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Look... every couple struggles. You fight too much; you're bored; sex is either okay (or rare); maybe you're even considering divorce. OR... maybe your marriage is actually pretty good, but you want to go deeper. In this podcast, straight-talking marriage therapists Zach Brittle and Laura Heck tackle the most common complaints virtually every marriage experience. Along the way, they reveal the science behind strong relationships and talk about what's really going on for couples. Topics include conflict, communication, compatibility, money, sex, in-laws, infidelity, time-management, future dreams, and more. If you want relief? A deeper connection? A new way forward...? Then you've got to find out what's REALLY going on in your marriage. That's what this podcast is about. You can learn more about Zach and Laura, and their alternatives to traditional therapy at marriagetherapyradio.com.

Marriage Therapy Radio

Zach and Laura are joined by special guest Dr. Jeanne Michele https://drjeannemichele.com/, a relationship coach and author of The Infidelity Cure https://amzn.to/4g6QBSf. The trio delves into the complex topic of infidelity, exploring its emotional impact, the motivations behind it, and how couples can navigate the aftermath. Jeanne shares her professional insights, emphasizing the importance of understanding vulnerability factors that can lead to affairs and the paths to recovery for all parties involved: the betrayed partner, the involved partner, and the affair partner.

The conversation is rich with anecdotes, practical advice, and moments of levity, as Jeanne, Zach, and Laura reflect on the deeper needs driving infidelity and how couples can rebuild trust. From navigating the decision to disclose an affair to setting new boundaries and agreements, this episode offers a compassionate guide for those grappling with the complexities of betrayal and healing in relationships.

Key Takeaways:

Infidelity as a Crisis and Opportunity: Jeanne highlights how an affair, while painful, can serve as a wake-up call for couples to address neglected aspects of their relationship and potentially strengthen their bond.

Understanding Vulnerability Factors: External and internal factors, such as unmet emotional needs or personal insecurities, can create conditions where an affair might occur. Awareness and communication are key to mitigating these risks.

Navigating Disclosure: Jeanne and Laura discuss whether disclosing an affair is always necessary, emphasizing the importance of considering the motivations and potential impact of disclosure on the betrayed partner.

Healing Requires Individual and Joint Work: Rebuilding trust involves both partners reflecting on their values, setting clear boundaries, and working together to create a new, healthier relationship dynamic.

Support for All Parties: Jeanne discusses the importance of including the affair partner in the healing process, encouraging them to address their own patterns and emotional needs.

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Ep 350 Rebuilding Trust After Infidelity: Insights from Dr. Jeanne Michele

Zach and Laura kick things off with their signature banter, sharing personal stories from their week. Zach recounts his recent trip to Chicago, sharing about connecting with an old friend and nerding out about superheroes. Laura recounts her excitement about seeing Wicked with her son, reflecting on the joy of revisiting experiences that remind us to embrace wonder and connection.

As the conversation transitions, Zach and Laura tackle the nuanced topic of manipulation versus boundaries in relationships. What’s the difference between expressing your needs and attempting to control your partner’s behavior? They explore how manipulation often sneaks in when communication breaks down and how healthy, collaborative boundaries can strengthen relationships.

Laura opens up about a time early in her marriage when she used the silent treatment as a manipulative tactic to get her way. She admits, “I thought I was being clever, but really, I was just shutting my partner out.” Zach shares how guilt and unclear communication led to his own missteps in creating healthy boundaries. They explore common examples—emotional, time, financial, and physical boundaries—illustrating how small changes can lead to healthier dynamics.

The episode balances humor, personal anecdotes, and expert insights as Zach and Laura share practical strategies for recognizing manipulation, fostering intentional communication, and setting clear boundaries that honor both partners' needs.

Key Takeaways
Manipulation vs. Boundaries:

Manipulation seeks to control behavior by exploiting emotions, guilt, or fear.

Boundaries are clear, respectful expressions of needs and limits to protect well-being without forcing a partner’s behavior.

Recognizing Unhealthy Tactics: Examples of manipulative behavior include silent treatment, ultimatums, threats, love bombing, and triangulation (using a third party to create jealousy or tension).

Why Manipulation Happens: When couples fail to communicate boundaries clearly, manipulative patterns often arise out of frustration, fear, or avoidance of direct confrontation.

Healthy Boundaries Require Collaboration: Healthy boundaries are created through mutual agreement, clear communication, and respect for each other’s needs and limits.

Sponsor:
Get 10% off your first month at BETTER HELP by visiting https://betterhelp.com/marriagetherapy
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Ep 351 Manipulation or Boundaries?

