Relationship Renovation: Marriage Advice for Better Communication, Trust & Intimacy

Do you avoid conflict in your relationship? Do you worry that arguing with your partner means you are not meant for one another? When couples apply a "growth mindset" to their struggles, they begin to understand that conflict is inevitable. You can build a deeper bond by being thoughtful, intentional, and empathetic during conflict. Topics in this episode Why couples avoid conflict How to...

Do you and your partner struggle with parenting? Is parenting a significant source of conflict in your relationship? Are the differences in discipline and parenting style leading to problem behaviors in your kids? Do you feel isolated and ineffective because of your different parenting styles? Feeling connected and unified is essential in healthy parenting. When parents lack unity, it creates conf...

Has intimacy become a struggle in your relationship? Do you feel emotionally connected to your partner? Do you feel like you can show your best and worst parts to your partner? Do you feel protected and supported in your relationship? Have you and your partner discussed emotional safety? Emotional safety is the fundamental building block to a secure and loving relationship with your partner. Coupl...

Are you struggling to feel connected in your relationship? Does it feel like you have grown apart? Are there times you worry that you have lost the loving connection you enjoyed early in your relationship? Couples who are committed to personal growth and supporting each other feel more emotionally and intimately connected. By cultivating healthy, stimulating communication, couples can rediscover t...

Codependence is a dynamic that affects a significant number of couples. It is an excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner and erodes the solid foundation of a relationship. Frequently a codependent person feels worthless unless needed and sacrifices their well-being for the wellness of others. Codependency is not isolated to romantic relationships. It happens in families, at work...

A shift in mindset is achieved by bringing awareness to thoughts, feelings and behaviors. By shifting your attention from blaming others for your unhappiness to looking inward you gain empowerment and the freedom to achieve to your highest potential. In this episode Tarah and EJ interview Daniel Diaz, life mastery coach. He shares the radical transformations that he has experienced. He shares his...

Individuals enter into relationships unaware of the obstacles they will face to establish a healthy, loving connection that lasts a lifetime. By exploring unconscious feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, you can create the awareness needed to communicate and express love to your partner in a way that increases the likelihood of a long-lasting marriage or coupleship. In this episode, Tarah and EJ tal...

Our response to stress, anxiety, depression, and the myriad of challenging dynamics we face in a relationship is a physiological response. Developing the ability to respond to difficult times healthily and productively is a skill that can be learned. But unfortunately, individuals often rely on their instinctive responses in stressful times, which can lead to internal suffering and destabilization...

Every moment offers the opportunity to begin a new trend in your life. But unfortunately, it is tough to break behavioral patterns because they are often rooted in unconscious negative core beliefs. In this episode, Tarah and EJ interview Victoria Rios about her inspiring emotional and physical transformation story. She shares her journey of confronting her negative and limiting thoughts and how t...

Curiosity and playfulness are two qualities that are over-abundant at the beginning of most relationships. But as time passes many couples get bogged down in the heaviness of life and lose their playful connection. This leads to negative communication patterns which drain the love and fun out of their interactions. In this episode Tarah and EJ speak with Renay Burger, LMFT a therapist who focuses...

Curiosity and playfulness are two qualities that are over-abundant at the beginning of most relationships. But as time passes many couples get bogged down in the heaviness of life and lose their playful connection. This leads to negative communication patterns which drain the love and fun out of their interactions. In this episode, Tarah and EJ speak with Renay Burger, LMFT a therapist who focuses...

One of the primary reasons couples come to counseling is that they feel that their intimate relationship has deteriorated. Intimacy is the expression of love to your partner in various ways. To cultivate a satisfying and connected intimate relationship, couples must understand that intimacy and sex are not synonymous. If you measure your connection with your partner exclusively by your sexual conn...

Creating a healthy and functional family unit is challenging. Extended family relationships often create conflicts of loyalty that slowly erode trust and intimate connection. By understanding the complications of family dynamics from a holistic perspective couples have the opportunity to be more intentional in how they communicate and create systems that minimize conflict and encourage empathy and...

It is the small things that you do every day that enrich your relationship with your partner. When couples intentionally try to "Follow Through" on the commitments they make to their partner, it builds trust and a solid and loving bond. By understanding what is essential to your partner and creating a consistent effort to be there for them, they tend to be more expressive of their love and...

The mental health system is a confusing and often frustrating system for many patients to navigate. Once an individual breaks past the stigma of seeking mental health support they begin a journey without a roadmap. They struggle to understand the difference between therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists and a myriad of other mental health providers. . In this episode Tarah and EJ interview Dr. W...

40% of families in the U.S. are blended  with at least one partner having a child from a previous relationship before marriage. Per the U.S. Bureau of Census, 1300 new stepfamilies are formed each day. The process of blending a family is a significant stressor on new relationships and profoundly effects the children in the family system. Unfortunately many couples in blended families do not addres...

Anxiety  disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States aged 18 and older. Anxiety symptoms can range from restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, headaches, stomach aches, overwhelming worry, and sleep problems. Anxiety profoundly affects individuals, which can also create significant strains on relationships. In t...

You ask, we answer! Couples across the spectrum struggle with similar stressors and relationship dynamics. They find themselves stuck in patterns that leave them feeling frustrated, alone and unsupported. In this episode Tarah and EJ answer a few questions from their Social Media Audience. They address subjects like division of labor in the household and making your relationship a priority. Relati...

Psychedelic treatment of mental health issues is re-immerging as a powerful tool in treating mental health struggles. Ketamine is a very safe pharmaceutical that is now becoming available in many states. A growing body of research demonstrates that ketamine treatment incorporated with a robust psychotherapy integration program can be a powerful tool in treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, grief and...

When couples first come together, the thrill of meeting someone new combined with attraction creates a honeymoon period. By the time they exit the initial charge of getting together, they have often made unconscious systems of conflict resolution that are not sustainable in the long term. Individuals within the couple come in with separate and often divergent coping mechanisms that create obstacle...

Couples fall into repetitive emotional reactivity and communication patterns that leave them feeling lonely, isolated, and frustrated. But frequently, insights and practical coaching can create a significant shift in their relationship, especially if both couple members decide to act with more intentionality. In this episode Tarah and EJ interview Relationship Coach Lisa McFarland. Lisa's jour...

Maintaining a satisfying sexual connection throughout a long-term relationship takes intentionality and empathy. There will inevitably be times when you and your partner have discrepancies in your sex drive. But unfortunately, couples are unprepared, and a naturally occurring dynamic can metastasize and pull them apart in all aspects of their relationship. In the second of a two-part series, "...

Maintaining a satisfying sexual connection throughout a long-term relationship takes intentionality and empathy. There will inevitably be times when you and your partner have discrepancies in your sex drive. But unfortunately, couples are unprepared, and a naturally occurring dynamic can metastasize and pull them apart in all aspects of their relationship. In the first of a two-part series, "L...

Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT , is a clinician, researcher, teacher, and developer of A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT). He is the author and co-author of numerous best-selling books exploring individual and relationship wellness. Tatkin’s work, based on a social-emotional capacity model, focuses on what partners can and cannot do to mitigate threat reactions during stressful interacti...

When couples are stuck in patterns of conflict and hostile interactions, they begin to feel hopeless. They become emotionally guarded, and their intimacy dwindles. They find themselves feeling lonely, desperate, and frustrated. But, magical things happen when couples take the brave and vulnerable step of looking inward and committing to personal growth together. Tarah and EJ discuss their experien...