Highly Sensitive, Happily Married
This podcast is for highly sensitive women who feel emotionally overwhelmed or reactive in their marriages but still want closeness and connection. Host Hannah Brooks, a marriage coach and HSP love expert, shares tools for regulating the nervous system, building emotional safety, and understanding emotional patterns. Through relatable stories and coaching, the show helps listeners shift their relationship dynamics from the inside out and move from overthinking, resentment, and anxiety toward a secure, deeply connected marriage.
Episodes
My Story: From Stressed & Reactive to Light & Loving
Have you ever looked at the life and relationships you have—and the ones you want to have—and wondered what it would take to actually feel the way you want to feel in them?I know that question intimately.When my boys were little, I knew I loved my family—but I was overwhelmed, reactive, impatient, and increasingly cut off from the light, loving version of myself I knew was in there somewhere. I di
2 Parts of You That Shape Your Marriage More Than You Realize
223 There are two parts of you that are always shaping your marriage, often far more deeply than you realize. So you want to really understand them –especially as an HSP. Together they are always deeply influencing how you feel in your marriage, and how you are interacting with your partner, for better or for worse.Although you can—and should—look at these two parts of yourself individually, they&
Feel the Love That's There: How Oxytocin and the Nervous System Connect
222 What if the problem isn't that the love in your relationship has faded—but that your nervous system and biochemistry is making it hard to experience the love that's there?We tend to think of connection as something that happens between two people. But connection is also an experience happening inside your body, and your internal state can profoundly affect how available you are to ex
The Problem With Always Working on Your Marriage
221 You already know that a good marriage takes work.But what if constantly working on your marriage can sometimes get in the way of it being good?For many highly sensitive women, taking their relationship seriously can easily turn into taking every problem, disappointment, unresolved issue, and imperfection seriously—more often than we need to.We think about what needs to change. We revisit the
Safety Is Contagious in Relationships
220 One of the most powerful ways to change your marriage begins with understanding how emotions spread in intimate relationships – and learning to use this on purpose to create an upward healing cycle between you and your spouse.Because just as fear, reactivity, and self-protection are contagious in relationships– bouncing back and forth between partners...So is safety.There is a way to tap into
Every Marriage Has an Atmosphere
219 What if one of the most powerful forces shaping your marriage is something you've never even thought about?Every relationship has an atmosphere. You can't see it, but you can feel it.It's the difference between walking into a home that feels light, warm, and easy to breathe in... and one where everyone seems to be quietly protecting themselves.The surprising part? The atmosphere
What Does Emotional Safety Actually Feel Like in Marriage?
218 What does a truly emotionally safe, loving marriage actually feel like…from the inside?In this episode, I invite you to step into an ordinary day inside what I call a Safe Heart Partnership: a relationship where you feel emotionally safe, deeply connected, genuinely cherished, and at home with one another—even when life isn't perfect.I want you to get a taste of what that really feels li
Why You Can't Relax in Your Marriage
217 Ever feel like you can never quite relax in your marriage—even when nothing is really wrong?Maybe a part of you feels like you have to manage the relationship all the time… or you're constantly noticing your partner's mood, his tone, how quickly he texts back, whether he seems distant, or whether the two of you still feel "okay." You aren't trying to overthink your re
The Hidden Control Trap: Why Good Women Push Love Away
216 (If you've been enjoying this podcast, and haven't yet left a review, please do so now! Thank you so much.) Sometimes control in relationships doesn’t look like "classic" control. And yet it still takes a real toll on the relationship. So this IS an episode for you whether or not you think you may sometimes be controlling.In it I share a story about a conversation with a fr
The Missing Piece to Transform Your Relationship as an HSP
215 If you’ve put real effort into improving your relationship…Like, tried communication tools, or mindset work, nervous system regulation, self-worth healing, or attachment work—or all of the above—and still find yourself feeling stuck in the same emotional patterns…this episode will likely land deeply.In the previous two episodes, we explored Emotional Agency and how your inner world shapes th
Why You Still Feel Unloved in Your Relationship as an HSP
214 If you’ve ever felt unloved, unseen, or emotionally unmet in your relationship…even while knowing your partner probably does care about you… this episode is a must listen.In the last episode, we talked about emotional agency and the 3 core layers that shape emotional well-being for highly sensitive people. In this episode, we dive much deeper into one of those layers, which tends to be one of
Emotional Agency 101: The Master Skill for HSPs in Relationships
213 If you often feel triggered, hurt by, or really impacted by what’s happening in your relationship, this episode will help you understand why–and what to do to leave this painful pattern behind.We’re talking about Emotional Agency — the master skill that allows highly sensitive people to guide their emotional experience, instead of being run by it.Most highly sensitive people were never taught
Start Here: Your Path to a Deeply Loving Marriage as an HSP
212 If you’re a highly sensitive woman new to this podcast, welcome — and if you’ve been listening for years, I’m so glad you’re here, too. With over 210 episodes, it can feel overwhelming to know where to start. That’s why I created this guided “Start Here” pathway — a curated order of episodes designed to help you feel calmer, more secure, and more hopeful in your relationship, and to give you t
A Seasonal Pause: What’s Coming Next and Why
211 Today’s episode is a little different — a quick note from me about some behind the scenes happenings! Right now, I’m in an important season: creating new material, new structure, and a clearer path for the kind of real, lasting change so many of you are longing for. Because real transformation happens with guidance, support, and practice over time, and I want to give you the very best of that.
