This Complex Life

Your partner gets defensive and suddenly the conversation you needed to have is completely buried. Now you’re defending yourself, they’re defending themselves, and whatever you actually needed to talk about is gone. This is one of the most common things I see in couples therapy, and in almost every case there’s more going on underneath the surface than it looks like from where you’re standing. Wha...

Grief is one of those feelings we don't talk about very well, even though every single one of us will live through it. In this solo episode I sit with grief in all its forms, from the loss we expect to the loss that knocks us sideways. I talk about what helped me, what I see in the therapy room, and the small practical things that actually make a difference when you're the one grieving or the one...

You still like each other. You get along well. There's no crisis, nothing obviously broken. You've just stopped feeling in love the way you used to, and you're not sure whether you can get it back. That's the Ask Marie question this episode answers, and it comes up more often than almost anything else I hear in my consulting room. What this episode covers Why what you're describing is extremely co...

You're spending time together. Dinners, dog walks, evenings on the couch. Nobody's fighting, nothing is obviously broken. Something feels completely off and you can't quite point to it. In this episode I walk through seven signs your partner might be emotionally checked out, even when everything looks fine from the outside. What this episode covers Sign 1: Questions that became routine rather than...

Feeling lonely in a relationship even a good one? This is one of the most common things I hear in therapy, and one of the hardest feelings to name. You're in a relationship with someone you love. Nothing dramatic is wrong, there's no big fight, no obvious reason and most of the time you feel lonely. That's the Ask Marie question this episode answers, and it's one of the most common things I hear a...

You've probably received the same relationship advice everyone gets. Never go to bed angry. Just communicate more. Send them the link. Some of it sounds reasonable and most of it gets misapplied in ways that create more problems than they solve. Monica Tanner is a Relational Life Therapy certified relationship coach, podcast host and author of the Amazon bestselling book Bad Marriage Advice, and s...

If you've ever agreed to something and immediately regretted it, apologised for something that wasn't your fault, or changed your opinion halfway through a conversation just to keep the peace, this episode is for you. The fawn response is one of the least understood nervous system patterns and one of the most invisible. It looks like being easygoing, warm and accommodating. From the outside it can...

Most couples have had the same money argument dozens of times without ever having the real conversation underneath it. Research shows that 58% of Australian couples report finances as a major source of conflict, and a study of over 5,500 couples found the pattern of the conversation predicted the outcome, not the financial situation. This episode covers: Why money fights are almost never about the...

Sex and disability. Two words most people still find uncomfortable in the same sentence. I sat down with sexologist Casey Payne to talk about what we get wrong, why pleasure belongs to everyone regardless of how their body works, and what it actually looks like to reclaim intimacy after disability, illness, or a body that's changed. Things Discussed Why disability and sexuality are both taboo and...

The ick in dating, it’s that moment where someone does something completely normal, and your whole body just shuts down. A 2025 study found that 64% of people have felt it, and about a quarter ended the relationship because of it. It is a real psychological phenomenon, and it might be telling you more about yourself than the person across the table. This episode covers: What the ick actually is an...

Have you ever had a reaction to your partner that felt huge? Like a ten out of ten response to something small? You are crying over coffee. They are confused. You are both thinking, what just happened? It makes sense that this feels confusing. Most couples are not fighting about the present moment. They are reacting from something older. In this episode, I explore how your wounded child shows up i...

If you keep having the same argument with your partner, it might not be about the topic at all. Often, it is not about the dishes, the plans for the weekend, or who forgot to call back. How you fight, well, that could be based on your attachment style. In this episode, I’ll explore how anxious and avoidant attachment styles show up during conflict and why they can create painful cycles that feel i...

So many couples say the same thing when they come to therapy. We probably should have talked about this earlier. Not because of one big issue, but because of all the small conversations that got pushed aside. In this episode, I’m sharing five relationship topics that come up again and again in my therapy sessions. Things like how to talk about personal goals, navigating money and shared responsibi...

