Stronger Marriage Connection

Bölümler

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  How To Keep The SPARK Alive In Marriage | Dan Purcell | 194 14.09.2026 54dk

  We welcome back marriage intimacy coach Dan Purcell to talk about why couples drift into “roommate mode” and how to rebuild fun, friendship, and desire with small daily choices. We share mindset shifts and practical tools that help us create “our spark” on purpose, even in busy seasons with stress, kids, and routines. • Dan’s rebrand from Dating Divas to Date Your Spouse and the mission of strengthening marriages one date at a time • why fun and play fade after the honeymoon and ...
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  How Fear and Anxiety Sabotage Intimacy in Marriage | Sami Shun | 193 07.09.2026 54dk

  We sit down with licensed psychologist Dr. Sami Chun to make sexual intimacy easier to talk about and more honest to live. We trade myths and pressure for practical language around safety, excitement, and connection so couples can navigate desire differences without shame. • why defining “sex” upfront reduces misunderstanding and disconnection • Dr. Chun’s SEX acronym: safety, excitement, and connection • how anxiety and performance pressure shut down arousal • the fi...
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  Start With RELATE To Build A Stronger Marriage Connection | Sonnet Hintze | 192 31.08.2026 51dk

  We sit down with marriage and family therapist Sonnet Hinsey to talk about premarital education as prevention, not therapy for people in trouble. We break down the Five Love Languages, Gottman-inspired connection habits, and simple action plans that help couples stay close when the “in love” high shifts into real life. • why prevention work matters before conflict hardens into patterns • how RELATE and READY assessments create clarity and shared language • what keeps premari...
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  The Power of Pathological Positivity In Marriage | Dr. Paul Jenkins | 191 24.08.2026 57dk

  We talk with Dr. Paul Jenkins about a clear positivity model that explains why our brains swing between judging what is and building what’s next, and how that swing shows up in marriage. We walk away with simple tools that replace helpless frustration with choice, hope, and daily actions that actually change the tone at home. • Dr. Jenkins’ shift from traditional therapy to positive psychology after a humbling bankruptcy • Awareness precedes choice as a foundation for personal gr...
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  The One Relationship Skill Every Marriage Needs | Mike Elliott | 190 17.08.2026 1sa

  Men are often expected to be strong, successful, and dependable while receiving little encouragement to express vulnerability or ask for support. Relationship coach Mike Elliott joins Dave and Liz to explore how emotional awareness, presence, and feeling heard and seen can transform relationships. Mike shares his Relational Authority framework, the importance of strong support systems, and a practical tool couples can use to create greater safety and connection. Learn why lasting relationship...
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  Rebuilding Desire In Your Marriage | Vanessa Cushing | 189 10.08.2026 39dk

  Sexual intimacy can be a powerful source of connection in marriage, but shame, avoidance, unrealistic expectations, and differences in desire can quickly create distance. Licensed professional counselor and certified sex therapist Vanessa Cushing joins Dave and Liz to discuss desire discrepancy, performance anxiety, pornography, sexual trauma, and the importance of honest communication. Learn how couples can stop blaming each other, build emotional safety, and approach sexual intimacy as a te...
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  The Hidden Link Between Sex, Health, and Desire | Laura How | 188 03.08.2026 46dk

  Sexual intimacy can play an important role in emotional connection, relationship satisfaction, and overall well-being. Relationship therapist Laura How joins Dr. Liz Hale and Dr. Dave Schramm to explore sexless marriages, differences in sexual desire, and the physical and emotional benefits of a healthy sexual relationship. Laura shares practical insights for understanding desire, talking openly about intimacy, and making your marriage a greater priority. Discover how curiosity, intentional c...
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  Happy Hacks: 101 Practical Ways To Improve Happiness | Dave Schramm | 187 29.06.2026 50dk

  We flip the mic and let Liz and Rex interview Dave about his new book, Happy Hacks, and the science-backed habits that make joy more durable in real life. We dig into why happiness matters for marriages and families, how small choices build momentum, and why compassion and kindness are the glue of a stronger marriage connection. • why happiness is not toxic positivity and still involves choice through perspective • why Dave wrote a “hacks” book and how short, simple practices bea...
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  The Three Phases To Rebuild Trust After Infidelity | Bill Bumberry | 186 22.06.2026 1sa 2dk

  Discovering infidelity can be one of the most painful experiences a couple faces. In this episode, Dr. Bill Bumberry shares practical guidance and hope for couples navigating betrayal trauma and rebuilding trust. Drawing on decades of clinical experience and the Gottman Method, Bill explains the three key phases of healing after infidelity—atonement, attunement, and attachment—and offers actionable strategies for restoring safety, connection, and commitment. Whether you're recovering from bet...
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  Why Conflict Is A Cry For Safety And How To Respond | Kirsten Davidson | 185 15.06.2026 38dk

  We sit down with psychotherapist Kirsten Davidson to unpack why couples drift into disconnection and how Internal Family Systems therapy can help us lead ourselves with more clarity, compassion, and courage. We challenge the stories we tell ourselves in conflict, practice speaking from “parts” instead of blame, and lay out simple shifts that rebuild real connection. • assumptions driving communication breakdowns and unnecessary hurt • avoiding hard talks out of fear of the truth ...
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  Why Trying To Be Perfect Can Ruin Your Relationship | Andrea Dindinger | 184 08.06.2026 48dk

