parenting your child, it sends positive messages that you might not even realize. Even if you're a newlywed or haven't had children yet, it's never too early to focus on what kind of parent you want to be. Think about what you want to embrace and how you want to show up in the world of parenting.

Sean's Links:

https://www.seangrover.com/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

Podcast.stongermarriage.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strongermarriage/
Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strongermarriagelife/

Dr. Dave Schramm:
http://drdaveschramm.com
http://drdavespeaks.com

Dr. Liz Hale:
http://www.drlizhale.com

In this episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection Podcast, hosts Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale sit down with licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Kyle Barth. They discuss the foundation of healthy relationships, focusing on trust, boundaries, and overcoming obstacles. Kyle Barth shares his professional journey and personal insights into creating safe, connected, and value-based relationships. Listeners will gain valuable tools and perspectives for improving their relationships and understanding the complexities of trauma and trust.

#marriage #buildingtrust #relationshipgoals #couplestherapy

About Kyle Barth:

I'm not your typical relationship therapist. Yes, I'm a licensed marriage and family therapist with over a decade of experience, but here's the twist: I've been through divorce myself. Unexpected, right? Life has a funny way of steering us in unexpected directions. However, this experience further ignited my passion to help others build safe, secure, and connected relationships. 

My mission is to empower individuals to cultivate confidence and foster healthy,
empowering, and connected relationships. By incorporating trauma-informed and
evidenced based therapy practices, I create a safe haven for healing, honesty, and
growth. I'll walk alongside you as you rewrite the script of your story. But beyond my role as a therapist, my proudest title is "dad." Nothing brings me more joy than spending quality time with my kids. When I'm not immersed in the world of therapy, I indulge my love for the great outdoors, cheer on the Utah Jazz, and love reading. Let's embark on a journey of self-discovery and transformation, unlocking your potential for meaningful connections and personal growth. You matter!

Insights:

• Kyle: You're capable of having the relationship of your dreams, no matter your current situation or past experiences. Whether you're 60 years old and have never been married, have never had a long-term relationship, or have been divorced three times, you can still achieve that dream relationship. It may not look like what you envisioned earlier in life or even right now, but it can become a reality for you. It might require letting go of past relationships or changing how you've been doing things, but you're capable of making it happen.
• Dave: One thing that might stand out about ways of thinking is the concept of the marriage of your dreams. Initially, you might think of a fairy tale, like a Disney ending with music, dancing, and everyone focusing on the couple. However, that's not reality. The marriage of your dreams can mean feeling safe, happy, and connected, with your partner as your best friend, by your side through all the ups and downs. That's what many truly want and long for.
• Liz: We are always changing, and I think that's really great. To try something new, we often talk about marriage 2.0, but I've even had a couple say this is marriage 10.0 because of constant change. We need to be willing to let go of old patterns. Just as our internal bodies and organs are changing, we are part of that process, and we need to embrace it intentionally in our marriages.

Kyle Barth Links:

https://impactfulcounseling.com/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

Podcast.stongermarriage.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strongermarriage/
Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strongermarriagelife/

Dr. Dave Schramm:
http://drdaveschramm.com
http://drdavespeaks.com

Dr. Liz Hale:
http://www.drlizhale.com

In today’s episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, hosts Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale welcome Dr. James Cordova to discuss the concept of relationship checkups. Just like regular doctor or dental checkups, Dr. Cordova advocates for regular relationship checkups to prevent relationship deterioration and enhance mental and physical health. They explore the importance of proactive relationship health care and the development of Arammu, The Relationship Checkup Inc., aimed at improving relationship health in both military and civilian populations.

About Dr. James Cordova:

Dr. James Cordova is Department Chair and Professor of Psychology at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. Dr. Cordova is a leading figure in the field of Couples Research and Therapy. He is the developer of The Relationship Checkup, a preventative relationship healthcare intervention designed to prevent relationship deterioration through the relationship health equivalent of the annual physical health checkup.

Dr. Cordova was co-PI, with retired Lt. Colonel Jeffrey Cigrang, and their Air Force team, on a recently completed $1.3M DoD-funded grant to conduct a full-scale randomized control trial of the Relationship Checkup in the Air Force’s integrated behavioral healthcare settings. The study demonstrated that the Checkup is easily adapted to primary care settings in the Air Force and has a significant positive effect on the relationship health and depression of Airmen and their spouses.

Dr. Cordova is the founder and President of Arammu: The Relationship Checkup, Inc., a university-based startup company created to disseminate the Checkup throughout both military and civilian populations and improve the overall relationship health of the country as a whole. Arammu Inc. currently partners with the Office of the Secretary of Defense to train over one thousand Military and Family Life Counselors serving all branches of the military.

Insights:

• Dr. Cordova: We need to shift our perspective on relationships to view them as a form of health care that requires regular checkups. Just like physical health, regular preventative relationship checkups are crucial for maintaining long-term relationship health.
• Dave: Investing in relationships through regular checkups is one of the most important investments one can make. It’s comparable to maintaining physical health through good nutrition, exercise, and regular doctor visits. Without intentional and planned efforts, relationships can naturally drift apart, so there is a necessity of consistent investment in maintaining strong relationships.
• Liz: Love the porcupine analogy in marriage, it’s important to recognizing that both partners can unintentionally cause pain. Focus on addressing the impact of our actions rather than the intent, and remember the need to respond with care and healing when hurt occurs, as both partners are vulnerable to causing and feeling pain.

Dr. James Cordova’s Resources:
https://arammu.com/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

Podcast.stongermarriage.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strongermarriage/
Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strongermarriagelife/

Dr. Dave Schramm:
http://drdaveschramm.com
http://drdavespeaks.com

Dr. Liz Hale:
http://www.drlizhale.com

Today In this important episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection podcast,
Dr. Lauren Barnes shares her extensive knowledge about eating disorders and body image,
exploring their impact on individuals and relationships. Offering hope and healing, Dr. Barnes
discusses the prevalence, recovery, and the critical importance of addressing these issues
within marriages. Listeners will learn from an expert in the field about the signs, effects, and
treatment options for eating disorders, making this a valuable resource for those seeking to
understand or cope with these conditions.

About Lauren Barnes:

Dr. Lauren A. Barnes, LMFT is an Associate Clinical Professor in the School of Family
Life and the Clinical Director for BYU’s Marriage & Family Therapy graduate program.
Prior to her faculty appointment at BYU in 2013, she worked as a therapist at Center for
Change treating girls and women struggling with eating disorders within a residential
treatment setting. She maintains a small private practice where she primarily works with
those struggling with body image, eating disorders, and life challenges within their
families. Dr. Barnes grew up in a multicultural multigenerational home with her native
Cuban grandparents, mom, dad, and siblings in the Pacific Northwest. During her free
time, Lauren loves baking (especially cakes and cookies) walking or hiking, playing
piano, and loves socializing with good friends and family. One of her current passions is
speaking at women’s body image retreats because it combines her love of connecting
with people, learning, and engaging in fun activities. She is married to Aaron and they
have a son and daughter

Insights:

• Lauren: Eating disorders are widespread, affecting up to 9% of the population. Eating disorders are complex and they are not solely about food consumption or exercise habits. Instead, they require well-researched, specialized care and attention. Anyone struggling with an eating disorder is encouraged to seek help, as numerous resources and support options are available.
• Dave: There is significant and prolonged stress that both partners in a relationship can experience when dealing with an eating disorder. It is important to acknowledging the struggle and the impact it can have on a relationship. It is important to seek help, learn more about eating disorders, and communicate concerns to a partner in a caring and supportive manner.
• Liz: The thought of function over feature is quite beautiful. Even in just talking about it to our kids, the focus is on your body is so strong, we can go run now let's go run this hill. Isn't that wonderful? Our bodies can do this. And we're breathing and we don't even know it and our whole, all these organs are working in unison, and without us having to direct them. The body is phenomenal.

Links:

Instagram: @drlaurenabarneslmft
Email: Lauren_Barnes@byu.edu

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

In Episode 85 of "Stronger Marriage Connection," Dr. Dave Schramm talks with Dr. Liz about his extensive experience and the wealth of resources available for enhancing family and marital relationships. He shares insights on various tools and methods, such as positive psychology and educational resources, aimed at helping individuals improve their happiness and relational dynamics. This episode serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to foster better relationships and personal growth.

Insights:

• Mallory: The daily structure of the journal, and the small daily prompts encourage personal growth and mood enhancement. This principle of making small, consistent efforts, such as exercising or eating well, extends beyond journaling to improve one's overall quality of life and maintain positivity.
• Dave: Small, frequent actions are important in improving one's life. There is an abundance of virtual resources available today for support in various aspects of life, such as parenting and marriage. As an extension specialist, Dave’s role involves curating and recommending the best research-based resources to the public, ensuring that people have access to high-quality support materials.
• Liz: The journal is a great resource for college students. We might not think the drip, drip, drip is enough, but just a little bit, consistently. It goes a very long way.

Episode Links:

https://impactsuite.com/

https://www.joinclimb.com/

https://www.joinraise.com/the-raise-app

https://www.malouffoundation.org/

https://extension.usu.edu/relationships/

https://extension.usu.edu/strongermarriage/

https://www.youtube.com/@drdaveschramm

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

In this episode of the "Stronger Marriage Connection" podcast, hosts Dave Schramm and Liz Hale are joined by certified sex therapist Jessa Zimmerman. They delve into common sexual issues faced by couples, focusing on sexual desire discrepancies and strategies for maintaining a strong marital connection. Jessa provides invaluable insights into reactive and proactive desires, the sexual avoidance cycle, and the impacts of pressure and expectations on sexual intimacy.

About Jessa Zimmerman:

Jessa Zimmerman is a licensed couples’ counselor and nationally certified sex therapist. She
works in private practice in Seattle, WA. Over the course of her therapy career, she has focused almost exclusively on helping couples with their emotional and sexual intimacy. In her years of clinical experience, Zimmerman has treated hundreds of couples who have struggled to feel sexual desire and fulfillment. Her clients describe having a good relationship in other ways, but their sex life has become difficult to the point that they start to avoid sex. These are people who love each other but are struggling to have a sex life they both enjoy. She specializes in helping these couples who find that sex has become stressful, negative, disappointing, or pressured. She educates, coaches, and supports people as they go through her 4 pillar experiential process that allows them real world practice in changing their relationship and their sex life, guiding them to become easily intimate.

Zimmerman received her Master’s in Psychology from LIOS college of Saybrook University and
Sex Therapist certification from the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors,
and Therapists (AASECT). She has done extensive training in couples’ therapy, with a focus on
Crucible® Therapy with Dr. David Schnarch. She is the author of Sex Without Stress; A Couple’s Guide to Overcoming Disappointment, Avoidance & Pressure. She is the host of the Better Sex Podcast and has appeared on numerous other podcasts as an expert guest. She is the creator of the Intimacy With Ease Method and founder of The Desire Spa, an online course for women with little to no libido. She is a regularly featured expert in the media, including Refinery29, Marriage.com, Business Insider, and Mind Body Green. She lives in Seattle with her partner.

Insights:

• Jessa: One cannot fail in sex if they shift their mindset to view it simply as a source of pleasure and connection, without attaching to specific outcomes. By embracing this approach, sexual experiences can become easy and enjoyable, even if they differ from previous expectations or desires. The key lies in accepting and adapting to these differences, which opens limitless possibilities for enjoyment and satisfaction.
• Dave: Moods for sexual activity evolve over time, there is a contrast between the constant readiness (proactive mood) in early stages of relationships with the need to actively engage or transition into feeling ready (reactive mood) as time progresses. If couples only engaged in sex when both partners were spontaneously in the mood, they might seldom have sex. Love the concepts of reactive and proactive desire, and engaging physically can lead to a physiological response where the body releases dopamine and serotonin, aligning physical readiness with emotional desire.
• Liz: Sex is like going to a playground, we don't know how long we're going to stay. We're not sure what we're going to enjoy once we get there. But we are going to enjoy it. It's not about the outcome or the goal.

