LoveLife Podcast

Love comes in many forms and times in our lives but true, sustained and deep love is both rare and enduring.  How does one tell the difference, and how what are the lessons we can take from those couples that have experienced true love?  In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about both their own personal experience of true love and offer some insight on how to create an emotional climate that will...

Love can happen at any age, but some people believe there is a use by date for themselves.  Past that date, they feel they are no longer able to find or keep a mate. In this episode, Alvean and Doug dispel the many myths about age as a factor in relationships and offer so counsel on how to overcome the feelings of missed opportunity.

Most people have those nights where they lie awake remembering something in their past for which they have regret.  But regrets can sometimes be overwhelming and get in the way of couples moving forward. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about ways to find an appropriate perspective on the past and strategies to avoid allowing regrets from becoming stumbling blocks to happiness in the present.

When couples decide to merge families and children from one or both partners become part of a new family things can go smoothly or very badly depending on how parent's prepare for the changes ahead.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug offer their thoughts on the process and strategies for creating inclusion and acceptance.

Ideally as we age together in a relationship we grow closer and stronger.  But people do not always age equally, and how we look at another, our sense of attraction and our acceptance of those changes can sometimes add challenges.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about how those changes can affect couples and how they can learn to grow closer and even more bonded as they age.

Relationships can end for many reasons but one of the most difficult causes is when there is another person involved.  Sometimes that other person is a newborn or a child from another relationship. In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss the ways in which couples can cope with the array of feelings that may occur and how they can find resolution by redefining their definition of us.

Men (and women) can often be difficult to read.  They say or do one thing but mean something entirely different.  Learning to read the differences between what people say and what they feel takes some practice but there are ways to read the clues as subtle as they may be at times.  Alvean and Doug offer a guide book to the obvious and less clear signals we send , even when we think we are being di...

have you ever wondered if there are still any good men or women out there? It’s a pretty common question to ask, especially when one has been through less than ideal dating experiences.  The good news is that there are men and women with whom you might find an enduring relationship but you need to know how to spot them long before you decide to enter into anything long term.  Alvean and Doug...

It goes without saying that breaking up is hard, and sometimes we make it even harder on ourselves and our soon to be ex.  While no one can relieve you entirely of the pain of breaking up–regardless of who initiated the it, there are ways to move forward that can minimize the hurt and in time help both parties to move on whole and happy. Alvean and Doug discuss the ways in which one can proc...

The arrival of a child forever changes the dynamics of a relationship, usually for the better, but sometimes it can add strains to an already unstable relationship.  Alvean and Doug talk about how to overcome the challenges of new parenthood and accommodate the loving addition of a new life into an existing family. For a complete transcript, click here: LL50-And Baby Makes Three

In a perfect world a couple is loved and supported by their respective families but sometimes that turns out to be more of a challenge than not.  There is such a thing as toxic families, ones that pollute a relationship with negativity and place a strain on an otherwise loving couple–even to the point of dissolving their union.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug offer suggestions for the best...

We have all heard of May-December romances, suggesting an age related gap–sometimes of many years.  But is such a disparity doomed to failure, a fantasy in novels but a nightmare in real life?  Can two people overcome the hurdles life poses and those that family and friends may add or is there simply a limit on the differences that will work in a successful relationship? In this episode Alve...

Getting what you want does not mean you need to be in a contest, one that can have lasting and damaging consequences for your relationship. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about the ways in which you can arrive at an outcome that strengthens your relationship while achieving the agency that each of you desire.  For more and a full transcript, click here: LL47-Getting What You Want

In times of trouble we often turn to our friends and families to counsel us and offer their support.  But is this a healthy approach to take?  In this episode, Alvean and Doug caution their listeners to avoid the mistake of relying on friends or family members as therapists, and offer some insight into the ways that approach can have lasting and negative consequences.  For a full transcript, click...

Sometimes the person we fall in love with becomes the person we wish we could change.  Is it them or is it us?  The answer really does not matter. Enduring relationships are built on acceptance. In this episode Alvean and Doug discuss the ways couples can create the trust and find acceptance with one another.  For a full transcript, click here: LL45-I love you Just the Way You Are

At some point in our lives most of ask the question, what is my purpose in life?  It is a natural question to ask but it can also lead to friction or dissension in a relationship as one partner pulls away or into themselves without explanation.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about the reasons and the remedies for this existential crisis and how to navigate it without endangering the stable...

Sometimes relationships can grow stale–one or the other partner begins to take the other for granted or just doesn’t have the feelings they once did.  Arguments, lack of spontaneity, even just day to day life can wear a couple down and cause them to ask themselves, is that all there is to us? Alvean and Doug talk about the reasons we can fall into this way of thinking and how to combat...

Relationships can be hard at times and one of the hardest is when one of you falls ill.  Even when the illness is not too serious being a caregiver can be trying and when we don’t feel well it is hard to bring your best self to the relationship.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about their own real experiences dealing with the serious illness of a partner and child and how one can cope...

Our brains are hard wired with a fight or flight instinct.  When faced with an adverse situation our reflexes automatically engage and that can cause a great deal of tension in a relationship leading to argument or abandonment. Alvean and Doug talk about this and how one can recognize the reaction and short circuit the emotions so that calm and rational behavior can be maintained.  For a full tran...

Relationships are not a constant.  Things change over time and one of those changes comes with age.  But relationships do not have to grow old or stale with age, in fact they can become even better, with richer and deeper engagement. Alvean and Doug offer some insights on how to nurture the spark and claim the feelings that come with a mature relationship. For more and a full transcript, click her...

We all know what those first days of a new relationship feel like, the rush of hormones and emotions, the excitement and sometimes overwhelming feelings of love.  But what happens when the love isn’t there anymore or at least the intense feelings once felt have lessened?  In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss the natural progression we experience and temper those with suggestions how we c...

In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about a challenge that more and more people are experiencing, how to remain positive when the news and events in the world around you seem very negative. Psychologists and Social Workers report increasing anxiety in the present day, as latent fears and worries, economic and otherwise, are causing strains that can drastically affect people’s state of mind...

Struggles for power, manipulation and arguments are signs a couple has not learned the art of persuasion.  In this episode Alvean and Doug offer insight as to how to share information and feelings in a way that can help assure harmony and understanding for all concerned.  For a complete transcript, click here: LL37-The Art of Persuasion

At least half or more of the challenges couples create for themselves arise from a failure to listen.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about ways to ensure you are on receive and not just broadcast when you and your other half converse.  For a full transcript, click here: LL36-Listening-Tune in or Tune out

Children and pets can bring a wonderful bond that completes a relationship or they can become a source of disunion, it all depends on how a couple addresses it beforehand.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about how to ensure both parties are on the same page about key issues assuring a happy and fulfilling life together.  For a complete transcript, click here: LL35-When Kids or Pets are in t...