Connect2

In a multicultural society like Singapore, the rise in inter-ethnic marriages is reshaping how families view love, tradition, and unity. But what really happens when two people from different cultural backgrounds fall in love? And how do they bridge those cultural differences in their relationship? In this heartfelt episode, we hear from Jason, who is Indian, and Mariko, who is Chinese—a young cou...

Becoming parents is a life-changing journey—one filled with both heartwarming joys and unexpected challenges. So how can couples prepare themselves to navigate this major transition?  In this episode, we hear from Jason and Mariko, a couple who share their honest reflections on what it takes to stay connected through the ups and downs of early parenthood. Jason believes in the intentional&nbs...

“Values and convictions are what will hold the marriage together and sustain the common mission that couple wants to pursue” – Zibin  How does a shared mission deepen your marriage? In this episode, our guests Zibin and Su-Lynn share how serving youths together for over 20 years has strengthened their bond, helped them overcome parenting challenges, and kept their marriage purposeful. Hear ho...

“Self-awareness helps you to notice when you're running on empty, allowing you to respond with patience rather than frustration. It also enables you to set healthy boundaries.” – Eliza Gan Tune in to this episode as Eliza continues the conversation with us on the topic of depression. Today, she dives deeper into the wellbeing of the caregiver of someone struggling with depression. She also shared...

"I'm here for you or you're not alone in this. You can talk to me when you're ready. This can be powerful to remove the person from a sense of isolation.” – Eliza Gan Supporting a spouse experiencing depression is challenging. Yet, there is hope. Tune in to this podcast to hear insights from a professional counsellor as she shares valuable insights on emotional attunement, validation, and practica...

"Having a community to journey with us also helps us to moderate our expectations of our spouse and our expectations of what a marriage should be, so that we do not become too idealistic or too unrealistic.” - Nam Seng   Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to build a strong and satisfying marriage. Tune in to this episode to hear Nam Seng and Sok Mian share the b...

"I realised that it's not always a 50-50 kind of arrangement with husband and wife in the home. Sometimes the wife may have the capacity to give more, maybe a 70, and then the husband can do 30 if he is in a particularly busy season." – Ailin   Raising kids can bring immense joy but also requires significant time and effort, often challenging a couple's connection.  The challenges of raising...

“Jana’s assurance of enduring love and unwavering faith in me is the strong support and pillar at that time of my life where circumstances were shifting beyond my control.” - Hong Leong   “I have always learnt that my marriage is not based on money, big houses, all the branded stuff. My understanding of marriage is having a good relationship with my husband and my children and having the fami...

“With friendship at the bottom that provides the most stable layer of any relationship and marriage itself.” - Andrea    Friendship is a great foundation for a marriage! Where two people are good friends it really helps them to bond over more than just the logistics, but the deeper things of shared interests, emotions, fun, and laughter. Tune in for this episode as we hear from a newly w...

“When he asks me question, he's not against me. It’s not an attacking question; it's a clarifying question...” - Rheyza Medel  Arguments are inevitable in marriage, but what if they could strengthen your relationship instead of tearing it down? In this episode, Edward and Rheyza share candidly about their 7-year journey of learning to ‘fight well.’ Tune in to discover how they’ve turned confl...

Marriage is a journey of sharing—not just your life but also your space, emotions, and dreams. 'I used to have my own personal space,' Steven reflects. 'But now we share it, and that’s been a challenge.'  In this episode, our guests, Steven and Charissa share how they learned to communicate their needs, struggles, and desires as a couple. From navigating life’s transitions to resolving misund...

“It’s learning to take emotional risk, and stay in touch with my emotions, before I slowly let him in… that is what it means to create a safe space for each other.” – Si Lin Every wide-eyed couple says “I do” at the altar with no intention of getting a divorce. But the statistics show that the highest rates of divorce are among those married between 5 to 10 years. How do you keep your promise to l...

