Stronger Marriage Connection

In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale welcome Ben Kroff, a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist (EFT), to explore what's really happening beneath the surface of our strongest emotions. Why do couples keep having the same arguments? What is anger trying to tell us? And how can we respond with und...

In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, New York Times bestselling author Laura Doyle returns to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her book, The Surrendered Wife. Laura joins Dr. Liz Hale to reflect on the lessons she's learned from helping women strengthen their marriages over the past two and a half decades. Together, they explore how respect, self-care, listening, and expressing d...

In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, Dr. Alan Hawkins joins Dave Schramm and Liz Hale to explore the future of relationship and marriage education, including how couples can build stronger relationships without setting unrealistic expectations. Alan introduces the idea of a “good enough marriage” and explains why a healthy, happy relationship doesn't have to be perfect to be meani...

In This episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, financial relationship coach Dee Zimmerman joins Dave Schramm and Liz Hale to uncover seven common financial blind spots that can quietly create stress, resentment, and disconnection in marriage. Dee explains why money problems often go deeper than dollars and budgets, reflecting differences in values, fears, family histories, and dreams for the fut...

In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, global relationship coach and clinical sexologist Dr. Lea Haber joins Dave Schramm and Liz Hale to explain what it means to have a “personal trainer” for your love life. Lea explores the quiet disconnection that can pull couples apart, why small moments of intentional connection matter, and how desire changes in long-term relationships. She also sha...

In this episode of Stronger Marriage Connection , author and speaker Arlene Pellicane joins Dave Schramm and Liz Hale to talk about how technology is shaping family life—and what parents can do when screens begin replacing sleep, hobbies, conversations, and face-to-face connection. Drawing from her book The Great Tech Reset , Arlene explains the “ABCD harms” of technology and shares practical idea...

Ordinary sounds like chewing or breathing can trigger real fight-or-flight, and that reaction can quietly strain closeness at home. We talk with Dr. Thomas Phelan about what misophonia feels like, why it can spiral into resentment, and how we can respond with no-fault compassion and practical plans. • what mesophonia is and how it differs from everyday annoyance  • why mouth sounds are common trig...

We welcome back marriage intimacy coach Dan Purcell to talk about why couples drift into “roommate mode” and how to rebuild fun, friendship, and desire with small daily choices. We share mindset shifts and practical tools that help us create “our spark” on purpose, even in busy seasons with stress, kids, and routines.  • Dan’s rebrand from Dating Divas to Date Your Spouse and the mission of streng...

We sit down with licensed psychologist Dr. Sami Chun to make sexual intimacy easier to talk about and more honest to live. We trade myths and pressure for practical language around safety, excitement, and connection so couples can navigate desire differences without shame.  • why defining “sex” upfront reduces misunderstanding and disconnection  • Dr. Chun’s SEX acronym: safety, excitement, and co...

We sit down with marriage and family therapist Sonnet Hinsey to talk about premarital education as prevention, not therapy for people in trouble. We break down the Five Love Languages, Gottman-inspired connection habits, and simple action plans that help couples stay close when the “in love” high shifts into real life.  • why prevention work matters before conflict hardens into patterns  • how REL...

We talk with Dr. Paul Jenkins about a clear positivity model that explains why our brains swing between judging what is and building what’s next, and how that swing shows up in marriage. We walk away with simple tools that replace helpless frustration with choice, hope, and daily actions that actually change the tone at home.  • Dr. Jenkins’ shift from traditional therapy to positive psychology af...

Men are often expected to be strong, successful, and dependable while receiving little encouragement to express vulnerability or ask for support. Relationship coach Mike Elliott joins Dave and Liz to explore how emotional awareness, presence, and feeling heard and seen can transform relationships. Mike shares his Relational Authority framework, the importance of strong support systems, and a pract...

Sexual intimacy can be a powerful source of connection in marriage, but shame, avoidance, unrealistic expectations, and differences in desire can quickly create distance. Licensed professional counselor and certified sex therapist Vanessa Cushing joins Dave and Liz to discuss desire discrepancy, performance anxiety, pornography, sexual trauma, and the importance of honest communication. Learn how...

