Real-ationship Goals

Arianna's Recommendation:  “After the Breakup” by Lindsey Dortch Brock Access the episode transcript . Advocacy Center Crisis Hotline (254) 752-7233 or (888) 867-7233. Follow us on Instagram at @ACCVC_Prevention to connect with us and for more great content!

We're excited to bring you a BONUS EPISODE featuring six 8th grade students we've gotten to know and work with. Here they talk all about family dynamics, from toxic traits to thriving moments and ways families can love one another better. The students are thoughtful, insightful, and filled with many laughs, and this episode is essential for all of us, especially adults, who want the best f...

Is there someone in your life who, every time you see or think about them, all you want to say is "Ugh"? Or you feel like rolling your eyes every time they say something? It might be a coworker, a sibling, even a romantic partner. And if you thought of someone, it's likely the thing you're feeling toward them is contempt . In the last official episode of season 4, our hosts talk...

There's a difference between being alone and feeling lonely . It's a difficult and painful feeling of disconnection, and it's an emotion many of us feel at many different stages of life. We hope you find this episode validating and hopeful. Aleigh's Recommendation: Abbott Elementary (available on Hulu , ABC , and more). Access the episode transcript . Advocacy Center Crisis Hotline...

What do you think of when you think of grief? A lost loved one? A missed opportunity? The classic rain + black umbrellas + outside sad funeral scene from movies? Grief is different for all of us, and this episode we try to dip our toes into its deep waters. Unlike other episodes this season, we focus less on what healthy or unhealthy responses to grief looks like and instead we seek to hold space...

It gets messy when, in a relationship, two people are happy with two different things... like one person is fine just "talking" and the other wants to put a label on the relationship. Or one friend is okay texting sporadically while the other wants to communicate much more regularly. We're calling this phenomenon "conflicting contentment, " and in this episode our hosts dis...

There are times and seasons in our lives and relationships when we feel helpless -- when someone we care about is going through something that we can't change or fix. On this episode, our hosts lean in to empathy and discuss healthy ways to respond to helplessness. Kyla's Recommendation: Crocheting Access the episode transcript . Advocacy Center Crisis Hotline (254) 752-7233 or (888) 867-7...

For you, is it worse to do/say something and wish you hadn't or to not do/say something and wish you had? There's no right or wrong answer, and both are incredibly difficult. On this episode, we're addressing how regret shows up in relationships. Blythe's Recommendation: Grilled cheese on rosemary sourdough bread with tomato soup (and friends!) Access the ⁠ episode transcript⁠ . Ad...

No two people are the same, and that can be a wonderful and beautiful thing. It can also make relationships with ourselves and others complicated, because it can be easy to compare ourselves to others or others to each other in ways that are unhelpful and shame-inducing. Arianna Recommendation: Divergent series by Veronica Roth Access the  episode transcript . Advocacy Center Crisis Hotline (254)...

New relationships are really exciting, and sometimes existing relationships can feel... stagnant. Or even boring. In this episode, we talk about how boredom shows up in relationships and what it looks like to respond to it in creative and kind ways.   References: Washington Post article "Boredom is a warning sign. Here's what it's telling you." by Richard Sima Blythe's Recommendation: How Cul...

Sometimes we feel like "It's me, hi, I'm the problem it's me." Shame sounds a lot like that -- believing we're not good enough and are unworthy of love and belonging. This week, we're discussing how shame shows up in relationships and how to respond to this uncomfortable feeling in safe and healthy ways.   Aleigh's Recommendation: Reservation Dogs (Hulu Series)  Advocacy Center Crisis Ho...

Does fire shoot out of your head like Inside Out's Anger character when you get angry? If so -- wow. While many of us don't become literal torches, anger is a near universal emotion and something we all experience to some capacity. It's inevitable and therefore so important that we know how to respond to it in healthy ways that preserve the dignity of those around us.    Arianna's Recomm...