“It may not have been the person's intention to hurt ... what can we do about this situation together, to remember that we are a team and we're not against each other.” Darren Lim   Dating isn’t always smooth sailing, but it’s full of opportunities to grow! Tune in to hear how Hosanna and Darren learned to fight fair, set boundaries, and lean on trusted mentors for counsel. Discover how...

“A marker that I'm ready for a relationship is when I'm not banking my whole self-worth on whether or not I am desired by someone else.” - Hosanna Nazar  How do you know you're ready for a relationship? It’s about building self-worth, setting clear goals, and having a strong foundation of friendship. In this episode, our guests Darren and Hosanna share honest stories about moving from friends...

"One thing Charlene allows me to be is she gives me space to say anything I need to say. Space to be and space to breathe" - Verrill Choo Hear from Verrill and Charlene, a pair of couples coaches, as they share that a sense of openness, a willingness to be vulnerable, and mutual trust are key to supporting each other in their journey as first-time parents. -- Building a strong foundation is essent...

"Mummies, you can actually help your husband become a better husband and better dad by segregating your wife’s request vs mother's request and by being extremely specific in your communication.” - Charlene Chew  Amidst first-time parenthood daze, what can you do to understand your wife’s needs better?   Learn practical tips and tricks from couple coaches, Verrill and Charlene, as th...

“[Couples] all have good intent, but the expression looks different… it’s helping them find common ground, [where they realise] they're actually not against each other.” – Madelin Tay  It is inevitable for differences to arise in marriage, so how do we go about navigating them? Joined by Madelin Tay, a counsellor from Focus on the Family Singapore, we discuss common sources of conflict, and h...

“The biggest element is the motivation, because if they are motivated to work on recovery, they will recover well and fast.” - Kiat Yong    The discovery of a spouse’s affair is never a pleasant one, but the road to reconciliation and healing is possible, says Kiat Yong, a seasoned counselor with Focus on the Family Singapore. Kiat Yong delves into the emotional turmoil that both the bet...

“I think even just recognising within ourselves at the points that we are totally triggered and need to take a pause from this conversation...” – Grace Chua   Navigating the ups and downs of marriage takes self-awareness, empathy, communication, and teamwork. It's no easy task, whether you're in your first year or have been married for years. Whether you're dating, thinking of marriage, or ma...

“Dating it's also a journey of self-discovery not just other-discovery … even if it doesn't work out, you come out with a better awareness of who you are as a person.” -Elvin Foong   Dating isn't just about finding the right partner—it's also a journey of self-awareness! The journey towards marriage is one which requires wisdom and perspective from older ones, courage to confront differences,...

“When you think of your household tasks as a way of loving your husband, loving your wife, investing into your shared home, it changes the perspective…” – Elyna Have you ever felt lost in navigating finances and division of chores in your first year of marriage? Can learning to work out these issues as a team be an opportunity for vulnerability and connection, perhaps even fun? Tune in to find out...

"If you value your marriage, you will need to often make sacrifices not to put your individual identity above the collective identity (of the family)." - Ernest Sim  What does it take for two individual lives to come together as one unit in the beautiful union of marriage? How do two differing persons with their unique personalities, preferences and style work synergistically together to crea...

“Why do we make the money we make? What's the vision around the money itself? … how can we make sure that we execute that vision?” – Ng Choon Jin  Our family backgrounds influence our views on money and its role in our lives. This inevitably affects how a married couple manages and uses money, often leading to conflicts. How can we develop a clear and healthy vision for our finances in marria...

“Money, while so fundamental, is nothing more than an enabler... never let the money decision lead your life - always let the life decision lead first, and then the money will be enabling you to do what you need to do”. - Choon Jin   Money can often become a major issue in marriage. Joining us for this episode is Choon Jin, an ex-accountant turned money coach. Tune in to find out about t...

Habits. How do we practise kindness and forgiveness towards our spouse daily?   “Your mind is like a garden. Your thoughts are like seeds. Choose kindness and forgiveness so you don't deal with weeds.”  Tune in to this episode, where our guests Mario and Shalyn share about being quick to listen and slow to react, as well as what to do when we over-react. -- Looking for helpful resou...