Jessa Zimmerman Links:

https://intimacywithease.com

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Today hosts Liz Hale and Dave Schramm talk with Arlene Pellicane, an author and speaker specializing in marriage and parenting. As the national spokesperson for National Marriage Week, Arlene shares insightful tips for nurturing a strong marital connection. The discussion emphasizes daily connections, weekly date nights, and the significance of prioritizing marriage in today's world.

About Arlene Pellicane

Arlene Pellicane is the National Spokesperson for National Marriage Week. She's a top
marriage and parenting author and speaker, and has appeared on several media outlets
like the Today Show, Wall Street Journal, Focus on the Family, Fox & Friends, TLC’s
Home Made Simple, FamilyLife Today, and The 700 Club. She’s also the host of the
Happy Home podcast and the author of several books including 31 Days to a Happy
Husband, and 31 Days to Becoming a Happier Wife. She is married to James, her
husband of more than 25 years, and they have three children - Ethan, Noelle and Lucy.

Insights:

• Arlene: the importance of having a service-oriented attitude in marriage, one that
  asks, "What can I do for you?" rather than "What can you do for me?" By focusing on small acts of kindness, like bringing a glass of water or leaving a loving note, you can demonstrate love and commitment to your spouse. This approach leads to an active and controllable part in the relationship, fostering appreciation and reciprocation from your partner. Arlene underscores the need to consistently prioritize your spouse's needs and to take the initiative in showing care and service. She expresses hope that listeners will recognize the value in their marriages, take active steps to cherish them, and thereby inspire future generations to value the institution of marriage
• Dave appreciates Arlene's insights on maintaining an outward mindset and the importance of being intentional in marriage. He reflects on his parents' impressive 58-year marriage, recognizing it as a model for what he strives to achieve in his own family life. With his spouse and their four children, they make a concerted effort to show the importance of their marriage. They prioritize their relationship, with regular date nights, emphasizing to their children that their partnership is a priority. Dave acknowledges the need for planning and intentionality to prevent drifting apart in marriage, valuing daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly connections.
• Liz appreciates the concept that individuals can often get caught up in a mindset of expecting more from their partners without recognizing their own contributions. In her marriage therapy sessions, she frequently observes that when a person perceives they're not receiving enough from their partner, it's typically reflective of not giving enough themselves. This realization is a good foundation for addressing marital issues. Liz also highlights the decline in marriage rates from previous generations to millennials, and says that aunts, uncles, and parents bear a significant responsibility to promote the value of marriage. She stresses that it is crucial for them to model strong marriages themselves, to reinforce the positive message about marriage.

Arlene Pellicane Links:

https://www.nationalmarriageweekusa.org/

https://www.facebook.com/nationalmarriageweek

https://twitter.com/ArlenePellicane

https://www.instagram.com/nationalmarriageweekusa

https://arlenepellicane.com/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Today Dave Schramm and Liz Hale explore the profound insights of doctors John and Julie Gottman's latest book, "The Seven Day Love Prescription". They delve into practical advice taken from extensive research on thousands of couples, focusing on strengthening relationships through simple actions and deeper understanding. They discuss the significance of turning towards your partner, the power of touch, the importance of asking open-ended questions, and the brain's tendency to focus on negativity. This episode provides valuable tips for fostering a deeper connection and revitalizing your marriage by incorporating daily habits that enhance love and affection.

Insights:

• Dave: Slowing down and understanding your partner’s world takes humility. I love the word compassion, as we've talked about humility. And let me add gratitude; expressions of appreciation for the little things of being thoughtful. Kindness and gratitude is two sides of the same coin. When someone is kind, hopefully the other person is grateful. And they recognize that and understand each other's worlds. It’s hard to settle on one thing, but kindness could change a marriage. Slow down and be a little more kind, little more gentle, a little more thoughtful.
• Liz: You know, what I have loved is how we've talked about how healthy "we" consists of healthy "me" and I'm really the only person in the relationship that can really guarantee how I show up right? I am only in control of me. So I think when I show up paramount with kindness, I think that is the key.

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

In this eye-opening episode, hosts Dave Schramm and Liz Hale talk with Dr. Jason Carroll to debunk the soulmate myth. They explore the impact of soulmate thinking on relationships and discuss how lasting connections are forged through intentional effort and growth. Drawing on the report "The Soulmate Trap," the conversation highlights the importance of virtues, responsible behaviors, and shared life goals over predestined destiny beliefs.

About Jason Carroll

Jason S. Carroll is an internationally recognized expert on flourishing marriages and readiness
for marriage among young adults. He currently serves as the Director of the Family Initiative at
the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University, and he is also a Senior Fellow of the
Institute for Family Studies. He has also been a faculty member in BYU’s School of Family for the last 23 years. In 2014, Dr. Carroll received the Berscheid-Hatfield Award for Distinguished Mid-Career Achievement, a biennial award given for distinguished scientific achievement by the International Association for Relationship Research (IARR). This award was given to him
primarily to acknowledge his significant theoretical contributions to the field of marriage
studies. Dr. Carroll is best known professionally for his development of the “Developmental
Model of Marital Competence,” the widely used “Marital Horizon Theory” of young adult
readiness for marriage, and “Sexual Restraint Theory” which has been used to demonstrate the
benefits to couples who wait until they are married to begin their sexual relationship. Most
recently, Dr. Carroll has received recognition for his new “STRIVE-4 Model of Virtue” that
provides a comprehensive model to organize and guide a mature science of virtue.

Insights

• Jason, "We need to actively mentor the younger generation within our spheres of influence, like in family and in work spaces. Think about how we can collectively restore the confidence and the sense of agency and choice. By sharing the realities of a genuine relationship—its challenges and its rewards—we can help restore the younger generation's confidence in and aspiration for enduring, loving marriage."
• Dave, "Mature love in healthy relationships is characterized by outward focus and contribution, whereas immature love fixates inwardly on personal needs and disappointments. With mature love and immature love, there is always a choice."
• Liz, "The focus is not so much on happiness, but on meaningfulness. All parts of our relationships, the highs and the lows, that’s why we're here. That's what gives us meaning. And I love the idea of the growth belief versus the destiny belief."

Jason's Links

https://wheatley.byu.edu/

Beyond the Myth of Marital Happiness by Blaine J. Fowers

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

In this insightful episode of "Stronger Marriage Connection," hosts Liz Hale and Dave Schramm engage in a powerful discussion with Dr. Carly LeBaron about the complexities of and navigational strategies for couples facing faith crises and faith transitions in their marriage. Dr. LeBaron, an active marriage and family therapist, sheds light on the emotional and relational dynamics of mixed-faith marriages, and faith transitions in marriage, offering valuable advice for couples to maintain harmony and understanding despite differing faith perspectives.

About Carly LeBaron:
Dr. Carly LeBaron has a MS and PhD degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy and is a practicing therapist in Logan, Utah. She owns New Beginnings Therapy, a group private practice in Logan, where she specializes in women's mental, emotional, and relational health, faith crisis/faith transition, perfectionism and people-pleasing, eating disorders and body image, couples therapy, and more. She has authored two self-help books, "Shattering the Porcelain: Overcoming Perfectionism and People- Pleasing and Becoming the Real You," and "Some Body to Love: 12 Weeks to a Better Body Image" and offers online courses in mental health through therapyinanutshell.com. In her spare time, she loves to write, read, garden, create, camp, and spend time with friends and family. She is married to her best friend, has three amazing sons, and a Shih Tzu named Bandit who is in training to become a therapy animal.

Insights:

• Carly: "Keep in mind that you're suffering in your own way, and your partner’s suffering may be in a different way. So, if you’re able to kind of create a space where it's okay for both of you to be hurting at the same time. It opens up a lot of conversations instead of shutting things down with defensiveness."
• Dave: "Even if we have differences, we can still be kind. We can still choose to be kind to each other It's challenging but, be respectful of each other and even negotiate when you're negotiating with kids and practices and things. Kindness, kindness. Above all, through this, through the challenges you can still choose to be kind."
• Liz: "I love that whole idea that validation doesn't necessarily mean agreement. It really just means your perspective matters to me, which really means you matter to me."

Dr. Carly LeBaron Links:

https://www.newbeginningstherapy.net/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Today Sage Allen discusses the stresses and challenges she's encountered with her son who has severe autism and how this affects her marriage. Sage opens up about the raw realities of day-to-day care, and how important it is to make time for both self-care and date nights. Sage shares tips for other parents who find themselves overwhelmed and exhausted, including intentionally finding the good in each day and reaching out for support systems, including online groups.

About Sage Allen
Sage Erickson Allen has a master's degree in marriage family human development from BYU. ,
She taught marriage preparation at BYU and marriage enrichment classes for USU Extension in
St. George, UT for a few years. She stopped teaching when her first child was diagnosed with
severe autism around age two. That child is seven years old now and is completely nonverbal
with low functioning autism and ADHD. In her spare time, Sage likes ballroom dancing and
writing for her casual blog, sagerelationshipadvice.com. She also enjoys advocating for people
with disabilities and families that need more help managing the stresses that accompany raising a child with a disability.

Insights:

• Sage: "I'd like to tell everyone that you really can have a great fulfilling marriage with a disabled child. At feels impossible. And it kind of feels like you'll never be happy again when you have that big of a trial, but then it really does get better. And you can have a great marriage and a great life.
• Dave: "An internal insight is, I can't be, my feelings. I'm going to feel things but I've got to learn to feel it but not follow it, if that makes sense. And not let it spill over and into my parenting or into my marriage or, or how I see the situation or complain about this or that in my life because it can always be poisonous, right? And how that that spills over."
• Liz: "I was pretty naive; I still am with autism. Thank you for the reminder of the three stages and that Utah has a way to go. That saddens me and it also gives me great hope with advocates like you and people who are willing to speak out and speak up for their loved ones or children. With that, I hope things do continue to grow and change."

Sage Allen Links:

https://sagerelationshipadvice.com

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

This episode highlights Mark and Jill Savage, a couple who have worked through some very difficult challenges in their marriage, including infidelity. They have been married nearly 40 years now. Together they share why they decided to make things work rather than divorce and open up about how they've been able to make their marriage stronger. Whether you've experienced infidelity or you're just going through some rough patches, you'll benefit from the many insights from our discussion.

About Mark & Jill Savage:

Mark and Jill Savage are passionate about encouraging, educating, and equipping families and marriages. After serving in church ministry for twenty years, the Savage’s are now meeting the needs of families as authors, speakers, and coaches. Known for their honesty, humor, and
practical teaching, Mark and Jill bring hope and encouragement to every audience.

Jill is the host of the No More Perfect Podcast and the author of fourteen books, including the
bestselling No More Perfect Moms. Together Mark and Jill have created five online marriage
courses and authored several books including No More Perfect Marriages, I Really Messed Up,
and My Heart Is Broken. The parents of five adult children, and grandparents of six, the
Savage’s make their home in Normal, IL.