Zach and Laura explore the complexities of transitions, nostalgia, and holiday traditions. Laura is feeling proud of her proud of her gym routine, even if her husband hasn't noticed. Meanwhile, Zach recounts nostalgic moments from a recent trip to his hometown, emphasizing how revisiting the past can offer clarity and a sense of grounding.

The conversation also dives into “sliding door” moments, those pivotal decisions that shape our lives. Laura reflects on turning down a high-powered job at Microsoft to pursue a life filled with love, adventure, and personal growth. Zach, on the other hand, ponders alternate paths and how they’ve led him to the life and family he cherishes today. This episode is a blend of humor, heartfelt moments, and meaningful reflections on how we embrace change and the lives we’ve chosen.

Reflections on Nostalgia Zach recounts a recent trip to his hometown, filled with memories of childhood friends, old haunts, and transformative moments that shaped his perspective.

Sliding Door Moments Both hosts reflect on the life-changing decisions they’ve made, from career moves to relationship choices, and how those decisions created the lives they now cherish.

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Ep 352 Nostalgia, Transitions, and Holiday Traditions

Zach and Laura reflect on their seven-year journey together as co-hosts. Laura announces her departure from the podcast, sharing her gratitude for the experiences, growth, and connections she’s gained along the way. The episode is filled with nostalgia, humor, and thoughtful reflections as the two discuss their favorite episodes, memorable guest moments, and lessons learned from seven years of talking about relationships.
Zach and Laura also look ahead to the new year, discussing resolutions, personal growth, and Laura’s plans to focus on her family and career. From New Year’s challenges to the importance of presence and connection, this final episode with Laura captures the essence of their partnership—insightful, warm, and filled with genuine camaraderie.

Key Takeaways

Reflections on Seven Years: Zach and Laura reminisce about their favorite episodes, guests, and moments of tension and humor that shaped their partnership.

New Year’s Inspiration: Laura discusses her plans to focus on intentionality and self-care in 2024, sharing ideas like daily walks in nature and seven-day challenges for personal growth.

Lessons on Relationships: The duo emphasizes the importance of communication, reflection, and making space for growth in relationships—whether with a partner, friends, or oneself.

A Message to Listeners: Laura leaves listeners with encouragement to continue focusing on their relationships and striving to be the best versions of themselves.

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Ep 353 Looking Back and Moving Forward: Laura’s Last Episode

Zach embarks on a new chapter as the solo host of the podcast following Laura’s departure. Reflecting on the past seven years, Zach expresses gratitude for the journey and shares his excitement for the future. He introduces fresh ideas, including new interviews, experimental formats, and thought-provoking content, all designed to continue the mission of helping listeners think differently about relationships while offering practical tools for growth.

Zach also outlines his vision for the podcast’s future, emphasizing his commitment to creating valuable and engaging content. He reflects on his own relationship, drawing on personal experiences to explore themes of growth, intentionality, and adaptation in partnerships. With humor, sincerity, and a forward-thinking perspective, this episode marks the beginning of a new era for Marriage Therapy Radio.

Key Takeaways

The Transition to a New Era

Zach acknowledges Laura’s departure and shares his determination to continue the podcast’s mission of fostering insight and connection.

He outlines upcoming content, including interviews with relationship experts and personal conversations with couples navigating marriage.

The Philosophy of "I Never Thought About It That Way Before"

Zach emphasizes the importance of encouraging listeners to see relationships in fresh and surprising ways.

He recounts a recent marathon therapy session where this approach helped a couple gain new perspectives on their partnership.

Practical Tools for Relationship Growth

Zach shares three foundational principles for building healthy relationships:

Do more of what your partner likes and less of what they don’t.

Ask for what you want and practice gratitude when you get it—or adaptability when you don’t.

Focus on self-improvement and show up as your best self in the relationship.

What’s Ahead for the Podcast

Zach teases upcoming content, including interviews with couples, collaborative “boat night” episodes, and a three-week series with a therapist specializing in complex trauma.

He invites listener feedback and encourages support through Patreon to help sustain the podcast’s growth.

A Message of Gratitude

Zach thanks listeners for their continued support and acknowledges the unique dedication it takes to invest in relationships and personal growth.

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Ep 354 Going Solo

In this first special episode of "So I Married a Relationship Expert", Zach and Laura sit down with Dr. Ellyn Bader and Dr. Peter Pearson, co-founders of The Couples Institute. This conversation dives deep into the dynamics of relationships, focusing on the developmental stages of couples therapy, the power of differentiation, and essential skills to strengthen partnerships. Known for pioneering the Developmental Model of Couples Therapy, Ellyn and Peter share invaluable insights into managing differences, fostering curiosity, and cultivating long-term relationship growth.