Sharing good news with your partner should feel connecting. Yet for many people, moments of success can quickly turn into hurt or tension when the response feels flat, awkward, or dismissive. In this episode, I respond to a listener question about getting a promotion and feeling unsupported by their partner. I unpack three common reasons this happens and what is often going on underneath the surfa...

Why won’t my partner communicate with me It’s one of the most common questions I hear in the therapy room and it’s usually coming from someone who feels shut out, unheard or like they’re carrying the emotional load on their own. In this episode of This Complex Life , I’ll share what’s often really going on when communication feels blocked, when you keep fighting or arguing. Because most of the tim...

Do you want to feel closer to your partner, but feel unsure how to bring it up? Many couples care deeply about each other and still drift apart. Life gets busy. Conversations become practical. Emotional connection fades quietly. Not because people stop trying, but because the harder conversations get avoided. In this episode, I talk about why relationships drift even when there is love and good in...

Have you ever found yourself thinking my partner is not the same person I fell in love with. Maybe you still care deeply but something feels off. Conversations go in circles. You keep fighting about the same things Or you feel lonely even though you are still together. This is a pattern I see often in my work as a couples therapist. Most couples want the same things. Connection. Safety. Feeling va...

Anxiety can feel confusing and overwhelming, especially when your brain reacts faster than you can make sense of it. In this episode, I talk with Dr Jodi Richardson about the difference between everyday stress, overwhelming worry and anxiety that needs more support. We explore why anxiety shows up in the body, why discomfort often feels unsafe and how childhood patterns can affect the way we manag...

Breakups can be hard on all of us, they can shake our sense of self in ways we don't expect. For men, the emotional impact is not something that's often spoken about. They’re taught to suck it up and get on with it.  In this episode of This Complex Life, I sit down with  Michael Wilson, a Research Fellow focused on men’s mental health and suicide prevention to talk about why men often st...

People often imagine that parenthood clicks into place the moment a baby arrives. For many, the emotional changes, the exhaustion and the adjustment to a new sense of self are far more complex than expected. In this episode, I speak with Accredited Mental Health Social Worker Bronte Taylor about what it really feels like to lose and rebuild parts of yourself after becoming a parent. We talk about...

ADHD is often misunderstood, especially in therapy. In this episode of This Complex Life , I talk with ADHD coach Ron Souers about what happens when therapy meets the realities of living with ADHD. We explore what it means to understand ADHD beyond the label, how it impacts emotions, relationships, and self-worth, and why self-compassion and curiosity make all the difference. You’ll hear about: Th...

ADHD can bring creativity, energy, and passion, but it can also make everyday life feel chaotic or overwhelming. In this episode of This Complex Life , I talk with Ron Souers , ADHD coach and host of Don’t Mind Me, I Just Have ADHD . We explore how understanding your ADHD brain can turn struggle into strength, and how self-compassion plays a huge role in that process. You’ll hear about: Why ADHD i...

We all like to think of ourselves as grown-ups, but what does it really mean to grow yourself up? And how does that shape every relationship you have at home, at work, and with the people you love most? In this encore episode, I’m joined by Dr Jenny Brown, author of Growing Yourself Up: How to Bring Your Best to All of Life’s Relationships . We explore what maturity actually looks like in practice...

Does it ever feel like your teenager just doesn’t hear you? You remind them about chores, offer advice, try to connect  and all you get back is silence, an eye roll, or a quick “whatever.” In this encore episode, I unpack one of the biggest frustrations parents face: why teens seem to tune parents out and what’s really going on beneath the surface. You’ll hear about: Why advice often makes te...

As kids grow into teens, they start to need more independence, and for many parents, that shift can feel like rejection. When your child pulls away, stops talking, or wants less of you, it’s easy to take it personally. In this encore episode of This Complex Life , I unpack why this happens, what it means for your relationship, and how you can respond in ways that protect connection instead of wide...