Insights:

• Mark - Mine is on of a faith response. Its to humble yourself. Grab hold of the hand of Daddy God, and let Him lead you through the mess.
• Jill - There is hope and, and redemption available. Whether a marriage makes it or not, there's hope and redemption available. And so I think that it's, you know, that's kind of where I sat, you know, whether my marriage makes it or not, I have some growth to do.
• Dave - Having humility, compassion, positivity; fundamental values for relationships, and I can't echo that enough. And that no matter where you are in your relationship, that we're going to hit these rough patches, some more serious than others. I feel like if we would forget the person that we thought we married and get to work on the relationship with the person that we did marry and focus we’d find enjoyment and remind ourselves, the principal that we remember what we rehearse, we remember what we review. And if we're reviewing the negative, and the mess and the yuckiness that we don't like, then that's what we will remember. But if we can flip the script that you talked about, refocus, change that heart, and search inward and turn outward.
• Liz - Let work to flip the script, to crucify the negative and celebrate the positive. Because whatever I do focus on grows, and I'll find the evidence of whatever I believe I'll find it.

Mark & Jill Link:

https://www.jillsavage.org/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Dave and Liz talk with Amberly Lambertsen about the importance of prioritizing fun in your relationship. From laughing at the little things and making time for fun date nights to sharing silly memes to planning and talking about your next fun getaway. Couples who laugh and play together are more likely to stay together.

About Amberly Lambertsen:
Amberly Lambertsen is a Certified Family Life Educator. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Family Studies and her Master's of Education with an emphasis in Family Life Education. Amberly has a specific passion for marriage relationships and helping couples make their marriage a priority throughout every stage of life. She believes that by making time for the personal and romantic side of your marriage every day you are creating a strong foundation for the other pieces of your partnership to thrive and your relationship to last a lifetime. In addition to creating a long lasting marriage, Amberly believes couples should create a relationship they enjoy and want to continue to be part of. With creative date night solutions, tips for increased emotional and physical intimacy, ideas for creating more fun, and practical ways couples can focus on their marriage, Amberly helps couples make time to build and enjoy their marriage relationship every single day throughout every stage of life.

Insights:

• Amberly: "Just find one thing you can do today to have fun together. What's one thing you can do this week, or you can do today to have fun together, and then do it again tomorrow and find something new or find something old, whatever that is just take an opportunity to have fun.
• Dave: "Make your relationship a priority. If you don't, then you naturally have this natural flow to isolation that you naturally will drift apart. So, couples who are intentionally creating the fun, whether it's spontaneous or let's plan something, those are the couples who I think will thrive rather than just trying to survive in their in their marriages and their relationships."
• Liz: "There’s no one I'd rather laugh with than my husband. I love laughing with him. He is one of my favorite people to laugh with. And I really want it to continue to be that safe harbor for him."

Amberly Lambertsen Links:
https://aprioritizedmarriage.com
https://facebook.com/aprioritizedmarriage
https://instagram.com/aprioritizedmarriage
https://tiktok.com/@aprioritizedmarriage
Podcast: Prioritize Your Marriage - https://open.spotify.com/show/5P5lHa1PjhLinOCwIIZaCk

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Monica Tanner joins Liz and Dave to talk about getting what you want in your relationship. She’ll tackle how to manage strong emotions, moving from complaints to requests, and the importance of compassionate curiosity. She will also share a four-step framework for getting what you want in your relationship. Her mission is to lower the divorce rate and improve marital satisfaction through her engaging podcast vibrant social media, community, and practical programs.

About Monica Tanner:
Monica Tanner, Relationship Coach and host of the Secrets of Happily Ever After podcast,
transforms marriages with simple communication, connection, conflict resolution and
commitment strategies. Her mission is to lower the divorce rate and improve marital
satisfaction. Through her engaging podcast, vibrant social media community, and practical
programs, Monica's expert guidance has impacted thousands of couples, by helping them ditch resentment and roommate syndrome and get back to living their happily ever after love story.

Insights:

• Monica: "You know, there's a lot of things that you can't control in this life, but you can always control your experience inside of your circumstances. I find it to be a law of connection kind of like, matter is governed by the laws of gravity, you don't have to know that if I throw this pen up in the air, it's gonna come down. But if I do know it, it makes life a lot more predictable, it's easier to know what's going to happen, right. And so if you understand that you have full control over the experience you're having in any given circumstance, you become way more powerful, empowered, probably as the right word, you become way more empowered, to fight for the things that you want in this life, when you understand that you may not be able to, to control all the circumstances, but you can control your experience."
• Dave: "I love the idea of this compassionate curiosity. I've never heard it quite put like, but getting compassionately curious about that, not in a you know, I'm holier than thou and I'm not going to jump into this because I'm not that type of a person, but genuinely compassionate, getting curious, really wanting to understand them and to hear that to hear what they need. Rather than reacting to their emotions you have very powerful."
• Liz: "I think that is so interesting the idea of asking for what we want or what we need, it's really quite a compliment to our partner that I want to have. I want us to have it all right, I don't want to settle for me mediocrity. I really want to climb for that and reach for that top echelon of happy marriage."

Monica Tanner Links:

https://www.monicatanner.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monitanner1/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/secretsofhappilyeverafter
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@secretsofhappilyeverafter

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Today, Jeff Forte joins us to chat about everything from parenting and relationship stress to 10 second hugs and intentionally making the most of every interaction with your spouse or partner. Jeff Forte is a relationship expert and author of the books, the 90 Minute marriage miracle and be happy forever. Jeff has experienced both a divorce and the death of his second wife.

About Jeff Forte:
Jeff Forte, is an Executive Peak Performance Coach, Leadership Expert, Author, and Speaker. He writes about the areas of his life that he's had to improve by overcoming adversity. His ability to relate to the reader comes from his genuine desire to give the reader immediately useful tools, skills, and strategies that they can put to work right away. The ideas you'll read about in his books contain powerful secrets that begin to shift the odds of success quickly in your favor. His work is highly proprietary in nature. He's the creator of The Magenta System for personal transformation, The Magenta Process for emotional wellness, The Rising Love Marriage Repair Process for fixing marriage and divorce prevention, and The Leadership Alliance for creating a transnational shift in global leadership. His clients include Fortune 500 Executives, Professional Athletes, High Tech Visionaries, Emmy Award Winners, Global Leaders, Business Professionals, Couples and Teams.

Insights:

• Jeff: I hope listeners remember that every interaction with each other is a chance for a fresh start. It’s a chance to improve things between you as a chance to deepen connection is a chance to reconnect to resolve conflicts a chance to apologize every single interaction can be utilized to improve your relations.
• Dave: What does my partner need from me right now. Right now, in this moment, what can I do to relieve stress from their life?
• Liz: The whole idea about distractions affecting attractions. Even Jeff, as you were so kind to talk about, you know, after the passing of your wife and then trying to date again, and how that distraction was really kind of hurtful to your son. And I, I wish more parents would pause and understand that who are either divorce or were also widows widowers to understand that, well, maybe there is a time and a place and the most important thing right now is the well being of that child.

Invites:

• Take notice of how you can help reduce some of your partner’s stress; like doing the
  dishes, helping to cook dinner, picking up dinner….
• Be mindful of all the little distractions in your daily life that could be a cause of less
  attraction; ie: your children seeing you on your phone may prevent them from coming
  up and talking about something they’d like to share with you.
• It’s the simple things that help build a stronger marriage, try to do one simple thing
  today to show them that you care. Like write a note, make the bed, start the dishwasher…

Jeff Forte Links:

https://90minutemarriagemiracle.com/
https://www.facebook.com/peakresultscoaching

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Today Dr. David Dollahite joins Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to discuss the connection between faith and marriage.

About David Dollahite:
Dr. David Dollahite, is a professor of family life at Brigham Young University. He received an MS and MFT and as a family life coach. He is co director of the American families of faith project. He has more than 200 publications for scholarly and public audiences. He has written or edited nine books on Family Life and Religion, including Home Centered Gospel learning and Living Strengths and Diverse Families of Faith, Religion and Families, and Successful Marriages and Families among other books. He and his wife Mary had been married for 40 years and have seven children and four grandchildren.

Insights:

• “Personal religious choices, beliefs, values, commitments, obviously impact individuals but they also strongly impact other people; siblings, parents, couples, kids or spouses, kids." -Dave Dollahite
• "I think when each person in a marriage is humble about their own perspectives, their own attitudes, their own ideas about what should happen in a marriage, I think humility is sort of that, that core virtue that allows people to see good, see truth, see meaning and value in the other person." -Dave Dollahite

Invites:

• Learn more about how shared religion can bring you closer to your partner.
• Find time to chat with your partner about both humility and commitment in your relationship.

David’s Resources:
Website: americanfamiliesoffaith.byu.edu
YouTube: American Families of Faith
Podcast: American Families of Faith Project

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Today Jeff and Tammy join Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to discuss helpful tips for
blended or “stewed” families.

About Jeff and Tammy Hill:
Jeff and Tammy Hill have been enjoying the ups and downs of remarriage and stepfamily living for 17 years. Together, they have 12 children and both recently retired from teaching at
Brigham Young University. They both continue to stay busy. Jeff helps with money workshops,
and Tammy is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and conducts love retreats, honeymoon workshops and dating boot camps. Most importantly, the hills love being parents, step parents and grandparents.

Insights:

• “I think the fundamental principle is to honor the previous family, honor the original family honor to recognize that nobody wished that that didn't work out with that original family.”-Jeff Hill
• “If you really are grounded and know who you are, and are living aligned with who you want to be, you're gonna be a great marriage partner.” -Tammy Hill
• “Having a step family isn't something that happens overnight. It doesn't even happen within a year or two. A lot of the research says it takes between four and seven years until a step family, big blended family or our small blended family but anyway that this type of a family actually gets cohesive.” - Tammy Hill

Invites:

• Chat with your partner about ways that you have moments to slip away from your family or home to just focus on your relationship.
• Listen to Tammy’s podcast “Live your Why” on spotify or apple podcasts

Jeff and Tammy’s Resources
Website: tammyhill.com
Instagram: @tammy_hill_lmft
Podcast: Live Your Why

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Today Utah Marriage Commission Manager, Alan Hawkins joins Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to discuss the challenges of an open relationship.

About Alan Hawkins:
Alan Hawkins is the manager of the Utah Marriage Commission. He recently retired after 33
years as a professor at Brigham Young University. He earned a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies at Pennsylvania State University in 1990. Professor Hawkins scholarship and
outreach efforts focused on educational interventions and policies to help couples form and
sustain healthy marriages and relationships and to help fathers be engaged in the lives of their children. Since 2000, he has been intricately involved in state and federal policy efforts to
support relationship education programs for disadvantaged families. He has served on the Utah marriage commission since 2004. And as a past chair of the Utah marriage commission. He currently serves as vice chair on the board for the National Association for Relationship and Marriage Education.

Insights:

• “ I believe marriage is a relationship that asks you to give your all to each other mentally,
  emotionally, sexually, give your all to another person. I think that kind of depth in a relationship leads to a richness and a beauty and a power that you can't achieve by dividing your heart.” - Alan Hawkins
• “Go deeper with one person instead of broader with others.” - Dave Schramm
• “The deeper you get, the more you understand, which then means the more you love.” - Alan Hawkins

Invites:
-“Go Deeper” with your partner by downloading the Gottman Card Deck app.
-Learn about ways that you can create a stronger marriage connection by attending the
webinars held by the Utah Marriage Commission.

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Lori joins Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to discuss the common issues that
result in a mid-life or “gray” divorce.

