Navigating Marriage: Turning Conflict into Connection

This episode is about embracing imperfection, the strength of vulnerability, and how practicing what I preach to my clients and my community can transform relationships. Let's dive into an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at how one can apply principles of understanding and calm even in frustrating moments.

Facing Frustration: Recognizing Patterns

Marriage isn’t perfect, and for many of us, it's a continual learning path. At times, we face disappointment and unmet expectations, especially when juggling responsibilities. With one partner deeply immersed in work and the other managing a business, stress levels can rise when communication falters.

A Familiar Scenario: Juggling Responsibilities

Imagine the scene: hectic weekdays where one drops off and picks up kids, balancing between dance classes and school pickups. Tuesdays were meant for a shift in routine—where my husband covers the pickup. But when things don't go as...

Reclaim Your Pelvic Floor: Insights into Motherhood's Hidden Struggles

In this episode, I am joined by Becca Boeving, we're diving into a topic that's as essential as it is overlooked: pelvic floor health. Whether you've experienced motherhood yourself or are in awe of the journey others have taken, understanding this part of our anatomy can make a world of difference.

Understanding the Pelvic Floor

The pelvic floor consists of muscles that support various functions, from control over bathroom habits to enhancing intimate moments. Despite its critical role, myths abound, like the ubiquitous suggestion to do Kegels at stoplights. The truth? Not all pelvic floors benefit from Kegels, especially if they’re already tight, which can actually exacerbate issues like incontinence or pain.

From Misconceptions to Realities

Postpartum life often leaves us in a whirlwind concern mostly focused on the newborn. Meanwhile, mothers are left with their pelvic floor recovery receiving scant...

Navigating Anger in Marriage: Turning Arguments into Conversations

In this episode, we're diving into how recognizing and understanding emotional patterns can transform arguments into more productive conversations, ultimately fostering growth in our marriage.

Understanding Emotional Patterns

Let’s be honest, no one wakes up hoping to have an argument with their spouse. In fact, most of us hope for smooth sailing each day, desiring progress rather than setbacks in our relationships. Recognizing our emotional patterns is a pivotal step toward achieving that. Once we understand the habitual ways we react during conflicts, we can begin to navigate them more effectively. These patterns often form as protective responses, but they don’t always serve our best interests.

Teaching Our Children Emotional Management

Our emotions heavily influence our daily interactions, so it's crucial to handle them wisely. This is especially important as parents, as our children watch and learn fro...

Navigating the Journey of Raising Boys: Insights from a Parenting Expert

While each child is a unique individual with their own strengths and challenges, there are common threads that bind the experience of parenting boys. In this episode, we explore insights from Rachel Sklar, a dedicated parent coach specializing in helping families raise kind, calm, cooperative, and connected boys.

Embracing the Challenge of Parenting Boys

Parenting can be both rewarding and daunting, particularly when it comes to raising boys. From dealing with unexpected behaviors to unlearning traditional approaches, the journey is filled with learning moments. Rachel shares how understanding and adapting to each child's unique needs radically changed her approach to parenting her three sons. Her personal experience highlights the importance of customizing parenting techniques to suit your child's temperament, interests, and strengths.

Creating a Harmonious Home Environment

A key lesson from Rache...

Welcome back to another Marriage and Motherhood Podcast episode! In this episode we're diving into a topic that often plagues relationships: tunnel vision during conflict with your partner. This concept is all about getting so caught up in your own perception during an argument that it ends up hurting rather than helping your marriage. Thankfully, there are ways to expand your perspective and turn conflicts into opportunities for growth.

Understanding Tunnel Vision

Conflict is inevitable in any marriage, but tunnel vision can make these conflicts much more damaging. It's easy to focus solely on our emotions and thoughts, leading to misunderstandings and a breakdown in communication. To truly resolve conflicts, it's essential to step into your partner's shoes and consider their perspective. This can transform disagreements into constructive dialogues that strengthen your bond.

