Relating with Jen Funk: Getting Honest About the Relationships that Matter Most

How do couples make difficult decisions without hurting their relationship? In this episode, relationship coach Jen Funk shares 5 practical strategies to help couples navigate difficult decisions, strengthen communication, and make confident decisions together without regret. CHAPTERS 00:00 The Hardest Relationship Decisions 01:50 When Two Good Choices Compete 05:10 Why Couples Get Stuck 06:52 A B...

Who decides what's acceptable in a relationship? Should you be friends with an ex? Share passwords? Have close friends of the opposite sex? Follow attractive people on social media? Everyone seems to have an opinion - but healthy relationships aren't built on universal rules. They're built on agreements that work for the two people in the relationship. In this episode, relationship coa...

Have you ever stopped to think about how the people you love experience you? Years from now, they probably won't remember every gift you gave them or every favor you did. But they will remember how you made them feel. In this episode, I share why making people feel valued may be one of the most powerful things we can do in our relationships - and three simple habits that can strengthen your ma...

Have you ever felt jealous and immediately judged yourself for it? Maybe your partner is getting close to a coworker. Maybe a friend is spending more time with someone else. Maybe someone you know has achieved something you've always wanted for yourself. Most of us have been taught that jealousy is a bad emotion -something that means we're insecure, controlling, needy, or lacking confidenc...

Have you ever had an argument, agreed to "move on," and then found yourself still thinking about it weeks later? In this episode of Relating with Jen Funk , relationship coach Jen Funk explains the critical difference between resetting after conflict and actually repairing after conflict - and why so many couples get stuck repeating the same arguments over and over again. Many couples believe that...

Have you ever noticed that relationship fights are almost never really about the thing itself? It’s not actually about where to go to dinner. Or the need for another Amazon package. Or the temperature of the house. Or whose family you’re seeing for the holidays. It’s about something deeper: Who gets their way? Who gives in? Whose needs matter more? And how do healthy couples decide without buildin...

Feeling lost in midlife? Struggling with people pleasing, resentment in marriage, emotional burnout, empty nest emotions, or wondering who you are outside of motherhood and caregiving? In this honest and empowering episode of Relating with Jen Funk, relationship coach Jen Funk sits down with Kristin Quackenbush, founder of Me First Club, for a real conversation about midlife, marriage, self-worth,...

Have you ever looked at your partner and thought… “Why does literally everything they do annoy me lately?” The chewing. The snoring. The stories. The socks on the floor. Suddenly every little thing feels irritating - and after awhile, it can start making you wonder: “Is this normal?” “Have we fallen out of love?” “Why do we feel so disconnected?” In this episode, I’m talking about what’s REALLY ha...

Should your marriage come before your kids? Or should the kids come first? In this honest and nuanced episode of Relating with Jen Funk, relationship coach Jen Funk dives into one of the most emotionally charged conversations in marriage and parenting. We’re talking about: • why so many experts say the marriage should come first • how couples slowly become disconnected after kids • why this conver...

We had to say goodbye to our dog this week… and if you’ve ever been through that, you already know how much it hurts. Everything just feels off. The house is quieter. Your energy is lower. Your patience is thinner. And at the same time… life doesn’t stop. Your people still need you. Your relationships are still there. So the question becomes: How do you show up for the people you love… when you do...

If you’ve ever felt like… no matter what you do in your relationship, it’s just not right - this episode is for you. In this episode of Relating with Jen Funk , I’m breaking down a dynamic that shows up in so many relationships… and quietly does a lot more damage than people realize: criticism . Because here’s the thing - most people don’t think they’re being critical. They think they’re helping....

If you’ve ever wondered… “Is this just a rough season… or is it time to leave?” “Am I staying too long… or giving up too soon?” You’re not alone - and this is one of the hardest decisions you’ll ever face. In this episode, we’re talking about how to actually think through that question in a grounded, real way - without rushing to leave, but also without ignoring what matters. Because most people d...