About Lori Schade:
Lori Schade is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and AAMFT approved therapy
supervisor running a therapy practice in Pleasant Grove Utah called Compassionate
Connections Counseling. She specializes in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and
supervises therapists towards certification in the model. She has been an adjunct faculty
member in the Marriage and Family Therapy Department at Brigham Young University as well
as Utah Valley University. For over three decades she has practiced therapy alternately with
raising seven children and has published several peer reviewed materials related to her
profession. In her spare time she enjoys running, traveling, tandem bike riding with her
husband, knitting and playing the organ. She is convinced the grandchildren are one of life's
best kept secrets.

Insights:

• “There's always hope. I have a very easy time being hopeful for married couples, sometimes I have to say, ‘borrow my hope.’ I actually got that from Dr. Rebecca Jorgensen. And I think it's so lovely. And a lot of times small changes bring about really large changes in dynamics in marriage.” - Lori Schade
• “There are two kinds of commitment. One is personal commitment, where you feel free to exercise where you want to put your loyalty. The term is kind of like restraint. It's actually called constraint commitment, and constraint commitment are all of those variables that keep people feeling stuck. It might be religious beliefs, it might be children in the home, it might be financial constraints, but there are those things where people might divorce but they stay there because they feel these barriers to divorce? And so sometimes at midlife, those are removed. And so I think it's quite possible that that's also why we might see a resurgence of divorce and at that time.” -Lori Schade

Invites:

• Find time in your week to have a connection check-in with your partner by asking these three questions. How connected are we from last time we checked? More or less or the same? What's been happening in our lives that may have impacted the level of connection? What is one small thing that would help me feel more connected?"
• Reach out to a therapist to learn more about Emotionally Focused Therapy to see if it could potentially strengthen your relationship with your partner.

Lori’s Links:

Compassionate Connections Counseling Website
Book mentioned by Lori: The Lost Love Chronicles: Reunions & Memories of First Love by Nancy Kalish

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Ariel joins Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to discuss the complex dynamics of sex
in a relationship and how women can feel empowered in their sexuality.

Sign up for Ariel's FREE MASTERCLASS NOW THRU February 12, 2024: https://outlook.office.com/mail/safelink.html?url=https://ladiestalkinglove.com/masterclass&corid=6a8a53f5-c147-1b8a-d10f-5cc24b4e1cb5

Starting February 5, 2024 earn a special $20 discount from using this link: https://ladies-talking-love.ck.page/products/womens-sexuality-course-registration?promo=DAVE

About Ariel Finlinson:

Ariel Finlayson is a women's sexuality educator and the host of the ladies talking love podcast.
She recently earned her master's in Human Development and Family Studies at Utah State
University. A native of northern Wisconsin, she can't get enough of forests or fresh squeaky
cheese curds. Her online course from pressure to passion empowers women to live up to the
joy and fulfillment they deserve in their relationships. She is currently living in Utah with her
husband, Kyle, and their four young children.

• Insights:
  “I think just recognizing number one, that it is a really important part of your relationship to foster. And then number two, that it isn't all of your relationship but with that connection and sex, you are going to be able to have a more thriving and flourishing and beautiful empowering relationship than you thought possible.” -Ariel Finlinson 22:38-22:57
• “To ask ourselves as women "Where did I get my information?" Where did I get this belief that sex is for men, for instance, or that ‘good girls don't,’ right? Many of us have heard through them  years? Where did I get that information? And can I explore something different?” -Dr. Liz Hale 28:44-29:00

Invites:

• Download Ariel’s free resource, “10 Questions to ask your spouse about Sex”
• Find a time to discuss with your partner the stereotypes that you believe are affecting your relationship.

Ariel’s Links:
Instagram: @ladies.talkinglove
Website: https://www.ladiestalkinglove.com

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Natasha joins Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to talk about the struggles that
women face with feelings of inadequacy and simple tips to overcoming these feelings.

About Natasha Dansie:
Natasha offers concrete tips and real life examples of everyday interactions that often lead to
mothers thinking they aren't enough. Natasha Dansie is a certified family life educator. She has taught relationship education classes through Utah State University for the past 11 years,
working with a variety of audiences from high school students and retreats for women to
inmates in the maximum security unit and everything in between. She loves traveling, learning
and snuggling. Natasha and her husband Jeff are raising their five children ages 7 to 19
alongside a variety of farm animals in central Utah.

Insights:

• “It's hard to be grateful and resentful.” -Dr. Liz Hale
• “Observe and then serve.” -Dr. Dave Schramm
• “One of the actions that I've personally seen the power of in my own life is the intentional practice of gratitude. So when I feel my stuff, my brain starts slipping into this negative vortex that starts to get dark. And I just have to pause. And when I start practicing gratitude, it's like, I can reverse the effects of that.” -Natasha Dansie

Invites:

• Find a moment to pause after you have a feeling of inadequacy.
• If someone shares the way that they are feeling, instead of stating why they shouldn’t be
  feeling that way, validate their feelings by saying something like, “that must be really
  difficult” or “I see how you could feel that way.”

Natasha’s Links:
Email: ariseworkshops@gmail.com
Instagram: @natashadansie

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Tyler joins Dr. Dave Schramm to talk about the challenges of addiction and shame in
marriage and the skill set required to overcome addictions with a stronger marriage connection.

About Tyler Patrick:

Tyler is a Marriage and Family Therapist has dedicated his career to mastering and
understanding of recovery from sexual addiction and betrayal trauma. He has come to believe
that the men and women who embrace and live the principles of recovery do far more than get
their lives back. They become the best kinds of husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. He
has been married for over 20 years to an incredible woman and as a father to four amazing
daughters. His hobbies away from work include supporting his children's interests, fly fishing,
backpacking, and training River, his German Shorthaired Pointer.

Insights:

"I'm going to pursue a life where I understand what's going on in my mind and my heart, and
then choosing to live from that sort of centered, sort of gut place. And then that allows me to
live my life on, you know, on life's terms, if I'm having a bad moment, I can trust that I have the tools to do that. I can trust that I'm human.” -Tyler Patrick

“When you have two people who know who they are and can be vulnerable with one another,
and they choose to be with one another. That's where the deepest levels of connection
happen.” -Tyler Patrick

“If you're sitting there listening to this feeling like it's hopeless or it's dark, it's not, your story is not finished. It's just begun and you're sitting on a goldmine if you're willing to do the work.” -Tyler Patrick

Invites:

• Check out the podcast of Brian and Tyler
•  Sign up for a first free session with Tyler.
• Talk with your partner about the importance of humility and honesty in your
  relationship.

Tyler’s Links:

Website: https://lovestrong.com
Instagram: @the.wandering.therapist

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

On today’s episode of the stronger marriage connection, Dr. Chelom Leavitt, J.D., Ph.D., will explore with Dr. Dave and Dr. Liz how to intentionally slow your mind and body to build awareness and create better connection during sex.

About Chelom Leavitt:

Dr. Chelom Leavitt, J.D., Ph.D. teaches in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. Dr. Leavitt received her Ph.D. from Penn State where she focused her research on how mindfulness is linked to sexual functioning and satisfaction. Dr. Leavitt’s findings have been published in top research journals and books. Her research has helped uncover what couples experience during sex, and what factors contribute to connection. Along with her work in Sexual Mindfulness, Dr. Leavitt hosts interventions that teach couples how to slow down and be more aware and create greater connection during sex. She regularly blogs for Psychology Today as well her website www.chelomleavitt.com, where she shares with readers the latest research on meaningful sex, slowing down to experience greater connection, and being more curious in romantic and sexual relationships. Dr. Chelom Leavitt is married to David Leavitt and they are the parents of nine children.

Insights:

• Chelom: Slow down, be gentle and be curious.
• Dave: Media does not portray sex correctly, making time to breathe, slow down, and raise awareness will benefit your relationship in all ways.
• Liz: Normalizing emotions in our life and bringing awareness can increase our sexual pleasure and lives.

Invites: •

• Practice the mindful embrace and heads together exercise Chelom discussed with your partner.
• Start mindfulness exercises. The next time you have 2 minutes of breathing room, sit down, practice how it feels to just breathe and be. Implement this routine more and more into your schedule.
• Notice what happens when you are physically connecting with your partner. A hug can tell you a lot about how your relationship looks and what you and your partner need.

Chelom Leavitt Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sexualmindfulnessproject/

https://www.chelomleavitt.com/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

On today’s episode of the stronger marriage connection, Dave and Liz with Tammy
Hill, educator, LMFT, ASSECT, and author discuss how to overcome rejection, desire difference,
and stale sex. Explore new ways to replenish your partner and build beauty in your sexual
connection.

About Tammy Hill:

Tammy Hill is passionate about strengthening marriage relationships. She is a Licensed
Marriage and Family Therapist and an active member of the American Association of Sexual
Educators, Counselors and Therapists (ASSECT). Tammy enjoys being an adjunct faculty
member at Brigham Young University in the School of Family Life where she teaches hundreds
of students each semester in Marriage Preparation, Marriage Enhancement and Healthy
Sexuality in Marriage courses. Tammy owns a private counseling practice where she largely
works with couples. She has free resources available on her website
(http://www.tammyhill.com) where she also offers numerous Making Love Retreats,
Honeymoon Workshops and Dating Bootcamps each year. Published in 2021, Tammy’s first
book, “God Made Girls and Boys” is a beautiful children’s book addressing agency, gender,
accountability, and hope in our Heavenly Parent’s eternal plan. Her second book, “Replenish:
Creating Sexual Fulfillment in Marriage”, was published earlier this year. Most importantly
Tammy is forever grateful to be a wife, mother and grandmother.

Insights:

Tammy: Humans are created with a capacity to have amazing sexual pleasure. Push yourself to
learn how to replenish each other.

Dave: Make time to intentionally have sex with your partner.

Liz: Monogamous does not have to mean monotonous.

Invites:

• Instead of waiting for your partner to change, recognize the part you play in
  conflict and seek to change it without any guarantee that your partner will do the
  same. You may find that your partner’s response to your change is exactly what you
  hoped.
• Examine whether there is contempt in your relationship. If you “horibilize” your
  partner by objectifying them and only seeing their faults and their weaknesses, you
  might be guilty of contempt.
• As yourself, “ If I were to give my whole heart to my partner, what would it occur
  to me to do?”. Be still and then heed that inner call to connect

Tammy Hill Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tammy_hill_lmft/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/replenishyourmarriage

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5wSW6CZ431e8nJFCVMUyeZ

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas. Today, Liz, Dave, and Rex share family traditions, memories of celebrations past, and relationship insights.

December is a time of celebration for many that include cultural traditions. The holidays can be many things for many people: great joy, chaos, solemn reflection or new beginnings. Join us as we discuss Christmas memories, traditions, and share some tips to help you navigate your relationship during the holidays. 

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Rex joins Dave and Liz today to discuss tips for managing In-laws and family gatherings.

Relationships with extended family can be tricky or sometimes difficult and anxiety inducing. Dr. John Gottman says, "Every marriage is a cross-cultural experience." Whether we come from similar cultures or not, together we create a brand new culture within our new families. 

The holidays bring opportunities to spend time with our extended family. Though these gatherings can bring many emotions to the service, here are four tips to help settle in and make the best of the time for you and them.