Topics discussed include:

The unique journey of Ellyn and Peter, from their chance meeting to building a thriving partnership and business.

Key relationship stages, including the often-overlooked "differentiation stage."

How curiosity and resilience are fundamental to a healthy, growing relationship.

The transformative power of mini-intensives and two-day intensives for couples, especially for entrepreneur couples.

Practical exercises for couples to manage conflict, deepen understanding, and support each other's dreams.

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Ep 355 Dr. Ellyn Bader and Dr. Peter Pearson

In this episode of So I Married a Relationship Expert, Zach and Laura get personal with Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt—relationship experts who don’t just teach about marriage, they live it. Get ready for an intimate look at the ups and downs of their own marriage. Spoiler: it wasn’t all smooth sailing!

Harville and Helen open up about the times they nearly got divorced—twice! At one point, they even had divorce papers ready to go. But what saved them? They teach couples the very same techniques around the world. You’ll hear how a random trip to a bookstore and a “zero negativity” experiment helped them find their way back to each other. Helen also shares a funny story about trying to "fix" Harville by reorganizing his books and closet—only to realize she was driving him crazy!

From learning to approach frustrations with curiosity instead of criticism to recommitting in a powerful New Year’s Eve ceremony, their journey is full of relatable moments and inspiring takeaways. It’s a beautiful reminder that even experts have to work on their relationships, just like the rest of us.

What You’ll Learn:

How Harville and Helen used their own tools to avoid divorce—twice!

The story of their “zero negativity” pact and how it transformed their relationship.

Why curiosity and asking your partner the right questions can change everything.

The power of recommitment—even after decades together.

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Ep 356 Drs. Harville Hendrix Ph.D. and Helen LaKelly Hunt Ph.D.

Zach and Laura interview Terry and Belinda Berman-Real, diving deep into their personal relationship dynamics and the lessons learned through years of couples therapy and individual healing. The conversation touches on themes of sobriety, trauma, recovery, and the power of relational healing.

Zach starts by sharing his journey through recovery and how it has influenced his marriage, while Belinda and Terry provide insights into their own marriage, particularly how they overcame significant challenges stemming from trauma and emotional reactivity. They discuss the importance of repairing relationships through honest, sometimes painful, confrontation and how they’ve evolved from fighting for survival to fighting for love and connection.

One of the major takeaways is Terry’s explanation of the concept of "harmony, disharmony, and repair," emphasizing that no relationship is free from conflict, but the key lies in learning how to repair after the inevitable disruptions. Belinda adds that their journey has been one of learning to regulate themselves and each other in ways that foster love and security, rather than reactivity and defense.

They reflect on the impact of their trauma histories and how these experiences not only shaped their early relationship struggles but also led them to profound personal growth. Throughout the episode, Terry and Belinda share real-life stories, making this episode a rich blend of personal insight and professional expertise.

Episode Highlights:

Sobriety and Growth: Zach reflects on his sobriety journey and how it has paralleled his growth as a partner, highlighting the importance of personal transformation in maintaining a healthy relationship.

Trauma and Its Lasting Effects: Terry and Belinda share how their childhood trauma impacted their early relationship, focusing on the process of moving from emotional reactivity to emotional regulation.

The Art of Repair: Terry introduces the idea of "harmony, disharmony, and repair," explaining that relationships aren't about avoiding conflict but learning to repair after conflict in order to strengthen connection.

Partners in Recovery: Belinda and Terry discuss how they see themselves as "partners in recovery," constantly working on themselves and their relationship to break free from their old patterns and build something stronger.

Fighting for Connection, Not Survival: The couple explains how their marriage has transitioned from fighting for survival to fighting for love, and the role that therapy, honesty, and self-awareness have played in that shift.

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Ep 357 Terry Real and Belinda Berman-Real

You're a fly on the wall as two marriage therapists discuss their most interesting and challenging cases. Zach Brittle and Laura Heck have spent thousands of hours with hundreds of couples helping them move toward a better marriage. 
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Introducing Marriage Therapy Radio

SPOILER ALERT: You can't. Conflict is inevitable and every couple struggles in their own way. Zach and Laura discuss common problems and ways to navigate through conflict successfully. Laura tells a disgusting story.
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Ep01 - How to Avoid Conflict

Zach and Laura reflect on the nature and impact of stress on a marriage. They provide some great insight into how to not let it be a divider but rather a point of connection and strength in your relationship.
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Ep09 - How to Manage Stress in Your Relationship

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