Why Empathy Matters

Empathy during conflicts fosters a deeper connection and reduces defensiveness. Without...

Managing Your Energy: The Key to Getting Rid of Burnout

In today's fast-paced world, managing our energy is essential to leading a fulfilling life, especially for those juggling work, family, and personal commitments. We've all felt those days when even getting out of bed seems daunting. But what if I told you that understanding and managing your energy could transform your life? Let's dive into the concept of energy management and explore how it can help you thrive.

Understanding Energy Management

Energy management isn't about conserving electricity; it's about nurturing your internal battery. It's a holistic view of how your physical, emotional, and mental energy levels are affected by your daily activities, interactions, and environment. Energy is like a personal power source, and understanding its ebbs and flows is the first step toward mastering it.

Shifting from Burnout to Balance

Many of us have experienced burnout—when our energy output far exceeds our energy inpu...

In this episode, I am joined by Mitch Blackford, a coach specializing in helping moms navigate the complex transition of motherhood and marriage, to talk about how you can go from roommate to romance.

Understanding the Challenges of Motherhood

Motherhood undeniably transforms a woman's life, presenting unique challenges that often lead to feelings of disconnection and overwhelm. Mitch shared her personal journey, highlighting how transitioning from woman to mom can strain a marriage. This transition often leaves women feeling "touched out" and emotionally drained, leading many to place their intimate relationships on the back burner.

The Importance of Intimacy

One of the primary discussions revolved around the critical topic of intimacy — and how motherhood can often make it seem like a distant concept. Mitch emphasized the commonality of feeling emotionally and physically exhausted, which can cause women to shy away from intimate connections, even though it's a vital part of ...

Strengthening Your Marriage With A Mindset Hack

Welcome back to another episode. Today, we are delving into handling challenges in your marriage through the power of curiosity. It's a mindset that can significantly impact your relationship, steering it away from unnecessary arguments and towards deeper understanding and connection.

Understanding the Impact of Past Experiences

A common challenge many couples face is the tendency to judge and criticize their spouse, especially when they come from a background where criticism was the norm. This mindset often leads to feeling misunderstood, defensive, and ultimately, it turns partners into adversaries. By addressing the root of these issues and adopting a mindset of curiosity, you can prevent the cycle of arguments and misunderstandings.

The Role of Curiosity in Conflicts

Curiosity allows you to step back and genuinely seek to understand your partner's perspective. Without curiosity, conversations can quickly devolve into battles of t...

Unlocking Your True Potential: The Importance of Knowing and Living by Your Core Values

Welcome back to another insightful episode of the Marriage and Motherhood podcast. In this special episode, I interview Kristen Odegaard, a life coach with a transformative approach to helping women discover their true selves. The discussion dives deep into the significance of identifying and living according to your core values.

The Power of Core Values

Understanding your core values can dramatically reshape your life. Core values guide decisions regarding time, energy, and priorities, helping individuals live more authentically and with greater intention. These foundational beliefs drive behaviors, decisions, and ultimately, personal satisfaction.

Navigating the Challenges of People Pleasing

People-pleasing is a big issue, particularly among women. Society and upbringing condition women to prioritize others' emotions over their own. It is critical to take responsibility for one's own...

Marriage and motherhood can be challenging, but achieving growth and improvement doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes, simple, foundational steps can lead to remarkable changes. Here, we're going to discuss a transformative two-step process that can rejuvenate your marriage, streamline your life, and help you become the parent you aspire to be.

Step 1: Establish a Vision

One of the fundamental questions I ask anyone considering working with me is: "What is it that you are wanting?" Many people struggle to articulate their desires, often focusing on what they don't want rather than what they do want. But without a clear vision, it's nearly impossible to see progress.

Your vision is not about psychic abilities but a crystal-clear picture of the future you desire. It includes every facet of life—your marriage, your parenthood journey, your personal development, your relationships, and your career goals. Having this vision simplifies decision-making. Anytime you're faced with ...