The Relationship Blueprint: Unlock Your Power of Connection

Send us Fan Mail Your mind isn’t the enemy, even when it feels like it. We sit down with Gregg Bossen from Atlanta to unpack how Internal Family Systems (IFS) turned decades of inner chaos into something he can finally live with and lead. After years of therapy and a painful marriage ending that sent him into anxiety, insomnia, and a frightening spiral, Gregg found a different approach: stop fight...

Send us Fan Mail Ketamine is one of those words that can stop people cold and for good reason if all you’ve heard are headlines, overdoses, or “Hollywood drug” stories. So we slow it down and get specific: what does ketamine assisted psychotherapy look like when the goal is not just symptom relief, but helping a couple actually reconnect when they’re locked in defensiveness, blame, and the same pa...

Send us Fan Mail You can’t heal what your body still protects. Pain that won’t budge. A mind that understands the pattern but can’t change it. Relationships that stay stuck because your nervous system won’t let you soften. We wanted a conversation that goes deeper than advice, so I brought on my longtime friend Tanya Colucci, a myofascial release therapist and coach, to talk about what actually he...

Send us Fan Mail A toxic relationship can feel like love, adrenaline, and destiny all at once — and that’s exactly why it’s so hard to leave. In this episode of The Relationship Blueprint , Coco Kowal sits down with Dr. Stephen Paul Edwards , PhD in spiritual counseling and author of The Venus Fly Trap , to unpack the real mechanics behind toxic relational dynamics: childhood conditioning, shame,...

Send us Fan Mail Addiction does not just hurt the person drinking or using, it ripples through every relationship around them. We sit down with Suzanna to talk about what happens after the dramatic part is over: you leave treatment, you go home, and you still have to live inside your feelings. She shares how betrayal and anxious attachment helped ignite her alcohol use disorder, and why “if you lo...

Send us Fan Mail Most relationship conflict isn’t a lack of love, it’s a lack of structure when emotions spike. So we do something different here: My husband, Kevin, and I sit down and actually demonstrate an Imago Dialogue the way we practice it at home, using two chairs, a clear appointment, and one topic. You’ll hear how we regulate first, why we begin with appreciation, and how “knee to knee,...

Send us Fan Mail A lot of people hear stories about alcoholism and still think, “If it’s destroying your life, why not just stop?” We get it. That question makes perfect sense until you’re the one waking up more sober than you fell asleep and feeling your whole brain scream for the one thing you promised you wouldn’t touch again. We’re joined by Suzanna, who shares what it’s like to have alcohol a...

Send us Fan Mail What if the love you want isn’t something you find but something you build, moment by moment, with the person right in front of you? We sit down with Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt, the co-founders of Imago, to chart a practical route from the highs of romantic love through the grind of the power struggle into a third stage they call real love. Their promise is bold and g...

Send us Fan Mail A tender, unflinching story can change the way we think about healing. Destiny joins us to share how early childhood sexual abuse, grooming, and years of anxiety shaped her sense of self—and how therapy, faith, writing, and the quiet weight of a small dog helped her find safety again. We set a strong container with trigger guidance and then move with care, connecting her personal...

Send us Fan Mail Ever felt yourself shrink in a relationship even while you’re thriving at work? We dig into the hidden scripts that push women to overgive, stay likable at all costs, and walk on eggshells—and we show how to replace those scripts with boundaries, evidence, and dialogue that actually connect. Psychoanalyst and couples therapist Dr. Kerry O’Reilly joins us to name the silent message...

Send us Fan Mail What if sobriety is only the first chapter of healing? We sit down with Dr. Jana Wheeler, a psychiatric and wellness nurse practitioner, to unpack how mental health care—thoughtful assessment, smart medication, and steady therapy—can turn fragile recovery into a grounded, connected life. From pediatric roots to lifespan psychiatry, Jana’s path shows how compassion and science meet...

Send us Fan Mail Love rarely breaks on differences; it breaks on our inability to make space for them. We sit down with Dr. Raluca Anton—psychologist, author, and Imago faculty member—to unpack why couples often share the same core needs but use opposite coping styles to get there. One partner finds safety in structure and planning, the other in freedom and exploration. When those worlds collide,...

Send us Fan Mail We explore the hidden costs of emotional labor and how unspoken expectations drain couples, then map simple ways to share the load with clarity, compassion, and practice. Andrea Dindinger returns with practical scripts, the “emotional leader” idea, and her Loop Breaker course on ending repeat fights. • defining emotional labor and why it’s exhausting • naming transitions and creat...

Send us Fan Mail Therapist Kim Mackay-Pearson brings deep wisdom and compassion to grief counseling, helping individuals navigate loss while discovering pathways toward healing and hope. Kim creates safe spaces where people can honor their pain, reconnect with themselves, and reimagine life after grief. • Kim's journey into grief counseling began in middle school when selected for a program t...

Send us Fan Mail How do you respond when your child comes out as LGBTQ+? For many parents, this moment arrives without warning, triggering confusion, fear, and countless questions. Through Heather Hester's powerful story, we discover that this journey doesn't require perfect understanding—just an open heart. Heather never expected to become an LGBTQ+ advocate. Coming from a conservative...

Send us Fan Mail Therapist Andrea Dindinger reveals how the invisible mental and emotional labor in relationships can create disconnection and resentment when not acknowledged. She shares practical strategies for couples to identify, discuss, and redistribute this hidden workload. • "Invisible work" includes mental load of remembering details, planning, and coordinating that often goes u...

Send us Fan Mail What if everything you thought you knew about relationships was missing a crucial piece? That's the revelation Dr. Banu İbaoğlu Vaughn had despite years of clinical psychology training. "There comes a moment in each relationship where the pain of childhood comes to the surface, and that's what you wrestle with," she shares, recounting the transformative insight...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when depression isn't just in your head, but in your relationship? Certified Imago Advanced Relationship Therapist Trish Sanders takes us on a deeply personal journey through the landscape of depression, connection, and healing in this captivating conversation. Drawing from her 20+ years of clinical experience and her own marriage, Trish reveals how depression cr...

Send us Fan Mail Are you struggling to understand your partner's seemingly perplexing behaviors? The mystery might lie in neurodiversity – the natural variation in how human brains function.  In this eye-opening conversation, Imago therapist Ian Tomlinson brings his unique perspective as both a relationship expert and an autistic man diagnosed at 53. With warmth and candor, he dismantles harm...

Send us Fan Mail When betrayal shatters trust in a relationship, the cultural script is clear: there's a victim and a perpetrator. But what if we've been thinking about affairs all wrong? Master Imago therapist Gene Shelley guides us through a profound reframing of infidelity that moves beyond blame and judgment. With decades of clinical experience helping couples navigate the aftermath...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the spark fades? That question haunts couples across all life stages, from newlyweds to empty nesters. In this illuminating conversation with Nikki, a dual-certified Imago therapist and sex therapist, we uncover the delicate interplay between emotional connection and physical intimacy that shapes our relationships. Nikki dismantles common misconceptions about sex...

Send us Fan Mail What does it mean to mother ourselves, and why might this be one of the most important relationships we'll ever develop? Dr. Nedra Fetterman joins the Relationship Blueprint podcast to explore the profound impact of our earliest experiences with caregivers and how these shape our internal dialogue throughout adulthood. Dr. Fetterman, a psychologist and Imago faculty member, s...

Send us Fan Mail When relationships falter, many couples seek help without understanding what makes therapy truly effective. Dr. Kathy MalcolmHall joins the Relationship Blueprint to reveal the four research-backed common factors that determine success in couples therapy, regardless of approach. The conversation opens by contrasting individual therapy with couples work, examining how the shift fro...

Send us Fan Mail What if the recurring conflicts in your relationship aren't about incompatibility but instead signal that your unspoken agreements need updating? Bob and Wendy Patterson, married for 44 years and pioneers in relationship therapy, introduce the revolutionary concept of relational contracts that could transform how you connect with your partner. Drawing from their personal jour...

Send us Fan Mail Ever watched your teenager struggle with what comes next after high school? The pressure to choose the "right" college major or career path can be overwhelming for young people—and equally stressful for the parents trying to guide them. Brian Eames, a certified Birkman consultant, reveals how this powerful personality assessment can transform how teenagers approach their...