Foreboding joy is a term coined and described by Dr. Brené Brown . In this episode, our hosts discuss how Dr. Brown's term is a widely experienced emotion that sits at the intersection of joy, vulnerability, and gratitude, and how it has a significant impact on the relationships with ourselves and others. Arianna's Recommendation: Try a new hobby or activity! Access the episode transcript . ...

Relationships are complicated, and sometimes when we say we're over something, we're not actually over it... Cue: grudges. In this episode, our hosts break down what grudges are, how they can be unhelpful in our relationships, and what to do instead. Blythe's Recommendation: Our Planet (Netflix) Access the episode transcript. Advocacy Center Crisis Hotline (254) 752-7233 or (888) 867-7233. Follow...

This episode our hosts are talking about the connection between disappointment and expectations, compromise, and clear communication. Kyla's Recommendation: Stretching and listening to your body's needs. Access the episode transcript . Advocacy Center Crisis Hotline (254) 752-7233 or (888) 867-7233. Follow us on Instagram at @ACCVC_Prevention to connect with us and for more great content!

Having a crush, catching feels, or "like liking" someone can be really fun and exciting, but there are times when we can use those feelings for harm. On this episode, our hosts talk about the difference between attraction and feelings and how both are normal but still need to be responded to respectfully. Aleigh's Recommendation: The Big Brunch on HBO Max Access the episode transcript. Advocacy Ce...

Does it feel worse to be rejected or to reject someone? Whatever your answer, rejection is a difficult action and feeling. While there are many ways to respond to rejection, the most important thing is that our response is safe and respectful. Arianna's Recommendation: Watch Avatar: The Way of Water Access the episode transcript . Advocacy Center Crisis Hotline (254) 752-7233 or (888) 867-7233. Fo...

Welcome back to Real-ationship Goals podcast - we're excited to be in Season 4, which is all about uncomfortable feelings that we experience in relationships.  Access the episode transcript. Advocacy Center Crisis Hotline (254) 752-7233 or (888) 867-7233. Follow us on Instagram at @ACCVC_Prevention to connect with us and for more great content!

This was the most challenging tension for us as hosts to hold -- that people who abuse have often experienced deep trauma, but at the same time there is absolutely no excuse for abusive behavior. It is important that we all recognize that both things are true, and doing so does not minimize the abuse or experience of survivors.  Arianna's Recommendation: white chocolate mocha from Starbucks A...

Boundaries are essential in healthy relationships -- they establish what we want and don't want, what we're going to do and not do, or share and not share. But what's the difference between a boundary and a border? How do we know that we're not just shutting people and connection out but calling it a boundary? We're discussing this tension on the podcast this week and hope to find nuance in this c...

Have you seen this TikTok? Or that meme? Or that your best friend from 7th grade who moved away is now off to college or having a baby or just made spaghetti for dinner? We ask questions like these of ourselves and others all the time because social media is all around us and part of our lives, for better or for worse. In this episode, our hosts wrestle through this tension and try to hold two thi...

One core piece of a healthy relationship is support. Good friends and partners are there for one another when they need it. At the same time, we all have limits, and sometimes we're just at capacity. So how do these things fit together? What does it look like to support our friends and partners when we're maxed out? And how do we care for ourselves in the midst of it?  Arianna's Recommendatio...

Relationships aren't always 50/50, and that's okay. But when does that become not okay? How do we both hold our friends, partners, coworkers, etc. to high expectations while also giving them grace and flexibility that we all often need?  Aleigh's Recommendation: Cook with someone and learn a new recipe (or just even perfect a recipe if you've made it before) Access the episode transcript . Ad...

Spending time with people we love is so good and important -- but sometimes it can be hard or even exhausting to do so after a long day, especially if work/school is already very people filled. We're hoping to balance this tension with compassion and encouragement as we highlight the many dynamics within this relationship contradiction. Kyla's Recommendation: Tomato soup and a crispy grilled chees...

What's the difference between taking space and avoiding conflict? How do we address our feelings while talking through conflict without boiling over in anger? And how do we respond to that anger in healthy ways? We're addressing all this and more as we talk about the tension between needing to talk but not wanting to do so while angry. Blythe's Recommendation: Get a library card   Access the...