1. Speak Kindly: Speak kindly to your partner about their family and friends. Share concerns or issues with a compassion mindfulness and heart.
2. Get Curious: When you bring an open curiosity to your family gatherings, you can learn things about your extended family, your spouse, and yourself. Being curious also creates the opportunity for bids for connection and leads to relationship building. People love to share stories, likes, and things about themselves. So take a moment to get curious about your extended family and treasure the experience.
3. Lean In: Leaning in creates situations where everyone can be included and participate in a comfortable way. It's a good idea to prepare at least one activity, topic, or item to bring to the gathering that will get everyone wanting to contribute or participate. This could be a simple game, social activity, food or recipe or possibly even a toy of some sort. When the moment arrives, rise to the occasion and lean in.
4. Plan Your Exit: Sometimes we can only contain so much joy at family gathering before problems may arise. Have an exit plan or strategy in place so that you and your spouse can discretely signal each other that you have reached your quota or are ready to go. This can be a fun and relationship building exercise for you and your spouse. Rex shares a strategy and code for "I am ready to go" that he and his wife have developed over their marriage.
5. Avoid Contentious Conversation Topics: It's usually best to avoid discussing religion and politics at social gatherings. And if you have a family member that enjoys sharing advice, listen with a curious mind, but be ready to respond politely. Some examples might be, "That is interesting, I will have to think about that." or "That's a good idea, but we're going to do it this way." or "Thanks, but this seems to be working for us right now."
6. Beware of Criticism: We may be able to tease our own family, but when someone else mentions a criticism it can be triggering. So be respectful and compassionate, and it is probably best to keep critiques to ourselves.

Keys To A Stronger Marriage Connection:

Rex - "Never complain, criticize, or mention problems between you and your spouse to family or friends. Keep it between you and your spouse or seek professional counsel"

Take-aways:

Liz - "Allow your spouse to have and handle their relationships with others. Don't force them to forgive or just move on. Let them work on the relationships or issues at their pace and in their way."

Rex - "Get curious. Get curious with people and learn about them. People love to talk about themselves or share things they are interested in. And, have an exit plan so you and your spouse can respect each others comfort zones and so they feel safe."

Dave - "Practice Compassion and Understanding. Give people the benefit of the doubt and be able to slow down and don't get caught up in the thick of thin things. People are more important than problems."

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Stacy Goulding joins Dr. Dave Schramm to discuss how she is able to help educate youth about reproductive health. She also shares some tips for couples to have positive intimate relationships.

About Stacy Goulding:

Stacy is a licensed health educator that has spent the last decade teaching at-risk youth about
reproductive health. She's passionate about preparing couples for a positive intimate
relationship in their marriage. She believes everyone deserves comprehensive research based
information about how the body works. Thus her true intimacy class was created. She's
currently developing a class for parents to teach kids of all ages about healthy sexuality. She also was a wellness coach specializing in women and postpartum wellness. In addition to teaching Stacy loves cycling, dancing, kayaking, pickleball and classic rock. She resides in Utah with her husband and two sons.

Insights:

“And it's really simple. And you can also approach it from, ‘where do babies come from,’ and
you start small and grow with your kids' development.” -Stacy Goulding

“I think overall being authentic is really important. It's okay to tell your kid I've never given a sex talk before where I wasn't given the sex talk before or I'm feeling nervous, because this is my first time or I don't want to say it wrong. But you can say those things. And just say, but this is so important, I think it is worth going through the awkward or the uncomfortable to discuss this.” -Stacy Goulding

"It's not like "Don't do it, it's bad!". It's like "No, sex is amazing when there are proper boundaries and values in place." Especially with teens right now, they want to know "why?". There are not just listening to Mom & Dad said so, they don't care. So giving them the "why?" really matters. "Hey I want you to have this in the future. Let's get there through this healthier and safer path." -Stacy Goulding

Invites:

• Look at the courses that Stacy has to offer on her website.
• If you have children, start today by talking positively about their bodies and the ways
  that you show affection with your partner.
• Learn about consent and how you can implement asking for consent in your relationship
  or marriage.

Stacy's Links:

https://stacylyncoaching.com/

instagram: @stacylyn_coaching

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Laura Parry joins Dr. Dave Schramm to discuss tips that help couples to transition to
parenthood. Laura shares her insight and experience on how partners can support each other
during this stressful time.

About Laura Parry

Laura holds a Master's of Social Work from the University of Utah, and in 2019 became certified in perinatal mental health. In addition to helping clients through the perinatal period, she enjoys working with those experiencing faith transitions. She earned a clinical yoga certification in 2021 and loves using the healing power of yoga, nature and therapy for clients and for herself. She lives in Lehi with her husband, three kids, two cats, and one dog and loves reading, hiking and playing the piano.

Insights

• “I would want people to know that your relationship can not just survive, but you can thrive even if there's been a change and relationship and faith in religion.” - Laura Parry
• “I also want women to know that this is a vulnerable time for them, it can be a hard time,
  obviously, it comes with a lot of excitement and joy to hopefully, but that they're allowed to feel the whole range of emotions that come with a transition as big as having a baby.” -Laura Parry

Invites

• Check out the resources at rootsbranceswellness.com
• If you’re preparing to have a baby, sit down with your partner to talk about the SHRIMP
  acronym and talk about your expectations for when the baby arrives.
• Learn more about understanding faith transitions by talking with someone who has gone or is going through one.

Laura's Links

https://www.rootsbrancheswellness.com

Instagram: @_lauraparry

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Kevin and Racy Parr joining Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to talk about their
experience in a blended family and 28 years of marriage.

About Kevin & Tracey Parr
Kevin and Tracy Parr have been married for 28 years and run a business together in St. George,
UT. They have 3 kids together with two that struggle with mental health illnesses. They have
years of experience working through differences and the difficulties of re-marriage. Kevin and
Tracy have been nicknamed “velcro” because of the way they enjoy doing everything together.

Insights

• “Every now and then we just had to figure that it was okay to completely, totally disagree about something, and table it for a while.” - Kevin Parr 25:57-26:22
• “I feel that you need to stay connected with your spouse and in all the things that you do.” - Tracy Parr 31:43-32:02
• “One of the authors we had on recently, Ted Lowe would say this favorite phrase, which I really coined is "I would feel the same way if I were you." Which is probably true, right?” - Dr. Liz Hale 38:33-38:55

Invites

• Find a new resource; a book, podcast or instagram page that will help you to learn more about what you and your spouse are wanting to work on.
• In parenting, remember to not take your child’s feeling of sadness or anger as personal attacks against you.

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Ryan Law joins Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to discuss managing money within
strong marriages. He talks about the importance of assuming the best and the 5 Money Habits
to financial success.

About Ryan Law:
Ryan Law is the Director of the Utah Valley University (UVU) Money Success Center. He is an
award-winning educator who teaches the Financial Counseling courses as part of the Personal
Financial Planning program at UVU. Ryan is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional (CFP®)
and an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®). Ryan is the author of the books, “Student Loan
Planning,” “Make Positive Changes” and co-editor of the book “Financial Counseling.” Ryan and his wife, Traci, have been married for 24 years and they live in Utah county with their 5 children.

Insights:

• “I would encourage couples to do two things. First, to not assume bad intent on your spouse's part. And second, to wait until you have all of the facts.” - Ryan Law
• “Those who give and find a way to give in a way that they both agree to are healthier, happier, and even richer.” -Dr. Liz Hale
• “Nobody wins really, as soon as it erupts and it becomes emotional when you get defensive and name calling everything you had just doesn't just does not go well” -Dr. Dave Schramm

Invites:

• Think of an experience when you had wrong assumptions about the way that they spent
  money and think about what you could do differently next time to assume the best.
• Join Ryan Law’s email list to learn about more tips that will help you to master the money side of your marriage

Ryan’s Links:

https://money-marriage.com/

https://powerpay.org

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Kris and Adrian Maiava join Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to talk about their
experience in meeting with Dr. Liz Hale. They talk about their experience in coming together
through therapy and overcoming addiction.

About Kris and Adrian Maiava:
Kris and Adrian met in Utah although they grew up in Hawaii and Australia. They share an
incredible story of working through struggles and addictions, separations and learning to love
and trust again. After three years in an intensive treatment program, Kris learned things about
himself and his marriage that changed his life. And Adrian learned patience and experienced
tremendous growth as she hung on to hope and learned to forgive. Together they have grown
stronger than ever and enjoy parenting their 5 year old daughter Lola.

Insights:

• “I guess some questions to ask yourselves as to you know, do you still want to be partners with them, with your significant other? Do you still want to do this with them? If so, if yes. And if they want to as well, then I think it's worth it.” - Kris Maiava
• “Better choices lead to better chances.” -Dave Schramm
• “But there was a point in your life where you decided, this is the person that I want to do life
  with. So that should be the person that you offer the most grace to.” -Adrian Maiava

Invites:

• If you are struggling with addiction, seek outside help.
  
  
• Have a 10 minute discussion with your partner about something that is challenging your
  relationship and find a way to overcome it together

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Dr. Kim Allen joins Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to talk about Family Life Coaching.
She talks about what it is, what it isn't, and even a few examples and stories of clients she's
worked with.

About Kim Allen:

Dr. Kimberly Allen is Interim Associate Dean and Director of Academic Programs and Professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University, as well as CO creator of the family life coaching Association, and co-owner of Sweet Gestalt LLC. Dr. Ellen has over 20 years experience working with youth and their families. Her research interests include family life coaching, student success, parenting and relationship Education. Dr. Ellen is author of the book “Theory, Research and Practical Guidelines for Family Life Coaching.”

Insights:

“So really at its core family life coaching is taking what we know in Family Science about what's good in couple relationships, what's good and family relationships and partnering that with the process from coaching psychology.” - Dr. Kimberly Allen

“You said the words listening for instead of listening to. You listen for feelings, you're listening
for strengths, and just trying to see things from their perspective” - Dr. Dave Schramm

Invites:

• Learn more about Family Life Coaching on the FLC Association’s website.
• Consider reaching out to a Family Life Coach to help you to improve your interpersonal
  relationships.

Kim Allen’s Links:

Organization Website: flcassociation.org
Personal Website: drkimallen.com

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Beth Goss joins Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to talk about tips for bringing a
baby home. She discusses the principles taught in Gottman’s “Bringing Baby Home” program.

About Beth Goss

Beth Goss is a certified Gottman, educator and a training specialist for the bringing baby home program. She is also a full time faculty member at North Seattle College, where she teaches aparent education and child development classes to families raising children from birth to five years. Additionally, she was previously employed by Swedish Medical Center to teach childbirth, postpartum and sibling classes. She has authored several articles and has been interviewed for several podcasts discussing the transition to parenthood. Beth is originally from Queens, New York, but has called Seattle home for 31 years. She lives there with her husband and loves it when her adult kids visit

Insights:

• “The key for us was what we call the three T's watching our temper, tongue, and tone.” - Dave Schramm
•  “That's not why you got married, you know, you got married because you love each other and your best friends and you have fun together.” - Beth Goss
• “I think a big piece of advice is don't wait to be asked. Don't wait for your partner to say, could you do X?” - Beth Goss

Invites:

• Download the Gottman App to find the questions relating to the “Bringing Baby Home”
  program.
• Enroll in the “Bringing Baby Home” training based on researched tips on how to prepare for starting a family.
• Learn about tips that will help you to connect with your partner more on Gottman’s “SmallThings Often” podcast.

Beth Goss’s Links:

Gottman Website: https://www.gottman.com/
Personal Website: https://www.bethgoss.com/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org
podcast.strongermarriage.org
Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Mike and Heidi Condie join Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to talk about their experience from almost separating to having a strong healthy marriage. Mike and Heidi vouch that if they can get through the challenges that they have worked through, then anyone can.

About Michael and Heidi Condie: Mike and Heidi are a couple from Liz's private practice who were on the brink of divorce. They were suffocating from stress and challenges related to their remarriage and stepfamily and were spiraling downward in negative communication patterns. Together with Liz's guidance, they put in the work starting with themselves and then continued to fight for their marriage instead of against each other. Their journey has been truly inspiring.