  We sit down with marriage and family therapist Andrea Dindinger to name the repeat fight loops that hijack connection and to practice simple ways to interrupt them before they turn mean. We walk away with concrete tools for calmer conflict, deeper intimacy, and more intentional partnership that ripples into the next generation. • naming the “loop” as the problem, not each other • spotting triggers and the deeper needs underneath them • using “bookmark” to pause conflict and...
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  Why Embracing Vulnerability Is Key To Rebuilding Trust | Josh Otani | 183 01.06.2026 55dk

  We sit down with therapist Josh O’Tani to talk about pornography use as a couples issue and why secrecy can wound a relationship as deeply as infidelity. We map the shame and anger cycle that keeps partners stuck, then share practical ways to rebuild trust through curiosity, empathy, and consistent repair. • Reframing pornography use as relational and systemic, not just individual behavior • Pornography as a coping strategy for difficult emotions and how avoidance spills into mar...
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  The Secret of Erotic Blueprints To Revive Your Marriage | Keeley Rankin | #182 25.05.2026 54dk

  Sexual intimacy changes over the arc of a long-term relationship, and treating every lull like a crisis often adds pressure that makes things worse. We talk with sex and relationship coach Keeley Rankin about how to rebuild closeness through curiosity, kinder communication, and a better understanding of what each partner actually desires. • Defining what “sexless marriage” can mean and why the couple’s definition matters most • Moving beyond frequency to sexual satisfaction and q...
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  A Strong Relationship Can Outlive Death | C. Ryan Dunn | #181 18.05.2026 1sa 18dk

  We talk honestly about grief, loss, and why love can keep shaping us even after someone is gone. We share research and real stories that reframe mourning as both painful and meaningful, then land on practical ways to build a relationship that strengthens you now and later. • why grief is complex across mind and body • what predicts higher grief levels in young widowhood • loss-oriented versus restoration-oriented coping • how relationship length and intimacy relate to ...
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  Rebuilding Intimacy In Marriage | Nick and Amy McKinlay | #180 11.05.2026 47dk

  We talk with Nick and Amy about how their marriage nearly ended, and how rebuilding emotional safety brought back real connection and passionate sexual intimacy. They share the simple habits and tools that helped them stop drifting, communicate about hard topics, and create the Ultimate Intimacy app to help other couples do the same. • their turning point after financial stress and burnout • why sex can stay frequent yet still feel disconnected • emotional safety as listeni...
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  Protecting Your Marriage During The Transition To Parenthood | Sean Brotherson | #179 04.05.2026 1sa 5dk

  We welcome Dr. Sean Brotherson to talk about the joys and pressures of becoming parents and how that transition can strain or strengthen a marriage. We share concrete ways to stay connected through fatigue, changing roles, and shifting intimacy while building the stability kids need most. • why the transition to parenthood feels so intense even with preparation • setting realistic expectations through education, planning, and honest conversations • protecting couple time wit...
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  How Emotional Closeness Builds Better Sex In Marriage | Chelom Leavitt | #178 27.04.2026 39dk

  We sit down with Dr. Chelom Leavitt to unpack why emotional intimacy is the strongest predictor of sexual wellbeing and what “feeling seen” actually looks like in a real marriage. We share science, stories, and simple daily practices that help us build trust, repair disconnection, and create a safer path to desire over time. • emotional intimacy as being known and accepted, including fears and weaknesses • why emotional connection shapes sexual satisfaction and long-term desire&n...
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  How Our Counterfeit Emotions Undermine Connection and Intimacy | Curtis Morley | #177 20.04.2026 58dk

  We sit down with Curtis Morley to learn how “counterfeit emotions” quietly disconnect couples and how authentic emotions build peace, clarity, and real intimacy. We dig into practical shifts like choosing curiosity over anger, honoring pain without turning it into misery, and removing shame so connection can grow. • Curtis’s origin story after divorce and the loss of his friend Jerry • Four criteria for spotting counterfeit emotions: connection, direction, motivation, valuation&n...
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  Reviving Intimacy in A Sexless Marriage: A Path Back To Connection | Ralph Brewer | #176 13.04.2026 57dk

  We sit down with Ralph Brewer to unpack what really sits underneath dead bedrooms, infidelity, and the quiet insecurity that many men carry into marriage. We talk straight about anxious attachment, “Mr Nice Guy” patterns, and how secure, connected couples protect intimacy by building a full life instead of clinging tighter. • Ralph’s turning point after discovering an affair and becoming a single father • why sex and intimacy become the biggest pain point for many men • anxious attachment pa...
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  How To Help the Next Generation Break the Dating Recession | Alan Hawkins | #175 06.04.2026 43dk

  In this episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection podcast, Dr. Dave welcomes Dr. Alan Hawkins to explore the critical issues surrounding the current state of dating, its impact on marriage formation, and practical solutions to strengthen young adults' dating skills. Understanding these dynamics is essential for fostering healthier relationships and addressing the broader societal trends influencing marriage today. Key Topics: The concept of the "dating recession" and its scope, including da...