Have you ever looked at your relationship and thought… nothing is really wrong… but nothing is really right either? You’re not fighting all the time…but you’re also not really connecting. You’re doing life together, but if you’re honest, it feels more like coexisting than actually being close. In this episode, I’m breaking down why this happens (and why most couples stay stuck here way longer than...

If every conversation with your partner turns into defensiveness, blame, or the same fight on repeat… this episode will change how you see it - and how you handle it. Because here’s the truth most people miss: Your partner isn’t reacting to what you said… they’re reacting to what they think it means about them. In this episode of Relating with Jen Funk , we’re breaking down: ✔️ Why defensiveness h...

If you’ve ever felt disconnected in your relationship - or wondered why some relationships feel easy while others feel hard - this episode breaks down what actually works. Today, I’m sharing 10 relationship habits that build trust, improve communication, and create real emotional connection. These lessons apply to your marriage, your family, and your friendships - and they’re simple, practical, an...

Have you ever caught your partner in a lie and thought, why would they lie about THAT? Sometimes it’s not the big lies that hurt the most - it’s the small ones that don’t quite add up. “I already did it.” “It wasn’t that much.” “Nothing’s wrong.” Over time, those moments can create something really painful in a relationship: uncertainty. In this episode, we’re talking about why people lie in relat...

People often say things like: "You’re so lucky." Lucky you have a strong marriage. Lucky your kids turned out well. Lucky you found the right career. But the truth is, most of the things we call luck are really the result of small intentional choices made over time. In this episode, I share a simple exercise to help you stop drifting through life and start intentionally creating the life...

Why do couples fight so hard to prove they’re right? In this episode of Relating with Jen Funk , relationship coach Jen Funk explains why arguments in relationships often turn into battles to win - instead of conversations that bring couples closer. Most conflicts aren’t actually about the dishes, the phone, or tone of voice. They’re about something deeper: wanting to feel heard, respected, and un...

Do you love each other… but feel miles apart? Distance in relationships doesn’t happen overnight. It builds through unresolved hurt, busy schedules, stress, and the quiet loss of emotional connection. In this final episode of the SPARK Intimacy Series, we explore how couples drift apart - and how they find their way back. You’ll learn how to: • rebuild emotional safety • repair hurt and reconnect...

If you’ve ever wondered why desire doesn’t feel as automatic as it once did, you’re not alone. In this episode, Jen Funk explores how desire evolves across life seasons - from early relationships to parenting, stress, and midlife body changes. You’ll learn the difference between spontaneous and responsive desire, why feeling touched out is normal, and practical ways to reconnect with intimacy with...

You still love each other. But you don’t feel wanted the way you used to. In this episode, I’m getting honest about something that doesn’t get talked about enough - the vulnerability of wanting to feel wanted in a long-term marriage. We’re talking about: Why pursuit naturally fades What happens when one partner reaches and the other doesn’t How rejection stirs up insecurity Why romance is more abo...

Sex and physical intimacy often fade in long-term relationships - even when there’s still love. In this episode, relationship coach Jen Funk begins the SPARK Intimacy Series , a five-part framework designed to help couples rebuild intimacy in a realistic, sustainable way. This first episode focuses on Safety & Connection - the emotional foundation that supports desire, closeness, and a healthy...

Senior year is a big transition - not just for teens, but for parents too. In this episode of Relating with Jen Funk , Jen is joined by her youngest daughter, Natalie, a high school senior, for a real conversation about senior year and what it’s like to live through a season full of endings, uncertainty, and change. Together, they talk about the emotional side of senior year, the “series of lasts,...

In-law relationships can be great… and also really hard. And what most couples don’t realize is how quickly in-law stress turns into marriage stress . In Part 2 of my in-laws series, I’m sharing 3 simple strategies that work to help you build a better relationship with your in-laws while also protecting your marriage - with clear boundaries, better communication, and practical scripts you can use...

In-law relationships can be some of the most emotionally complicated relationships we navigate - even when everyone has good intentions. In this episode, Jen Funk, Life and Relationship Coach, explores why relationships with in-laws feel so hard and why marriage changes family dynamics in ways most people don’t expect. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation focused on understanding - not blame....