Down To Earth with the Burucharas

In this episode, Callie and David begin a 3-part series discussing therapy/counseling. The idea of therapy and counseling may have a unique meaning for you depending on your culture, religious background, and previous experience with therapy or counseling. As you consider what therapy means to you, you are welcome to the table as David and Callie share their own experiences in today's episode and...

In today's episode, Callie & David talk about the necessity of confrontation in friendships. Confrontation is often interpreted as being aggressive or negative, but in reality, confronting an issue is all about facing it in a truthful, mature, and respectful way in order to build a closer relationship. However, sometimes it's not our friends we need to confront first, but ourselves. Join the c...

In this episode, Callie and David have a nuanced conversation and share personal experiences about subtle yet common communication patterns that when perpetuated, lead to less connected and intimate friendships. As they address these patterns, they also suggest ways to safely confront our friends about them even though it might bring some discomfort.--------------------------------We're eager to h...

One of the keys to securing a fulfilling relationship is leaving the past where it belongs. But how do you know if the past is actually in the past? We might feel that our partner's past, romantic or otherwise, is something that threatens our current relationship and so we keep dwelling on it, often to our detriment. Join Callie and David as they dive into this topic exploring:The difference betwe...

In today's episode, we take a break from this season's themes of sex, friendships, and mental health, to talk about the common pressures of a first date that often keep us from going on dates in the first place. We often place so much unnecessary pressure on the initial interaction of a first date such as:expecting that the person has to perfectly meet all our criteria before accepting to meet the...

Modest is hottest, right? For many, modesty has taught us that our worth is on display and that our value is determined by the length, width, and looseness of our clothing. In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Camden Morgante, exploring the harmful basis and impacts of this belief and how true modesty is much more than how much skin you show. Join us as we discuss:the difference between therapy an...

Studies show that new friendships don't just happen. Believing that friendships happen by luck or circumstance versus believing making friends takes intentionality, evidently impacts your chances of making friends. In this episode, Callie and David explore 4 proven ways to make new friends, while reflecting on examples in their own lives. If you'd like to dive more into learning about friendship,...

In this episode, we're joined by Andrew Bauman, a licensed mental health counselor, author, and director of the Christian Counseling Center: For Sexual Health & Trauma (CCC) in North Carolina. Drawing on themes from his recent book "The Sexually Healthy Man", join us as we discuss:What it means to be sexually healthyUnderstanding sexual objectification and the pornographic style of relating (P...

In today's episode, we're joined by Juliette Sweeney, an author, marriage & sex blogger, and trainee therapist, as we explore the importance of figuring out what unrealized, unexpressed, and unrealistic expectations each of us may have about sex, especially as they relate to our individual experience. Like in previous episodes, we'll uncover some deep-rooted sex myths as well as explore a few...

How do you develop a friendship with your parents as an adult when the primary relationship dynamic in your life has been that of parent-to-child? What about a sibling or cousin that you just don't seem to share any common interests with? Join us in this episode as we zoom in on exploring the fundamentals of building friendships with the unique individuals that we never got to choose yet mean so m...

Is defining-the-relationship (DTR) only important in a romantic context? Or can it be advantageous for our friendships too? What if your friend is more accurately defined as an acquaintance or something entirely different? In today's episode, Callie and David explore this subject exploring the reasons why categorizing our relationships can prove critical for your wellbeing and others, as well as h...

In this first episode of the new year, we're joined by Chris Trondsen as he so vulnerably opens up to share his story of living with severe OCD for over a decade, recovering from it, and now helping others navigate their mental health as a therapist and advocate for OCD awareness and education. We learn how the quality of our mental health has a direct impact on the quality of our relationships an...

In this episode, we bring on marriage blogger and award-winning author, Sheila Wray Gregoire to draw back the curtain, revealing the problematic and toxic teachings about sex taught to us growing up and throughout life, especially in church. Based on her book, The Great Sex Rescue, she shares how a groundbreaking in-depth survey of 22,000 Christian women reveals that generations of women have grow...