Insights: “You know me and you still love me? I don't think it gets any better than that” - Dr. Liz Hale “And she said, but what I can tell you is, whatever skills or things you don't learn how to resolve in this marriage. I promise you, you will have the same issues in the next relationship.” -Heidi Condie “And I think even before the work is humility, being open and recognizing that I need to work.” -Dr. Dave Schramm “And it was the love for each other that we had for each other, that was the most important.” -Mike Condie

Invites: - Rate the strength of your relationship this week on a scale of 1 to 10, then ask your partner what you can do to show up a little bit better for them. - Create a gratitude book where you and your partner can randomly list things that you are grateful for about your partner. Place the book in a central location in your home.

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org

Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

Today Ted Lowe joins Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to discuss how to change your
marriage mindset in order to change your relationship. Ted believes that you can change your
marriage by first changing your thoughts.

About Ted Law:
Ted Lowe Ted Lowe is on staff with Family First, where he serves as a speaker, writer, resource
creator, and podcast host. He is also the founder of For Us Marriage.com. He is the author of
several incredible books, including his most recent release, Us in Mind: How Changing Your
Thoughts Can Change Your Marriage. Ted lives with his wife, Nancie, and their 4 children in
Cumming, GA.

Insights:
“Don’t let anybody celebrate your spouse more than you.” - Ted Lowe
"If we think something, then we're going to look for ways to confirm it." -Dr. Dave Schramm
“What I think about myself radically determines how my spouse experiences me at any given
moment.” -Dr. Liz Hale

Invites:
   -   Learn more about a growth mindset and have a 10 minute discussion with your partner about how it could help you in your marriage.
   -   Think of one hobby that your partner gets excited about and then come up with something you could do to get excited with them

Ted Lowe’s Links:

Forusmarriage.com
Facebook: For Us Marriage
Instagram: @forusmarriage
Book: https://a.co/d/iMqdiZj

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

StrongerMarriage.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strongermarriage

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strongermarriagelife/

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU 

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

httpe://www.drlizhale.com

Ryan Law joins Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale to discuss how partners can have a
healthy money relationship. Ryan talks about the importance of regular financial planning
meetings and understanding your partner’s attitudes, beliefs and experiences with money.

About Ryan Law:
Ryan Law is the Director of the Utah Valley University (UVU) Money Success Center. He is an
award-winning educator who teaches the Financial Counseling courses as part of the Personal
Financial Planning program at UVU. Ryan is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional (CFP®)
and an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®). Ryan is the author of the books, “Student Loan
Planning,” “Make Positive Changes” and co-editor of the book “Financial Counseling.” Ryan and his wife, Traci, have been married for 24 years and they live in Utah county with their 5 children.

Insights:

 - “People will do things for reasons that make sense to them.” - Dave Schramm
 - "Today is the right day to start having financial conversations." -Ryan Law
 - "And it doesn't mean that one is right and one is wrong" - Liz Hale

Invites:

 - Sign up for Ryan Law’s email list.
 - Schedule a monthly financial planning meeting with your partner to discuss what you
spent last month and make some guidelines for the next month!
 - Make a separate savings account for a specific fun financial goal! Ex. Disneyland trip,
backyard upgrade etc.

Ryan’s Links:

https://money-marriage.com/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

https://strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org

Instagram: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/

On today’s episode, the well known author, Kyle Benson joins Dr. Dave and Dr. Liz to
discuss the simple principles that make marriage last. Kyle discusses the profound effectiveness of Emotion Focused Therapy in the stabilization of relationships. In addition, he recognizes the benefits of using the research by John and Julie Gottman to maintain a healthy relationship.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Kyle Benson?
3:00 - Combination of Gottman Method and Emotional Based Therapy
8:36 – What is the longing for attachment?
10:15 –Am I enough? Am I worthy of love and care?
12:50 – Attachment Strategies/Styles
16:03 – Emotion Focused Therapy
20:15 – Conflict is fire
22:43 – One sided partner effort
26:10 – What is the key to a stronger marriage connection?
27:25 – Kyle’s resources
28:40 – Takeaways

About Kyle Benson:

Kyle studies how partners in healthy relationships intentionally –talk to each other, have passionate sex, stay emotionally connected, and more – to uncover the tools and perspectives that make love last. His work has been featured in dozens of major media channels including The Gottman Institute, Business Insider, U.S. News, The Chicago Tribune, Huffington Post, and more.

Insights:

Liz: The healthy “We” starts with a healthy “Me.”
Kyle: Underneath every criticism is a longing for attachment.
Dave: It is not necessarily a poor partner but a poor pattern.

Invites:

   -    Join Kyle Benson’s email list to get free and easily acceptable tips to make marriage last.
   -    Take 10 minutes to write down how you are going to change the unwanted patterns in your relationship.

Kyles’s Links:

https://www.kylebenson.net/

FB @Kyle Benson: https://www.facebook.com/kylebenson.net

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

On today's episode, the Netflix hit Aleeza Ben Shalom, from “Jewish Matchmaking”
joins Dr. Dave and Dr. Liz to discuss the magic of matchmaking. Discover what matchmaking is, if it is for you, and how you can build a better marriage based on lessons Aleeza uses during matchmaking. We hope you enjoy!

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Aleeza Ben Shalom?
7:12 – Tools for matchmaking with your soul mate.
9:03 – What makes the best match?: Soul mate potential baseline.
13:50 – Is there something better out there?
16:00 – Stories of making the match.
18:14 – Handling challenges with your partner.
19:05 – Aleeza’s marital success stories.
21:57 – Benefits of hiring a matchmaker.
23:45 – "Mystery in your history”
24:50 – Where can I learn about matchmaking?
27: 15 – What is the key to a stronger marriage connection?
29:00 – Aleeza’s resources
29: 30 – Takeaways

About Aleeza Ben Shalom:

Aleeza Ben Shalom is a renowned matchmaker, dating coach, author, sought-after speaker, and soulmate clarity expert who empowers marriage-minded singles to find and identify the one. She guides them from uncertainty and overwhelm to the clarity needed for confident decision-making regarding their potential life partners. Aleeza is the featured Matchmaker on Season 1 of the new Netflix series Jewish Matchmaking. Aleeza authored two insightful books, Get real, Get Married-a guide to get over your hurdles and under the chuppah, and Virtual Dating, your guide to relationships in a socially distanced world. As the founder of Marriage Minded Mentor, a company who focuses on helping singles get married, she connects singles globally with skilled matchmakers and dating coaches.

Aleeza’s impressive track record has earned her the title of “Jewish Dating Guru,” as she has successfully led over 200 singles through the steps to engagement, regardless of age, affiliation, or life stage.

For over 15 years, Aleeza has worked with men and women worldwide to break unhealthy patterns and foster relationships that lead to marriage. During this time, she has trained more than 350 dating coaches and matchmakers worldwide.
She now lives in Israel with her husband, five children and a lovable dog!

Insights:

Dave: There are many factors that make us a good match with the people around us.

Liz: Have hope that there IS a person out there for you!

Aleeza: World peace begins at home. Do your best to love yourself and build a family.

Invites:

• Listen to the matchmaker, matchmaker podcast and find a topic that you love, have a discussion with your partner.
• Write down what your values, beliefs, attractions, bothers and fears are. Reflect on how these could affect your future dating and marriage experiences.

Aleeza’s Links:

IG @Aleezabenshalom
Fb /aleezabenshalom
Linkedin/aleezabenshalom
Twitter/aleezabenshalom
Tiktok/aleezabenshalom

The Matchmaker Matchmaker Podcast

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Dr. Lee Baucom joins us, and we have a great discussion about
intentionality and actively creating a stronger marriage connection both physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Join Dr. Dave and Dr. Liz in this journey on strengthening marriage connection, relationships, and personal values.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Lee Baucom
2:30 – Number one concern for new couples
5:12 – Shifts you need to make in the first year of marriage
9:08 – Pause button marriage
12:52 – Difference in how you communicate vs communication skills
14:25 – The arc of disconnection
16:14 – Three levels of connection
18:58 – Intentionality is important
22:14 – What can you do to reconnect?
25:51 – Difference between marriage fail point and individual fail point
28:30 – Husbands bootcamp
31:36 – There is intentionality behind everything
35:28 – Key component to a stronger marriage connection
38:06 – Resources
39:07 – Takeaways

About Lee Baucom:

Dr. Lee Baucom is internationally known for his methods and approaches to saving marriages. For three decades, Lee has been helping people around the world save, restore, and create the marriage they deserve and desire. He's the author of the book, “How to save your marriage in three simple steps”, in addition to six other books, and he's the creator of the highly effective internet Marriage program. Save the marriage. Lee is also the host of two popular podcast Thrive nation and save the marriage.

Insights:

Dave: Lack of attention leads to loss of connection. Physical, emotional, and spiritual
connection all have an impact on your partner, what will you do to strengthen those areas?

Liz: The key of the “We” and having each other’s backs, we all want someone to get us and know us. You are in this together.

Lee: Remember the pause button, did you hit pause and what is it going to take to un-pause it. Get more intentional about connecting from a physical, spiritual, and emotional level. Take action.

Invites:

   -    Shift from “you and me” to “we”. Remember that you are a team, and it is important to acknowledge those struggles as a team.
   -    Mature relationships are not without the feelings of romance and passion but include communications and connection
   -    Husband bootcamp is a video bootcamp structured over 30 days to get into shape and address the wounds that men carry around with them that can get in the way of
relationships

Lee Baucom links:

https://savethemarriage.com/
https://savethemarriage.com/podcast
https://savethemarriage.com/books

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection dives into Amanda
Christensen’s personal money mission to help couples learn how to manage their finances and build their connection.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Amanda Christensen?
2:28 – Why is money such a hard topic to discuss in marriage?
5:03 – Dave’s experience: managing a tight budget as college students.
6:02 – Liz’s experience: managing money when you are developing financial independence prior to marriage.
7:05 – Money autonomy and money wins.
10:00 – Learn your money personality.
11:26 – What does the research say about how couples manage finances?
One spouse handling main finances, trust, communication, chose what kind of account
management works for you, discovering how to communicate about money without
argument, little or no debt and living within your means.
22:40 – Personal finance is personal!
23:50 – Amanda’s money management tip #1: Have a money plan
25:18 – Amanda’s money management tip #2: Develop financial trust
26:16 – Amanda’s money management tip #3: Talk about large purchases
26:58 – Amanda’s money management tip #4: Talk about debt
28:14 – Amanda’s money management tip #5: What does it mean to live within your means?
30:45 – Amanda’s money management tip #6: Work together during challenge
34:35 – Understanding your own and your spouse’s money script
37:18 – Resources to find out more about Amanda’s work
38:36 – Takeaways

About Amanda Christensen:
Amanda H. Christensen is an Extension Professor and Accredited Financial Counselor
responsible for statewide personal finance education through USU Extension. She’s editor of the Utah Money Moms blog. She and her team are the recipients of two consecutive Best of State awards for efforts to improve financial wellness across the state. You can view their live webinar schedule or request a free class for your group at finance.usu.edu/efw. On a Sunday afternoon you’ll find Amanda sipping a Diet Coke with lime at the kitchen table over a 1000 piece puzzle listening to an audio book.

Insights:

Dave: Developing trust and communication around money builds connection and allows you to
be on the same page.

Liz: The key to a couple’s financial success is about doing what is best for them.

Amanda: Even couples in great marriages disagree about money, and that’s okay!

Invites:

   •    Take the online “money personality assessment” at www.powerpay.org and use the
code “FWFREETANF” for a free e-course and personality assessment. Discuss your
results with your partner.
   •    A money plan with your partner for the next month. See where you are living
within your means and may be living outside of your means.
   •    Discover what your money script is by asking yourself the questions Amanda outlines in the podcast. Now, discover what your spouse’s money script is.