Sexual intimacy can play an important role in emotional connection, relationship satisfaction, and overall well-being. Relationship therapist Laura How joins Dr. Liz Hale and Dr. Dave Schramm to explore sexless marriages, differences in sexual desire, and the physical and emotional benefits of a healthy sexual relationship. Laura shares practical insights for understanding desire, talking openly a...

We flip the mic and let Liz and Rex interview Dave about his new book, Happy Hacks, and the science-backed habits that make joy more durable in real life. We dig into why happiness matters for marriages and families, how small choices build momentum, and why compassion and kindness are the glue of a stronger marriage connection.  • why happiness is not toxic positivity and still involves choice th...

Discovering infidelity can be one of the most painful experiences a couple faces. In this episode, Dr. Bill Bumberry shares practical guidance and hope for couples navigating betrayal trauma and rebuilding trust. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and the Gottman Method, Bill explains the three key phases of healing after infidelity—atonement, attunement, and attachment—and offers actionabl...

We sit down with psychotherapist Kirsten Davidson to unpack why couples drift into disconnection and how Internal Family Systems therapy can help us lead ourselves with more clarity, compassion, and courage. We challenge the stories we tell ourselves in conflict, practice speaking from “parts” instead of blame, and lay out simple shifts that rebuild real connection.  • assumptions driving communic...

We sit down with marriage and family therapist Andrea Dindinger to name the repeat fight loops that hijack connection and to practice simple ways to interrupt them before they turn mean. We walk away with concrete tools for calmer conflict, deeper intimacy, and more intentional partnership that ripples into the next generation.  • naming the “loop” as the problem, not each other  • spotting trigge...

We sit down with therapist Josh O’Tani to talk about pornography use as a couples issue and why secrecy can wound a relationship as deeply as infidelity. We map the shame and anger cycle that keeps partners stuck, then share practical ways to rebuild trust through curiosity, empathy, and consistent repair.  • Reframing pornography use as relational and systemic, not just individual behavior  • Por...

Sexual intimacy changes over the arc of a long-term relationship, and treating every lull like a crisis often adds pressure that makes things worse. We talk with sex and relationship coach Keeley Rankin about how to rebuild closeness through curiosity, kinder communication, and a better understanding of what each partner actually desires.  • Defining what “sexless marriage” can mean and why the co...

We talk honestly about grief, loss, and why love can keep shaping us even after someone is gone. We share research and real stories that reframe mourning as both painful and meaningful, then land on practical ways to build a relationship that strengthens you now and later.  • why grief is complex across mind and body  • what predicts higher grief levels in young widowhood  • loss-oriented versus r...

We talk with Nick and Amy about how their marriage nearly ended, and how rebuilding emotional safety brought back real connection and passionate sexual intimacy. They share the simple habits and tools that helped them stop drifting, communicate about hard topics, and create the Ultimate Intimacy app to help other couples do the same.  • their turning point after financial stress and burnout  • why...

We welcome Dr. Sean Brotherson to talk about the joys and pressures of becoming parents and how that transition can strain or strengthen a marriage. We share concrete ways to stay connected through fatigue, changing roles, and shifting intimacy while building the stability kids need most.  • why the transition to parenthood feels so intense even with preparation  • setting realistic expectations t...

We sit down with Dr. Chelom Leavitt to unpack why emotional intimacy is the strongest predictor of sexual wellbeing and what “feeling seen” actually looks like in a real marriage. We share science, stories, and simple daily practices that help us build trust, repair disconnection, and create a safer path to desire over time.  • emotional intimacy as being known and accepted, including fears and we...

We sit down with Curtis Morley to learn how “counterfeit emotions” quietly disconnect couples and how authentic emotions build peace, clarity, and real intimacy. We dig into practical shifts like choosing curiosity over anger, honoring pain without turning it into misery, and removing shame so connection can grow.  • Curtis’s origin story after divorce and the loss of his friend Jerry  • Four crit...