For some of us, the holidays are an opportunity for quality time with close family and friends yet for many, the holidays and interactions thereof trigger mixed and often negative emotions; anxiety, anger, fear, sadness, grief, or loss. In this episode, Callie and David take time to acknowledge the difficulties of the holiday season and share 3 ways to help navigate difficult yet often necessary i...

Expressing love through sexual intimacy is a special way to be vulnerable and affectionate in a romantic relationship; however, it's not always the most intimate way to express love. If a relationship feels disconnected despite a healthy sex life, there are actually several other ways to experience intimacy. In today's episode, Mary Jo Rapini presents these other forms of intimacy, sharing from he...

We live in a globalized and connected world yet many of us struggle to reach outside of our own cultural bubbles and form real relationships that move beyond stereotypes and lead to understanding, healing, and solidarity across cultural lines. Even in shared multi-ethnic spaces like churches, schools, and workplaces where we may feel diverse, we must remember that multiethnicity does not equate to...

In today's episode, we're joined by the wise Kelly Needham as she reminds us that we're called to more than halfhearted friendships and lukewarm connections. Sharing principles and personal stories detailed in her book, Friend-ish, we take an honest and closer look at what the tenor of Scripture says about the gift of friendship and what this practically means for us. Join us as we explore:Healthy...

The psychologist, Dan Allender once wrote "if we don’t tell our stories, our stories will tell us. Our stories impact us either unconsciously or consciously. It’s up to us to decide whether we’ll be passive recipients or active agents in the shaping of our lives.” In this episode, we have none other than the king of chai & storytelling, @crossculturechristian, Kevin Wilson, to help us learn ho...

In this episode, David now interviews Callie about her journey with sex. She reflects on her range of sources for sex education — from Planned Parenthood to married friends — and the value she's gained from each. Callie also shares how she navigated her insecurities regarding David's sexual history, as well as dealing with the guilt and shame of crossing boundaries in their relationship (and how t...

In this episode, Callie interviews David about his journey with sex. Beginning from childhood, he shares up through their current relationship as a married couple. Reflecting on experiences, emotions, and beliefs, David's story shows how we can't ignore our sexual past, present, and future. Vulnerability, honesty, and especially compassion are all necessary for healing and growth — especially in t...

Food. It's something we all have in common, the world over must eat to live. Yet our food choices, habits, and preferences often tell a deeper and more complex story. In this episode, Dr. Margaret Nagib, a clinical psychologist specializing in treating eating disorders, takes us on a journey to understand how to assess our relationship with food and why it's crucial to do so for our well-being and...

Quality friendships are a necessity for our well being yet it is no secret that friendships can be one of the most difficult areas to navigate as adults. This episode marks the beginning of a journey to discover how we can build and maintain thriving adult friendships. Before learning what comprises healthy adult friendships, we thought it wise to first address common misconceptions we have about...

What do you do when it seems like everybody else is getting their breakthrough but you’re not? What is one important thing you're currently waiting on for life to get better? Join our conversation with Dr. Heather Thompson Day, author of "It's Not Your Turn", as she shares what we can do to shape ourselves while waiting, so we are ready when it's our turn. So much wisdom for every single situation...

Welcome to season 2 of the podcast! We missed you! In this episode, we introduce the exciting themes to look forward to this season and interview each other about our struggles, growth and supporting each other as a couple over the past year. We hope you'll be inspired to have similar conversations in your own relationships, romantic or not, as well as resonate with some of our reflections!-------...

On this final episode of this (50-episode) season, we share our proposal story. Every proposal story is unique and beautiful and we're honored to share some of the hurdles crossed and milestones attained that led us to engagement, including:Why we "delayed" our engagement plans because of familyA secret to the perfect proposalWhy David's proposal plans were shut downHow Callie almost busted the pr...