Amanda Christensen Links:

PowerPay Money Master Online Course Link: www.powerpay.org
Code for listeners to register for free: “FWFREETANF”

Financial Management Practices of Couples in Great Marriages Research
article: https://www.proquest.com/openview/7e860331b30e51876bb6df092364c6b9/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=37909

Happiness and income research update: 

https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/does-more-money-correlate-greater-happiness-Penn-Princeton-research

The gender gap and retirement: https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/gender-gap-retirement

www.utahmoneymoms.com

@utahmoney moms

www.finance.usu.edu

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Today’s episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection, we dive deep into disagreements with our guest, Laura Silverstein, who is a certified Gottman couples therapist. Discover with Dave and Liz all kinds of tips to help couples manage differences in their marriage shared by Laura.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Laura Silverstein
1:47 – Conflict is not a bad thing in marriage
4:00 – The number one communication problem in couple relationships
6:21 – Two parts to establishing new habits
11:11 – Four horsemen – John Gottman
14:55 – What to do when both partners continue to be critical
18:27 – How to repair damages within a partnership
23:50 – Ownership, humility and kindness
27:05 – A little about Laura’s book workbook
29:07 – Key to a stronger marriage connection
31:35 – Takeaway’s

About Laura Silverstein:

Laura Silverstein is Certified Gottman Couples therapist as well as a recognized thought leader in the field of relationship wellness, sought out for her expert advice from media outlets such as, the New York Times and the today's show. In her book, Love is an action verb, Laura helps couples focus on their strengths instead of their problems and guides them with small step by step action plans.

Insights:

Dave: It takes humility, compassion, understanding and awareness when rebuilding something that has fallen. Take the time to slow things down and really look at things from a wider perspective

Liz: Take ownership, be humble and stay kind when working through a repair in couple relationships

Laura: It is important to have humility and stay humble when we enter loving relationships, no matter the challenges at hand

Invites:

   •    Take ownership, have humility and be kind. Those are key things to effectively repair a relationships

   •    When things start to escalate, it is good to ask for a break – take a time out and revisit later

   •    Two parts to learn – learning how to avoid conflict in the first place, if possible, and understanding how to get out of it once you are stuck

Laura Silverstein Links:

https://laurasilverstein.co

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection, learn about the 7 primal
questions that all humans are seeking to answer if their lives, careers and especially their relationships. Discover with Dave, Liz and Mike how to remedy these questions and understand their answers and how that works in your life.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Mike Foster?
2:02 – What is the primal question model?
5:17 – The 7 Primal Questions
9:09 – How does understanding these questions apply to marriage?
13:38 – Satellite questions
15:14 – How does the primal question model apply to parenting?
18:12 – Understanding the importance of seeking emotional intelligence
20:19 – Safeguarding the scramble
22:48 – How does answering the primal question affect communication?
27:26 – The 7 Primal Questions assessment
30:24 – What is the most common primal question?
31:45 – Key to a stronger marriage connection
32:37 – Where to find more resources
34:16 – Takeaways

About Mike Foster:

Known as the Mr. Rogers of personal development, Mike Foster is a best-selling author,
speaker, and executive coach empowering people to build strong lives and relationships.
His new book “The Seven Primal Questions” is a revolutionary new way to understand our emotional needs. Based on over four years of research and 6,000 hours of one-on-one interviews, the Primal Question model will transform your relationship with yourself and others. Mike’s work has been featured on Good Morning America, FOX News and the New York Times. He lives in San Diego with his wife Jennifer and their fluffy dog.

Insights:

Mike: Awareness needs to be moved into action.

Dave: Be aware of ACE’s and see how we can provide ourselves and other safety, connection and security.

Liz: Behavior adaptation makes a difference in how we act today.

Invites:

   •    Ask your spouse how you can answer their primal question with a “yes.”
   •    Sit down with yourself or your spouse and discover which of the 7 primal
questions you need to be answered. Share this with your partner and write it down
in a journal or safe space where you can review it often.
   •    Seek to understand what your child’s primal question is by talking with your
spouse and child about what they need from you as a parent.
   •    Take the assessment @ mikefoster.tv

Mike Foster Links:

https://www.mikefoster.tv

https://www.instagram.com/mikefoster2000/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode of the stronger marriage connection, Dr. Dave and Dr. Liz sit
down with life coach Julie Balkman and discuss the dating game when it comes to relationships and how to get out of the game and develop healthy happy relationships without the runaround.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Julie Balkman?
2:01 – Getting into coaching
5:47 – Thinking that gets us stuck
7:28 – Playing the dating game can be confusing
8:30 – Being in a “situationship”
9:28 – CCQ: Clear, Concise, Quick
14:04 – Largest obstacles for dating today
17:36 – Good tips on connecting in dating
18:33 – Two things to look for in a partner
21:22 – Some practical tips and tools
23:22 – Decision making success system
25:27 – Dating Interview Project
28:42 – Key to a stronger marriage connection
30:05 – Where to find more resources
31:50 – Takeaways

About Julie Balkman:

Julie Balkman was trained and mentored by 3 life coaching programs which resulted in
eight years and thousands of hours in coaching experience. She is an expert panelist
for the LDS dating app “Mutual” and is currently writing a book about LDS dating. She
was a former co-host of a three-year international young adult support group and is the
owner/operator of the 100 interviews project, a project involving 120 young adults
interviewed about dating. She is an artist and illustrator and loves to dance!

Insights:

Julie: Be responsible: being responsible is sexy, romantic, confident, peaceful, and loving. When you are responsible you create a better life for yourself and your significant other.

Dave: It is critical to have a willingness to learn. It is ok to accept different things and want tolearn and change, especially within a relationship.

Liz: I love the idea of CCQ, clear concise and quick

Invites:

   •    Invite me to share my Dating Map Presentation as a guest speaker. I love speaking and teaching to any size audience.
   •    I have 1:1 coaching packages, plus a VIP acceleration package, which I would love to tell about. VIP: 6 weeks, 6 days a week, 20 minutes each day.
   •    Start with love, learn how to be a receiver of love so you can be ready for a real
relationship.

Julie Balkman Links:

https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=julie+balkman&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

https://www.instagram.com/lifecoach.julie/?hl=en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-balkman-0898031a5/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection podcast, Dr. Ashley LeBaron-
Black tackles the hard conversation “How do I manage money in marriage.” Join us to learn how conversations about money can connect you and your partner rather than pull you apart.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Ashley Lebaron-Black?
1:48 – Is the issue really about money?
5:12 – Managing money habits: Family background
7:34 – Working together to manage money
8:45 – Family financial socialization
10:25 – Overcoming discomfort in talking about money
12:00 – Money management matters: Debt, materialism, financial deception, etc.
15: 35 – Joint bank accounts
18:08 – Financial therapy for marriage
19:30 – What makes a stronger marriage connection to Ashley
20:10 – Ashley’s tools and tips
24:50 – How do I bring up money while dating?
36:40 – Takeaways

About Dr. Ashley LeBaron-Black:

Dr. Ashley LeBaron-Black is an Assistant Professor of Family Life at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. She received her PhD in Family Studies and Human Development from the University of Arizona. Her research focus is family finance, including finances in couple relationships and financial socialization. Ashley has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Family and Economic Issues. She is Chair of the Family Financial Wellbeing focus group for the National Council on Family Relations (NCFR).

Insights:

Ashley: Don’t let your money control you and your marriage; you can control it

Dave: There is no right way to manage money in your marriage, but it is so important to
understand where your ideas of money management are coming from. Take some time to understand and communicate that with your partner.

Liz: Talk about money with your partner, be honest.

Invites:

   •    Sit down with your partner this week and develop a monthly budget together.
   •    Talk to your spouse about how you want to manage your money together going
forward. Should we do a monthly meeting, get a joint bank account, etc.?
   •    Read a blog post from Ashley’s website to understand a part of money management you and your partner may not understand.

Ashley Lebaron-Black's Links:

https://lebaron-black.byu.edu/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
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Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode of the stronger marriage connection, Dr. Dave and Dr. Liz sit
down with Dr. Bill Doherty, back from Season 1 due to popular demand, to share how we can all become marital first responders. A long time Marriage and Family Therapist, he is an expert on challenges couples face when navigating marital crisis.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Bill Doherty?
2:29 – Where the idea of marital first responders comes from
4:42 – First important step in being a first responder.
6:32 – Other Do’s and Don’ts
9:45 – We can be an influence
12:16 – Common complaints from marriages
15:26 – Perspective skill technique example
19:16 – Learning to protect boundaries
21:36 – Unforced error
24:12 – You can be a friend to someone and their marriage
30:33 – What to say without adding negativity
31:14 – Where to get more resources from Bill
32:55 – Takeaways

About Bill Doherty:

Bill Doherty is a Professor in the Department of Family Social Science at the University
of Minnesota. A long-time marriage and family therapist, he is an expert on challenges
couples face in the modern world, on navigating marital crisis and avoiding divorce, and
on using family rituals to enhance the quality of family life. His books for the public
include The Intentional Family and Take Back Your Marriage. In recent years Bill has
taken this couples work to the national level via cofounding Braver Angels, an initiative
working to decrease the political polarization that is dividing the country. Among his awards is the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Family Therapy
Academy.

Insights:

Bill: Marriage is existing of social relationships and when people open up, it is a precious gift they are giving. It is good to be mindful and intentional in how we respond.

Dave: We can have empathy without agreeing with others perspectives, you can still show compassion and lend a helping hand even if we don’t necessarily agree with what they may be saying.

Liz: LEAP: Listen, empathy, affirm and positive perspective

Invites:

   •    Check out maritalfirstresponders.org and participate in some of the workshops available to you.

   •    When giving advice to friends it is important to be a good friend to that person but also their marriage, listen with empathy but don’t rush to give advice. Don’t jump to take a friend’s side without considering the whole picture.

   •    Use life experience when giving out advice, you may not be an expert but we all have experiences to take and learn from when helping others.

Bill Doherty Links:

https://thedohertyapproach.com/about/

Bill Doherty Books

https://memberium.com/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam and Ember were on the verge of divorce for several years. They were a couple that Dr. Liz Hale worked with in her private practice, and they are willing to no longer be private but go public and share how they miraculously turned their marriage around from miserable to incredible.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who are Sam and Ember?
2:35 – What is something you wish you would have known before getting married?
4:51 – Contributors to the breakdown of a marriage
9:00 – Sam’s background
11:56 – How can two people experience one marriage differently?
15:45 – Addressing ‘me’ to fix ‘we’
20:00 – Ember’s ah-ha moments toward change
26:01 – Sam’s ah-ha moments toward change
31:00 – Communication strategies
36:43 – The role of forgiveness in healing
41:08 – Strategies to maintain connection
43:14 – Advice for couples on the brink
46:16 – Honesty is a key for a stronger marriage connection. Seek what’s best for the marriage.

Insights:

Sam: Get help. Some issues may be beyond what the two of you can do together. Be honest. You can decide what kind of spouse you want to be.

Ember: Deal with conflict before the weekend. Start your weekend with a clean slate.

Invites:

   -    Deal with conflict as soon as you can. If there is something bothering you, sit down and have a conversation about it with your partner when you both are in a clear headspace.

   -    Take some time today to evaluate yourself. Is there something you need to forgive yourself for?

    -    Give your partner a hug, a small peck on the cheek, or a squeeze of the hand today. Just a little physical affection can go a long way.

