Home Podcasts What Healthy Couples Know That You Don't: Relationship Advice and Respect
What Healthy Couples Know That You Don't: Relationship Advice and Respect

What Healthy Couples Know That You Don't: Relationship Advice and Respect

Rhoda Sommer LCSW 173 Episodes Oct 7, 2026

This podcast offers relationship advice from psychotherapist Rhoda Sommer, who draws on over 35 years of experience working with couples. It covers topics like building trust, recovering from infidelity, and maintaining respect in relationships. The show aims to help listeners understand what makes relationships work and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Episodes

Is Your Partner Really the Problem? The Mental Health Work That Can Transform Your Relationship
Is Your Partner Really the Problem? The Mental Health Work That Can Transform Your Relationship Oct 7, 2026 45:09 Relationships help us grow up. That's one of the things I love about them, even though sometimes it's also one of the things we like the least. Our relationships hold up a mirror to us. They show us where we're generous and where we're selfish, where we're patient and where we're defensive, where we're good listeners and where we're already preparing our rebuttal before the other person has finish
Why you keep choosing the wrong people, the hidden trauma behind your relationship patterns
Why you keep choosing the wrong people, the hidden trauma behind your relationship patterns Sep 24, 2026 01:00:45 Have you ever looked at your relationships and thought, why do I keep ending up here? Maybe you keep choosing emotionally unavailable people. Maybe you become the caretaker, the pursuer, the one who works harder to make the relationship work. Maybe you recognize the pattern while you're in it and still can't seem to stop repeating it. What if some of the patterns you think are simply bad choices a
Why You Can't Always Control Your Emotions—and How to Change That
Why You Can't Always Control Your Emotions—and How to Change That Sep 9, 2026 56:33 What if being emotionally overwhelmed isn't a character flaw—and learning to regulate yourself isn't about becoming someone who never gets upset? What if self-regulation is simply learning how to find your footing again when life knocks you off balance? That's what makes self-regulation so important for our relationships and our own well-being. It is the internal ability to notice and manage our t
The Hidden Habits That Are Quietly Hurting Your Relationship (And How to Change Them)
The Hidden Habits That Are Quietly Hurting Your Relationship (And How to Change Them) Aug 26, 2026 50:30 Have you ever wondered why some people seem to grow through life's hardest experiences while others stay stuck repeating the same painful patterns? Most of us want healthier relationships, greater peace, and a stronger sense of purpose, but wanting change and creating change are two very different things. The truth is that transformation rarely begins with learning one more communication skill. It
What Shame Is Really Trying to Tell You: The Surprising Key to Healing Trauma and Finding Yourself Again
What Shame Is Really Trying to Tell You: The Surprising Key to Healing Trauma and Finding Yourself Again Aug 12, 2026 36:32 Shame is one of the most powerful human emotions. It can quietly influence the choices we make, the relationships we create, the risks we take, and even the way we talk to ourselves when no one else is listening. Unlike guilt, which says "I did something wrong," shame can leave us feeling like "something is wrong with me." And that belief can become a heavy burden to carry.
Why You Keep Having the Same Fight: Break the Relationship Patterns That Keep You Stuck?
Why You Keep Having the Same Fight: Break the Relationship Patterns That Keep You Stuck? Jul 29, 2026 57:12 Have you ever found yourself thinking, "Here we go again," as you and your partner repeat the very same argument, hurt feelings, or misunderstandings? Most couples don't struggle because they don't love each other—they struggle because they're caught in relationship patterns they don't even realize they're repeating. The good news is that patterns can be changed.
Falling in Love With AI? The Future of Love, Connection & Human Relationships
Falling in Love With AI? The Future of Love, Connection & Human Relationships Jul 15, 2026 45:03 What if the biggest threat to your relationship isn't another person—but a machine that's designed to understand you perfectly? In 2025, more than 300 AI companion apps were available, and the rise of AI relationships is accelerating far faster than most people realize. One study from the Institute for Family Studies found that roughly one in seven adults between the ages of 18 and 30 who were dat
Unlocking Empathy: One Path to Richer Relationships
Unlocking Empathy: One Path to Richer Relationships Jul 1, 2026 56:08 Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, acting as a cornerstone for meaningful relationships. It allows individuals to connect on a deeper emotional level, facilitating better communication and mutual respect. By stepping into another person's shoes, we gain insight into their experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Yet we seem to be losing our ability to have empathy f
How to Thrive in Relationships When Chronic Illness Changes Everything
How to Thrive in Relationships When Chronic Illness Changes Everything Jun 17, 2026 01:01:42 If you or someone you love is navigating chronic illness inside a relationship, this episode is for you. And even if you're not personally facing a health challenge right now, this conversation matters because at some point, almost every relationship will encounter stress, illness, aging, loss, or caregiving in some form. The question is not whether challenges will come — it's how we learn to face
Why Your Relationship Isn't Working: The Hidden Trap of Expectations, Neediness & Fantasy
Why Your Relationship Isn't Working: The Hidden Trap of Expectations, Neediness & Fantasy Jun 3, 2026 47:21 Most people don't enter relationships intending to sabotage them. They come in hopeful, open, and often deeply ready for connection. But beneath that readiness is a quiet architecture—unspoken expectations, emotional needs we may not fully understand, and a version of love shaped more by imagination than reality. Over time, that architecture can start to strain the relationship itself.
Unlocking Understanding: Thriving in Difficult Relationships with Personality Disorders
Unlocking Understanding: Thriving in Difficult Relationships with Personality Disorders May 20, 2026 35:53 Personality disorders represent a complex and often misunderstood realm of mental health. Characterized by repeating patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience, these disorders can significantly influence how an individual perceives themselves and interacts with others. Understanding these disorders is critical, especially when navigating difficult relationships with those affected. Thi
Unlock Lasting Desire: Secrets Revealed to Keep Desire Burning
Unlock Lasting Desire: Secrets Revealed to Keep Desire Burning May 6, 2026 46:52 Desire doesn't disappear because love is gone—it often gets buried under mental load, weariness or unspoken resentments.Sex is one of the most common areas where couples quietly struggle—and one of the least openly discussed. Improving your sex life often has less to do with technique and more to do with context. Careers are demanding, parenting is exhausting, bodies are changing, and emotional ba

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