241: Breaking Up and Moving On - What's Normal? What's the "Right" Way?

241: Breaking Up and Moving On - What's Normal? What's the "Right" Way?

Nov 10, 2020 |

When it comes to breaking up, is there a right way to do it? How long should it take for you to get over your ex? How do you know when it's time to see someone new? How do you deal with the way that your ex is handling the breakup? In this week's episode, we're going to cover what's "normal" in the breakup experience, and how to make sure that you focus on your grieving in a way that's most likely to lead to growth - so you can avoid making the same mistakes in your next relationship.

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240: When You're in Conflict - How to Find Optimal Outcomes - with Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler

240: When You're in Conflict - How to Find Optimal Outcomes - with Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler

Oct 23, 2020 |

When you’re stuck in conflict, how do you step outside of the situation enough to identify ways to break the patterns that are keeping you stuck? Especially in ongoing conflict, just doing more of the same isn’t going to change your outcome. Our guest is Jennifer Goldman-Wetzler, author of Optimal Outcomes: Free Yourself from Conflict at Work, at Home, and in Life. We’ll talk about practical, effective strategies you can use to escape the conflict loop - and, thus, get different results!

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239: How to Avoid the Negative Bypass

239: How to Avoid the Negative Bypass

Oct 16, 2020 |

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Do you ever feel like you *should* have gotten over something challenging - that you’ve grown, and learned from the experience, but that on some level it still haunts you? Or do you feel inner conflict around decisions that seem like they should be relatively clear-cut? Are you afraid of failure? It could very well be that you have bypassed or suppressed your negative emotions, and that they’re now stuck inside you, wreaking havoc on your inner guidance system. By not facing failures or challenges head on, we actually create an emotional dissonance within ourselves that’s an obstacle to moving forward. Today we’ll talk about how to face things when they’re not quite the way you want them to be - and how to develop the inner honesty that will help you feel aligned and courageous no matter what’s happening in your life.

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238: Unmotivated Partners - What To Do? - with Pete Pearson

238: Unmotivated Partners - What To Do? - with Pete Pearson

Sep 25, 2020 |

When your partner is unmotivated to change and has resorted to stonewalling - or blaming everything on you - what can you do? If you’re a therapist working with a couple in this situation, you’ll learn some valuable ways to directly address this issue and change the dynamics. In today’s episode, we have a return visit from Peter Pearson. He is a co-founder, with Ellyn Bader, of The Couples Institute, one of the leading centers for training couples therapists and helping people find practical solutions to relationship issues.

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237: Overcoming Procrastination - Session with David Burns and Neil Sattin

237: Overcoming Procrastination - Session with David Burns and Neil Sattin

Sep 19, 2020 |

Do you ever procrastinate? If you’re looking for a way to finally stop putting things off - and get them done - then today’s episode is for you. As a follow-up to a session with me on being overwhelmed, David Burns has returned for a session to help me with my own procrastination. You’ll get to hear what works, what doesn’t, and - if you’re a therapist or coach - how to help other people with their procrastination. David Burns...

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236: When Talking about How You Feel Goes Horribly Wrong

236: When Talking about How You Feel Goes Horribly Wrong

Sep 9, 2020 |

How do you talk about your feelings - without your partner getting reactive and defensive? There are some common mistakes that we make when talking about our feelings that can lead to it going horribly wrong. In today’s episode, we’ll cover ways that you can adjust how you talk about your feelings so that you’ll be most likely to stay connected - even if you’re bringing up some hard stuff. And you’ll learn what to do if you notice your partner making these mistakes as well when they talk about their feelings with you.

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235: Microaggressions in Life and Love with Kevin Nadal

235: Microaggressions in Life and Love with Kevin Nadal

Aug 29, 2020 |

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Are you undermining your connection with your partner, or the others in your life, with microaggressions? While the “little things” can be the building blocks of something amazing - they can also undermine the very fabric of how you relate with another person, perpetuating sexism, racism, or other unhealthy power dynamics. Today our guest is Kevin Nadal, co-editor of Microaggression Theory: Influence and Implications. He is one of the world’s foremost experts on how to spot microaggressions and overcome their impact in your life.

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234: The Anti-Relationship Episode

234: The Anti-Relationship Episode

Aug 15, 2020 |

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WARNING: If you’re looking for the typical hope and optimism that you can find on Relationship Alive, then this might not be the episode for you! After 233 episodes focused on how to have an amazing relationship, it feels like it’s time to ask the obvious question: Why? Let’s turn things on their head for a moment. Perhaps getting into a relationship is actually a bad idea! In this week’s episode, I give myself permission to be a little jaded and cynical, and to talk about many of the ways that relationships can actually suck. And what you just might want to do instead. If you’re willing journey with me through the looking glass, there just might be something important revealed on the other side.

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233: What Makes a Marriage Last - with Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue

233: What Makes a Marriage Last - with Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue

Aug 6, 2020 |

Let’s put the theory aside for a minute. When it comes to having a successful, long-lasting relationship, what has actually worked for couples whose relationships have stood the test of time? In order to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary, Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue interviewed 40 famous couples in successful relationships, to discover the actual rubber-meets-the-road strategies that they use to navigate life’s challenges.

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232: Solving the Acceptance Paradox - with Neil Sattin

232: Solving the Acceptance Paradox - with Neil Sattin

Jul 25, 2020 |

In a relationship, it’s important to be able to accept your partner as they are. What if accepting your partner traps you in a relationship that isn’t healthy? What’s the balance between accepting your relationship as it is - and wanting to shift things without trying to turn your partner into someone different than who they are? If you value growth, and compassion...you can actually find yourself stuck in a bad relationship because of it! In today’s episode, we’re going to try to solve the “acceptance paradox” so that you can stay aligned with your values and still make a change.

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Podcast Reviews

  • Apologies are hard…
    December 13, 2024 by kaandcoco from Canada

    Thank you for the guidance on apologies. Our Mother died recently and the family dynamics have intensified! Triggers going off for everyone. Old wounds festering. I am and know many other “un-apologizers”. It has rarely seemed safe or sincere to apologize with in our family. It’s so difficult for me to sort through apologizing when I am not ready or simply don’t feel I should or can with sincerity. I see now it can be helpful to break it up into parts where possible. So important to begin de-escalating a conflict and the hurts and resentments that can build in the time following a real or perceived slight or conflict. Hopefully enough to create a space to return to when I have a better understanding of what dynamics are in play in myself. Once de-escalated I can agree to revisiting the situation and subsequently reassure myself and others that I value coming to a resolution. Hopefully avoiding or minimizing further misunderstandings in future. Great topic! Thank you

  • So happy I found your show!
    August 30, 2024 by DvGuts from United States

    Wonderful content. Please continue - you have so much valuable, beautiful information to share!

  • !!!
    June 9, 2024 by geminilibraleo from United States

    Glad this show is back!

  • What a great listen!
    October 25, 2022 by Claribelleee from Philippines

    This show is so real and authentic! Love the chemistry of the hosts of the guests!

  • Great show!
    September 4, 2022 by Kingxxelo from United States

    I listen to this every time I'm struggling with something .