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever feel like your partner is more like a roommate than a spouse? This isn’t uncommon for couples to experience, and is actually a feature of marriage than a bug. Dr. Dave and Dr. Liz talk with Nate Bagley about “Roommate Syndrome” and discuss how being in this rut can act as a catalyst for growing up our marriage. As something that everyone in a relationship encounters, this podcast is a must-listen-to resource to create a stronger marriage connection!

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Nate Bagley?
1:42 – Fear of a mediocre marriage
3:59 – Interviewing the most successful and happy couples
6:15 – What is “roommate syndrome”?
10:20 – How to get the spark back in your marriage
12:30 – How to get out of the roommate rut
18:01 – Roommate syndrome is a feature, not a bug
19:57 – Happiness is a byproduct of growth
22:20 – The Eisenhower Matrix
27:10 – What do we need to do to have a great marriage?
30:10 – Maximize enjoyment for both people
32:48 – Nate Bagley resources
33:32 – Nate’s takeaway: you have more control over your marriage than you think
35:33 – Liz’s takeaway: remember maximum joint enjoyment
36:06 – Dave’s takeaway: the pillars of friendship – I like you, I know you, I trust you

About Nate Bagley:

Nate Bagley is a marriage researcher and educator whose mission is to rid the world of mediocre love. His passion is helping people DO the things that make their relationships extraordinary.

In 2012, Nate did a cross-country road trip where he interviewed the country’s most madly-in-love couples, and renowned relationship experts to discover the secrets of truly epic, lasting love.

Since then, he’s given a TEDx talk, and been published in Business Insider, Thrive Global, The Good Men Project, the Gottman Institute blog, and many other outlets. He always loves hearing from his readers and listeners, so please feel free to reach out to him at his website here.

Insights:

Nate: Happiness is a byproduct of growth and roommate syndrome is a byproduct, not a bug. Roommate syndrome gives you the opportunity to grow up.

Dave: Foster the 3 pillars of friendship: I like you, I know you, I trust you.

Liz: Remember to focus on maximum joint enjoyment.

Invites:

   -    If you feel like you and your partner have roommate syndrome, try doing something out of your comfort zone today (ask a personal question, address a topic that makes you anxious, etc.).
   -   It’s the little things that get you out of roommate syndrome. Try making your partner a meal they wouldn’t expect (like breakfast or lunch), or sending them a sweet text while they’re away (even if not for very long).
   -    Try to make your marriage enjoyable for everyone. Is there something you grew up doing that your partner doesn’t particularly enjoy? Talk about it with them. What could you do to make things more enjoyable for them?

Nate Bagley Links:

   -    https://growthmarriage.com/

   -    https://www.epicmarriageclub.com/awr/

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s episode, Dr. Dave and Dr. Liz talk with Dr. John Van Epp who brings to light some of the most important things we can do when selecting a life partner as well as how to strengthen those relationships over time. We learn some of the predictors of how long-term relationships will turn out as well as some principles to help navigate both red and green flags within our relationships.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is John Van Epp?
2:42 – Life-partner selection process
11:58 – Predictors of getting to “know” and getting to “no”
13:33 – Media love vs True love
16:10 – Let heart and head work together
20:00 – Discerning our partner is a process
26:16 – 5 ways to notice green flags and red flags
31:30 – With definition comes implementation
34:02 – Attraction alone is not enough
35:04 – Key areas to address stressors and struggles in dating
40:43 – Being equally yoked strengthens connection
42:32 – Have a game plan for managing your relationship
44:26 – John’s relationship resources
47:10 – John’s takeaway: heart and head are meant to work together
48:38 – Liz’s takeaway: Partner selection process is key
49:04 – Dave’s takeaway: Trust and commitment grow over time, RAM is a great resource

About John Van Epp:

John Van Epp, PhD, President and Founder of Love Thinks, LLC is the author of How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk (or Jerkette) - top choice for singles by Christianity Today; Becoming Better Together: the RAM plan for growing together when life is pulling you apart; and Endgame: The Church’s Strategic Move to Save Faith
and Family in America.

He has previous experience as
   -    a founding church pastor
   -    an adjunct seminary professor in marriage and family with extensive research in
premarital, marital, and family relations
   -    a clinical counselor for 25 years in his private counseling practice
   -    and for over 20 years, he has trained military personnel and contracted with the military as a subject matter expert (SME) in relationship health, psychology, religion, suicide, and resilience.

For the past 25 years, he has developed relationship programs that have been taught by over 35,000 certified instructors to over one million participants.

He was awarded the Smart Marriage and the NARME Impact Awards, and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Psychology Today, O Magazine; he has appeared on the CBS Early Show, Good Morning America, Fox News, and Focus on the Family.

Insights:

John: With definition comes implementation. Your heart and your head are meant to work together in making decisions.

Dave: Trust and commitment grow over time.

Liz: There is very little you can do to compensate after marriage for choosing poorly before marriage.

Invites:

   -    After your next date, self-reflect and ask yourself: “Was there something I could have said or done to make my partner feel more seen?”
   -    Take a dating class to better help discern what kind of person you are dating and if they are someone you want to be with long-term.
   -    When getting to know someone, ask about or observe one of these 5 subjects: family, conscience (belief system), compatibility potential (what kinds of things do you agree on?), track record (dating/relationship history), and/or their skill level of relationships.

John Van Epp Links:

   -    https://www.mylovethinks.com/
   -    Dr. Morgan Cutlip Instagram
   -    https://ramseries.com/
   -    Healthy Relationships Utah

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdaveschramm/

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our podcast today is with our guest speaker Dr. Robert Navarra. He talks about addiction and how there is hope in recovering. An interesting talking point he mentions is that recovery should be done as a partnership. He provides some helpful insights for partners in dealing with the disease of addiction that can sweep into a relationship.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Robert Navarra?
2:44 – Fear and misunderstanding of addiction
5:42 – What’s the difference between codependency and interdependency?
9:34 – What partners of addicted individuals should know
11:03 – Addiction impacts the relationship not just the individual just like a disease
14:31 – Most common addictions
15:49 – Safe levels of drinking
18:50 – Rituals in relationships create connection
21:52 – Resources to help with creating rituals
23:39 – Understanding addictions and affairs
27:53 – Couple recovery resources
32:16 – Advice for partners of addicted individuals
35:15 – Responding to your partner in a way that feels good to create a stronger marriage connection
37:35 – The smallest unit of intimacy
38:12 – Robert’s takeaway: addiction is treatable and it is preventable
39:32 – Liz’s takeaway: be aware of “secondhand harm”
37:00 – Dave’s takeaway: there is hope; we’re in this together, let’s do this together.

About Robert Navarra:

Dr. Navarra has been a Certified Gottman Therapist since 2007 and is a Master Trainer, Consultant, and Researcher with the Gottman Institute. He has trained therapists nationally and internationally and is a popular presenter at conferences, webinars, podcasts, and in the media. He has co-authored book chapters with Drs. John and Julie Gottman on Gottman Method Couples Therapy, as well as co-authoring with Dr. John Gottman three articles on Gottman Therapy for the Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy.

Dr. Navarra developed a relational model of addiction assessment and treatment and has been published in textbooks and in the Encyclopedia of Couple and Family Therapy on systemic approaches in addiction recovery. Dr. Navarra was also recorded presenting a workshop that he developed, Couples and Addiction
Recovery Training, for an online class offered by the Gottman Institute that requires therapists in the Gottman Certification track program to complete. The Gottmans also invited Dr. Navarra to present his model with them at the Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference. He is currently collaborating with the Gottmans on researching the effectiveness of a workshop for recovering couples that he designed called, Roadmap for the Journey: A Path for Couple Recovery. Additionally, he teaches addiction assessment and treatment in the Graduate Counseling Psychology Program at Santa Clara University in California

Insights:

Robert: If you want to reduce conflict in your marriage, then focus on the times when you’re not in conflict.

Dave: There is hope. We’re in this together, let’s do this together.

Liz: Be aware of “secondhand harm”.

Invites:

   -    To reduce conflict in your marriage, or in any relationship you may be struggling with, focus on the times when you aren’t in conflict. Focusing on the good reduces conflict.
   -    If there is problematic substance use in your relationship, go to a professional to figure out to what extent it is an issue and if there really is an addiction.
   -    The smallest unit of intimacy is responding to your partner in a way that feels good. When you respond to your partner, give them your attention to show them that you care for them.

Robert Navarra Links:
   -    Love Map Card decks
   -    https://Drrobertnavarra.com
   -    Free courses
   -    Workshops and Events
         o June 10-11 workshop
         o Oct 21 and 28 workshop

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU

Facebook Marriage Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579

Facebook Parenting Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642

Dr. Liz Hale:

http://www.drlizhale.com/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dave and Liz talk with Dr. Matt Townsend on the Stronger Marriage Connection podcast today about how we can foster our basic needs in our relationships. Dr. Matt shares seven principles that we can use to increase our marriage connections: Safety, Trust, Appreciation, Respect, Validation, Encouragement, and
Dedication. By adhering to each of these principles our needs as well as our partner’s needs can be met in healthy ways.

Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction: Who is Matt Townsend?
3:12 – What’s going on with marriages today?
4:50 – S.T.A.R.V.E.D: Safety
7:39 – T: Trust
9:02 – A: Appreciation
12:24 – R: Respect
14:20 – V: Validation
16:57 – E: Encouragement
20:33 – D: Dedication
23:00 – Matt’s keys for a stronger marriage connection
26:08 – Matt’s resources
27:40 – Matt’s takeaway: it’s not over ‘til it’s over and find the power in principles
29:49 – Liz’s takeaway: you have to be vulnerable to be known and loved
30:16 – Dave’s takeaway: To encourage is to truly see and understand another person

About Matt Townsend:

Over the last few decades Matt has dedicated his life to the study of communication and interpersonal relationships. Matt worked as a lead presenter for the industry leader, Franklin Covey, for many years. About 20 years ago he founded the Townsend Relationship Center where he has been able to share his expertise on relationships, communication, anxiety and conflict resolution with thousands of clients ranging from individuals, married couples and parents, to large corporations such as CNN, Cox Communications, and Lockheed Martin.

Dr. Matt earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Communication, a second master's degree in Human Development, and a doctoral degree (PhD) in Human Development. He is a weekly contributor to KSL TV’s show “Studio 5 with Brooke Walker”. Matt's book, Starved Stuff: The 7 Basic Needs of Healthy Relationships, is a popular pick among those searching for better relationship skills. He also has many online programs available on marriage, dealing with anxiety and parenting.

Matt is active in his church and community and enjoys swimming, playing tennis and spending time with his wife, Mardi of 32 years and his 6 children, 4 in-law children and 5 grandchildren.

Insights:

Matt: Count the given good.

Dave: Notice and be aware of the good your partner does.

Liz: Barbie dolls must be as important as the little girl is in order to really make her feel that we are encouraging her.

Invites:

   -    Encourage your partner’s dreams and aspirations.
   -    If simply feeding your marriage is still not “filling you up”, get help so you        don’t continue feeling starved.
   -    While you might not be able to find power in power, you can find power in principles. Find ways to foster the S.T.A.R.V.E.D. principles in your marriage.

Matt Townsend Links:

Starved Stuff: Feeding the 7 Basic Needs of Healthy Relationships

https://Matttownsend.com

10 day marriage makeover

Visit our site for FREE relationship resources and regular giveaways:

Strongermarriage.org

podcast.strongermarriage.org

Facebook: StrongerMarriage.org
Instagram: @strongermarriagelife
TikTok: @strongermarriagelife

Dr. Dave Schramm:

https://drdaveschramm.com

https://drdavespeaks.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU