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Intention Over Impulse For A Happy Holiday Budget | Amanda Christensen | #157
Holiday spending can feel like a tug-of-war between joy and debt. In this post, financial counselor Amanda Christensen and Dr. Dave Schramm share how to replace panic buying and last-minute chaos with calm, intentional budgeting. From lump-sum shopping to shared money scripts—like ‘I have what I need’—the guidance helps couples align their values, protect their relationship, and avoid holiday money stress.
Regulating Your Emotions As A Parent | Emotion Savvy Parenting | Alissa Jerud | #156
Parenting often feels like a sudden storm — calm one moment, chaotic the next. This post offers a practical path for parents: notice and name your emotions, pause instead of reacting, and use mindful tools (breathing, movement, self-care) to respond with clarity, not chaos. With the ART framework (Accept • Regulate • Tolerate), you build emotional agility — helping yourself stay sane and your children feel safe.
How The Enneagram and Mindful Awareness Strengthen Connection | Amanda Ford | #155
Personality frameworks are everywhere — but the Enneagram stands out for sparking honest, transformative conversation. In this post therapist Amanda Ford and Dr. Dave unpack how the nine core Enneagram types—combined with simple mindfulness tools like breathwork and emotional naming—help couples decode triggers, understand true needs, and replace criticism with compassion. The result: deeper empathy, smoother communication, and connection that lasts
How To Navigate Sexual Mismatch and Rebuild Intimacy | Dr. Jordan Rullo | #154
When desire changes, it's not always a signal of a failing marriage — it could mean safety or stress is in the way. In this episode, Dr. Dave and therapist Dr. Jordan Rullo explain why passion often stalls: brakes built from fatigue, biology, conflict or shame. They walk couples through a practical roadmap — diagnose blockers, drop pressure, schedule connection (not sex), and rebuild emotional safety, trust, and warmth.
How Grief impacts Indentity, Love, and Daily Life | Alexandra Carroll | #153
Grief isn’t a problem to fix — it’s a lifelong journey that reshapes us. In this post, grief advocate Alexandra Carroll explores how losing someone changes identity, marriage, parenting, and everyday routines. She shares why grief moves like a spiral, not a staircase, and offers compassionate practices — from honoring memories to creating ‘grief calendars’ — that help partners stay connected and protect emotional well-being through the hardest days.
How To Have Healthy Money Conversations | Dee Zimmerman | #152
Money stress doesn’t have to threaten your marriage. In this post, money coach Dee Zimmerman and Dr. Dave Schramm show how couples can transform financial tension into connection — by learning each other’s money history, spotting destructive patterns, using gentle-start conversations, and building shared rhythms for discussing spending and goals. These tools help turn numbers into trust, clarity, and shared vision.
Marriage Saving Program: Retrouvaille | Christina Morales | #151
Struggling marriage? The Retrouvaille program has helped thousands of couples rewrite their story — combining a discreet weekend retreat with follow-up sessions to rebuild communication, trust, and intimacy. Learn how this peer-led, faith-welcoming program offers real tools for couples facing distance, conflict, or crisis — and why many call it their last, best hope for a renewed marriage.
Life and Dating After Divorce | Amber Anderson | #150
Life after divorce can feel like learning to breathe underwater — every instinct flickers for the old rhythm. In this post, Amber Anderson shares a journey of clarity, boundaries, and quiet strength: navigating co-parenting without conflict, re-entering the dating world intentionally, and letting self-discovery and stability lead the way. If you’re rebuilding after divorce, this story offers hope, practical wisdom, and a roadmap to healthy new beginnings.
Relational Life Therapy | Kristy Gaisford | #149
Many couples slowly drift apart—not because of one dramatic betrayal, but through years of unmet needs, emotional withdrawal, and quiet resentment. In this post, therapist Kristy Gaisford introduces Relational Life Therapy (RLT): a method that stops blame cycles by building your own inner strength, setting loving boundaries, and responding with clarity instead of reactivity. If you’re tired of fighting old battles, this could be a path toward healing and real connection.
Marriage Ready: Why Premarital Education Matters | Dr. Jeremy Boden | #148
Marriage isn’t automatic — it’s built. In this article, Dr. Dave Schramm outlines how thoughtful ‘MarriageReady’ premarital education helps couples explore expectations, communication habits, finances, intimacy, and life-goals before the vows. With guided conversations, realistic assessments, and clarity on values, couples can start marriage with confidence, common purpose, and tools to handle challenges together.
Marriage with MS: A Wife’s Journey | Lindsay Kelly | #147
When her husband’s Multiple Sclerosis progressed and drained his memory and personality, Lindsay Kelly’s life flipped overnight—from stay-at-home mom to sole provider, caregiver, and mother of six. This raw, courageous story brings real insight into caregiver burnout, faith, and emotional survival. Her journey shows how love, boundaries, and hope can reshape a marriage in crisis—offering comfort and solidarity to anyone walking a similar path.
From Conflict to Connection: Mindfulness in Relationships | Annemarie Chereso | #146
Conflict doesn’t have to tear you apart — it can pull you closer. In this post, relationship coach Annemarie Chereso explores how mindfulness and self-awareness turn reactivity into responsiveness. By learning to pause, notice when your heart is closed, and choose presence over protection, couples can shift from fear-based tension to intimacy, trust, and deeper emotional safety.
Trigger Happy: A Candid Look at Emotional Reactivity | Jason Whiting | #145
In this revealing post, Dr. Jason Whiting explains why emotional reactivity — acting on hot feelings — often hides behind the mask of ‘brutal honesty,’ and how trust and intimacy suffer when truth becomes tangled with anger. Learn concrete tools like ‘negotiated timeouts’, self-care routines, and emotional self-regulation to move from reactivity to grounded honesty in relationships.
Unpacking Bad Marriage Advice | Monica Tanner | #144
Now’s the time to challenge tired relationship clichés. Monica Tanner, author of Bad Marriage Advice: 15 Myths That Are Keeping You Miserable, unpacks popular sayings like 'Happy wife, happy life' and 'Don’t sweat the small stuff.' She explains how these well-meaning ideas often backfire—creating resentment, imbalance, and stagnation—and calls for curiosity, collaboration, and early coaching to foster true connection.
Dating with Purpose: From Single to Successful Couple | Stacy Hubbard | #143
Dating is challenging, whether you're looking for casual connections or seeking a lifelong partner. In a recent episode of Stronger Marriage Connection, marriage and family therapist Stacey Hubbard shared valuable insights about healthy dating practices based on the renowned Gottman Method.
Betrayal, Infidelity, and Affair Recovery | Dr. Talal Alsaleem | #142
The statistics are staggering: while only about 30% of couples typically repair their relationship after infidelity, Dr. Al-Saleem's Systematic Affair Recovery Therapy approach helps 85% of couples find their way back to each other. This remarkable difference highlights why specialized treatment matters so profoundly when navigating betrayal's aftermath.
Four Keys To A Happier Marriage | Jeff Dew | #141
New research reveals the four pillars of marital happiness: commitment, protectiveness, shared religious attendance, and regular date nights. Dr. Jeffrey Du breaks down how these simple practices create extraordinary marriages.
Finding Love Through ALS | Lisa Valentine Clark | #140
Lisa Valentine Clark shares her extraordinary journey of love and resilience through her husband Christopher's battle with ALS, offering profound insights on how their marriage was strengthened through humor, sacrifice, and intentionally seeking joy amid terminal illness.
Discernment Counseling: For Couples on The Brink of Divorce | Dr. Steve Harris | #139
Considering Divorce or feel stuck in a marriage but unsure about divorce? Dr. Harris explains how discernment counseling helps confused couples find clarity: "Just because someone is thinking about divorce does not mean divorce is inevitable.” Learn how mixed-agenda couples can make confident decisions.
Transforming Conflict into Connection and Radical Forgiveness | Chad Ford | #138
Conflict is inevitable in marriage, but destruction isn't. Chad Ford shares how to transform fear-based reactions into opportunities for deeper connection. The goal isn't a conflict-free marriage, but doing conflict well.