The Dr. Psych Mom Show with clinical psychologist Dr. Samantha Rodman Whiten

Today's episode discusses a common problem I hear about in session: "My wife cuddles the dog more than me," or "My husband is obsessed with training/playing with the dog" or other forms of a spouse preferring the pet to you. We discuss evolutionary reasons for women especially getting really into pets at midlife, and how different attachment styles handle this, as well as h...

This term is all over the internet... what does it mean? Often, a range of dynamics fall under this umbrella, and I will discuss the factors going into a woman identifying this way in today's episode! Subscribe if you love the DPM show! https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/drpsychmomshow/subscribe and you'll get all my awesome bonus episodes! Most recent: "Sure, Don't Live Parallel Lives... But A...

I have a wonderful guest today, who is a well respected physician in my community. I ask every question you ever wanted to ask about perimenopause, menopause, hormones, drive, and issues that impact drive in a woman's 40's and beyond! She taught me so much I didn't know, including all about clitoral adhesions, the impact of birth control on hormones and even a method I never heard of, how to comba...

This video podcast discusses how important it is for you to model a loving relationship for your children! And a discussion of how you can use your kids as a motivation to do hard things... with a personal example from my early 20's. Subscribe if you love the DPM show! https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/drpsychmomshow/subscribe and you'll get all my awesome bonus episodes! For my secret...

By request from Facebook group member (join us: facebook.com/groups/drpsychmom), here's an interesting episode on the impact on your marriage of identifying with your opposite gender parent. You have one real template for relationships: the one you saw growing up. If you're not similar to your same-gender parent, this may make you feel like your current relationship is inferior. This episo...

Facebook live where I discriminate between therapy as massage and therapy as the gym. And I took a question about a guy with an avoidant wife and how he thinks therapy is just making him more avoidant!

Which type of people get into a situation like this? What background leads to assuming that sexual attraction just won't be part of your relationship? Today's YouTube live turned video podcast helps you understand more about this dynamic that I see in therapy! Remember, always reach out for therapy or coaching with me or the awesome Best Life Behavioral Health providers by emailing info@be...

It is an epiphany to many clients that their parents were likely depressed, and not just "quiet," "irritable," "detached," or "angry." Today's episode can help you make links between your upbringing and your current life, especially if you struggle with low self-esteem, marital issues, anger or overall overwhelm. Follow me on Substack! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subs...

I created my LOVE acronym for parents in conflict with their adult children, but it can be used for all relationships where you love someone, but they keep telling you they don't feel loved by you. Instead, they may have said they feel criticized, judged, or that you are not interested in them. Today we discuss the acronym and specific phrases to use for each! Remember, it is Like, Open, Validatio...

Many men think they are great at receiving feedback, but the reality is that they aren't, at least not within their marriages. Here's how it feels for women to be married to men who cannot receive feedback, and how working on this skill can improve your relationship... in bed and out of bed! Follow me on Substack! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@drpsychmom1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

The idea of "silent divorce" has been all over popular media. Here's what it is, who is at risk, who can repair and how, and the attachment dynamics that are often at risk of this! Follow me on Substack! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@drpsychmom1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe if you love the DPM show! https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/drpsychmomshow/subscribe a...

I am in the process of potentially writing a book about estrangement, and came across the statistic that 50% of people would be open to repairing an estrangement if they received an apology. This is positive for the many parents who struggle with feeling that estrangement with their child is "hopeless" or "impossible." In today's episode, I cover the role of therapy in parent-adult child estrangem...

Not the most flattering podcast episode you'll ever hear if you have inlaw issues... but the most realistic, practical, and (should you choose to really introspect about it) useful one! Covered: who usually has inlaw issues, why, and how to rethink your situation! Follow me on Substack! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@drpsychmom1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe if you love th...

I work with many couples who are in their second marriage, and often the man is older and has kids already. In some of these marriages, the woman views the second marriage as a "redo" and he views it as a "second act," which can lead to conflict and hurt feelings. Today's episode goes into depth about these perspectives, helping each partner empathize with the other, and gi...

The transition from women's 30's to 40's can feel very significant. Here's a deep dive into aging, how couples can accept the reality of life moving in one direction, how our larger social and family context can help or hinder our ability to navigate this transition, and how happy couples stay close and connected in their 40's and beyond! Follow me on Substack! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠...

Why do pursuing women stop in their 40's? How does the avoidant attachment man feel about it? And what else characterizes the post-pursuing midlife woman? All this and more on today's episode! Follow me on Substack! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@drpsychmom1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe if you love the DPM show! https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/drpsychmomshow/subscribe and you'l...

What is it like to be divorced from someone who is secure, avoidant, preoccupied, or fearful avoidant? Today's episode goes into depth about what I've seen in 15 years of practice about the easiest and most difficult, as well as details about how each partner operates in terms of conflict, remarriage and more! Follow me on Substack! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@drpsychmom1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

If your partner does something nice, like doing the laundry or giving you a kiss, and you react with TREMENDOUS SHOCK, this is passive aggressive. Your partner feels reprimanded and is much less likely to do this nice thing again. Here's why you do this and what to do instead! Follow me on Substack! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://substack.com/@drpsychmom1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe if you love t...

In today's episode, I go in depth into one of my favorite topics: mental load. Is the problem really mental load/emotional labor? What is underneath this convenient trope in many couples that I see? Often depression, anxiety, ADHD, codependency, and enabling. Great episode if you hate the term "mental load"... even greater if you love it but want to interrogate that love a little mor...

Today we have a special treat! An interview with Matthew Fray, who wrote the viral post that every woman my age remembers.... "She Divorced Me Because I Left Dishes By The Sink" ! We discuss relationships, divorce, ADHD, male and female perspectives on relationships, and more! Matthew Fray is a relationship coach and author of the book This is How Your Marriage Ends . His down-to-earth approach to...

After reading the book Us, After by Rachel Zimmerman ( https://amzn.to/4239BfW ), I wanted to dive into the topic of when a parent commits suicide and how this impacts adult children later on. In today's episode, we cover how kids think of this, how depression hijacks your brain to make this seem like the best option, what to do if you are severely depressed and have had these thoughts, and a refr...

Introverts aren't scared of people or embarrassing themselves. If you are, you likely have social anxiety, which can constrict the lives of your children and spouse. Here's a different perspective on social anxiety vs introversion, how to work on it using exposure principles, and how to eventually learn to engage in a more open and enthusiastic way vs being paralyzed by the thought that yo...

If you're used to the initiation style that women use in porn, and don't have much non-honeymoon stage experience with other women, you may well miss the signals that your wife is open to having sex. Covered in this episode: how she may be initiating, the impact of confident momentum in bed, and the limitations of some men's demand that their wives "communicate more directly." Follow me on Substac...

Some children have to act like parents or even spouses to their own parents. How and why does this manifest, and how does it impact later adult intimate relationships for these kids? Follow me on Substack! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://substack.com/@drpsychmom1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe if you love the DPM show! https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/drpsychmomshow/subscribe and you'll get all my awesome bonus episode...

No, your spouse doesn't make you depressed or not depressed. If you think this, it is related to your attachment style, not your depression or even your relationship. One of the hardest things to learn for people with preoccupied or fearful-avoidant attachment, but the only thing that can actually help you heal and grow as a person. Follow me on Substack! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://substack.com/@drpsychmom1⁠...