Couples Counseling For Parents

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. What if your path to calm runs opposite to your partner’s—and both are valid? Are you a Self-soother or a Connection Seeker? Which path helps you feel regulated and calm? (Don't know...take this short quiz to find out https://couplescounselingforparents.mykajabi.com/forms/2149422422 ) We dive into a familiar cro...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. If you’ve wondered how to talk about violence, power, and dignity without overwhelming your home, this conversation offers tools rooted in our expertise in nervous system regulation, and everyday compassion. We open up about why we’re choosing to speak plainly about human dignity.  From there, we get practical. We sh...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Most couples don’t get stuck because they argue too much—they get stuck because repair never fully happens. In this episode, we start with a familiar story: a couple caught in the same end-of-day conflict that looks like it’s about dinner, help, or logistics. But beneath that moment is something far more important—tw...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Ever wonder why your relationship felt solid before kids but now seems frayed at the edges? We open the new year by telling the honest truth about postpartum disconnection: it’s common, it’s fixable, and it rarely comes down to a lack of love. Using the case example of Trey and Rashida—we describe how communication p...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. The holidays can fill a room with warmth, noise, and nostalgia—and still leave one partner quietly overwhelmed. We dig into the messy middle where alcohol meets family rituals, social anxiety, and the pressure to keep everything magical for kids. Through a candid case study of Heath and Bailey, we unpack why couples...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. December can be tender and overwhelming at the same time. Between school events, family expectations, travel, and the pressure to make it “special,” even strong couples can feel out of sync. We unpack four practical tools that help partners communicate clearly, share the load, and protect the moments that actually ma...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Holiday plans rarely fall apart over turkey—they crack at the fault lines of family rules, nervous system triggers, and the pressure to keep traditions intact while raising small kids. We take you inside a relatable case with Hunter and Manu, whose baby’s bedtime collides with Grandma’s set-in-stone dinner time, and...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Ever feel like you’re having the same fight on repeat—one of you craving more presence at home while the other longs to be seen for carrying the load at work? We dig beneath schedules and sarcasm to the two fears that quietly run many relationships: the fear of abandonment and the fear of rejection. Once those fears...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. We use our boys’ everyday squabbles as a mirror for adult dynamics: both sides telling true events, but interpreting the events completely different. From there, we lay out three lessons that change the tone of a relationship. First, love isn’t a contract (quid pro quo); connection can’t be leveraged without corrodin...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. When stress shows up in a relationship, it rarely says its name. We dive into the real culprit—nervous system activation—and show how it secretly drives the shutdown–pursuit loop that so many parents know too well. Through the story of Leah and Justine, two working parents navigating new routines and old expectations...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. “We never fight” sounds peaceful, but is it actually connection—or quiet disconnection in disguise? We open up about a small argument over wedding dishes that revealed a much bigger truth: real intimacy requires honest engagement, not appeasing or winning. When one of us began to withdraw and the other escalated, the...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Feeling disconnected from your partner despite regular date nights and check-ins? You're not alone. This raw, insightful episode dives into one of the most common relationship challenges parents face: that persistent feeling that something's missing in your connection. Through the relatable story of Joy and...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Have you ever caught yourself thinking that all your relationship problems are your partner's fault? What if your perspective is actually contributing to the conflict cycle? When we repeatedly focus on negative thoughts about our relationships, those patterns become our default way of seeing our partners. This i...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Shame might be the most misunderstood force in your relationship. Not the obvious kind—but the subtle variety that hijacks conversations without you even realizing it's there. In this revelatory episode, we uncover how shame operates as the hidden engine behind the most common relationship complaints: "My p...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. That moment when your partner's chewing suddenly sounds like nails on a chalkboard. When their touch makes you cringe instead of melt. When even their kindest gestures somehow feel... gross. Welcome to "the ick" – that mysterious feeling of sudden repulsion that can leave you questioning your entire re...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Feeling like you're carrying the weight of parenting while your partner merely "helps out" when asked? This tension over unbalanced parenting responsibilities ranks among the most relationship-threatening conflicts couples face—often leading to questions about whether you've chosen the right partn...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Ever find yourself locked in a heated argument with your partner over something that seems trivial—like whether your child can ride their bike in the street instead of on the sidewalk? These everyday parenting disagreements can quickly escalate, leaving you both frustrated and disconnected, despite agreeing on your b...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. The back-to-school season brings a whirlwind of activity that can leave even the strongest relationships feeling disconnected. Soccer schedules, school supplies, and new routines create a perfect storm where couples find themselves working efficiently as logistics partners but missing each other as romantic partners....

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Remember when you first fell in love? That magical feeling of finding someone who didn't trigger your deepest wounds but seemed to heal them instead? Fast forward through careers, kids, and countless responsibilities, and suddenly those same wounds are wide open again – activated by the very person who once soot...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. In this milestone 100th episode of Couples Counseling for Parents, Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP reflect on the transformative relationship wisdom they've gathered over the years of working with couples facing the unique challenges of parenthood. The insights they share are both profound and prac...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Remember when you and your partner felt like soulmates, deeply connected and growing stronger together? Then parenthood arrived, and suddenly those old insecurities you thought were healed came rushing back with surprising force. You're not alone, and no—you didn't make a mistake choosing each other. Stephe...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Navigating the complexities of ADHD in relationships requires more than just understanding the condition—it demands a thoughtful approach to communication, empathy, and mutual support.  Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP tackle the tough questions head-on:  What do you do when your partner acknowledges the...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. The complexity of ADHD can transform a loving partnership into a battlefield of misunderstanding, shame, and resentment—especially when children enter the picture. After receiving an overwhelming response to a social media post about ADHD in relationships, we knew we needed to address this increasingly common challen...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. What happens when two loving parents disagree about how to respond to their child's behavior? This deeply personal episode dives into one of the most challenging conflicts couples face—differing parenting approaches. Through the story of Justin and Lori, we examine how bedtime struggles with their six-year-old s...

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text. Life as a parent can often feel like a flood of responsibilities, expectations, and emotional exhaustion. In this episode, Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP, address the cycle of invalidation that can arise between partners as they try to juggle tasks and manage parenting stress. Through the story of Raj...