The Sensitive Love Revolution (Revisited)
210 High sensitivity is not a weakness in relationships — it’s a powerful advantage. In this foundational episode, you’ll discover why highly sensitive people (HSPs) are uniquely wired for deep emotional intimacy, authentic connection, and meaningful closeness in marriage. (This is a completely remade episode revisiting an old topic)But many sensitive women are told they’re “too much” — too emotio
Subtle Defensiveness Spotting
209 (Great to share with your spouse) Why does defensiveness show up so quickly in your marriage—especially when you, as an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) wife, are trying to express hurt or something you're unhappy about? And why does it often sound calm, logical, and completely reasonable — and still feel like it erodes intimacy? In this episode on subtle defensiveness spotting, we break do
How I Stopped Letting Annoyance and Irritation Hurt My Marriage
208 Ever feel easily irritated or annoyed with your partner and wonder what it means about your relationship? Ever thought, “Why is everything that my partner’s doing bothering me lately?”or “Does this mean something is wrong with us?” If so, I've been there too, and this episode is for you.In it, we explore why feeling irritated in your relationship doesn’t mean anything is wrong, how chron
Why “Talking It Out” Often Makes Things Worse (Especially for Sensitive People)
207 If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation with your partner feeling more overwhelmed, more disconnected, or more upset than when you started — this episode is for you.In this conversation, we explore why so many well-intentioned attempts to “talk things through” actually escalate conflict instead of resolving it — especially for highly sensitive people.You’ll learn what’s really happening
Why Traditional Marriage Advice Often Fails Highly Sensitive People
206 If you’ve ever read a marriage book, heard some relationship advice that seemed logical, or sat in a therapy session and thought, "Why is this so much harder for me than it seems to be for everyone else?"—there is a biological reason for that.Today we dive into what that is, and why a lot of traditional marriage advice just doesn't work for us as highly sensitive people. The tru
The Acceptance Switch: Humanity Over Perfection
205 Why does unhappiness and irritation so often sneak into even the most loving marriages? Usually, it’s through the silent killer of connection: non-acceptance.In this episode, we’re diving deep into the "Acceptance Switch"—that internal shift that moves us from judging our partner’s flaws to making peace with their full, messy, human selves. I share the raw truth about my two marriag
Developing Your Sensitivity For A Better Marriage
204 Developing your sensitivity, instead of overcoming it, may be one of the best things you can do for your marriage. We HSPs often think of ourselves as “too sensitive”, but actually, our sensitivity is the very thing that can make our marriages richer and better than any others on earth!I often talk about how ”working with” your sensitivity is quite key to your happiness in love– and your whol
Relationship Compare and Despair
203 "That couple is just so in love…so much more than we are!" "How come we can’t communicate like that?" "What's wrong with our relationship that my husband doesn't look at me like that?" Ever sounded like that in your head? Ever compared your relationship, or your spouse, to other couples or spouses…and then felt even more unhappy about your relationship
Soft And Strong; The Magic Combo For Lasting Love
202 Want to make sure you aren't settling for unfair treatment, letting your partner's hurtful behavior fly, passively just “taking” your partners rudeness, or being a doormat? Want to stand up for yourself and proactively make sure you get the BEST treatment from your spouse, not just the scraps? Ever wondered if what I share on this podcast lets your spouse get away with too much? This
People Pleasing; An HSP Tendency With Todd Smith
One of the common behavior patterns we HSPs can be prone to is people pleasing – or partner pleasing! Interestingly, on the surface people pleasing seems lovely, it can wreak real emotional havoc and really hurt our intimate relationship over time. Today my special guest, Todd Smith, a highly sensitive person and host of the podcast, Stress Management for Highly Sensitive People, and I are going
A Habit of Forgiveness
200 I have developed a habit of forgiveness over the years in my marriage. And today I want to tell you about it and why it has saved my marriage–and my own heart– over and over. Forgiveness is so easily misunderstood. I share about how I was confused about it, too, and how, in the past, this led to stopping myself from forgiving things my husband has done that felt hurtful to me. But, luckily,
The Resentment Resolution Formula
199 Resentment, grievance, and blame: these are not easy things to move past in our intimate relationships, especially, when it feels like your partner has piled on many little – or big – hurts, transgressions, and wrongdoings over the course of your relationship.Resent and blame come very naturally to us as humans, so if you feel them, you are oh-so-normal. AND, they are keeping you locked out o
Caroline’s Story: Believing The Relationship You Want Is Possible
198 To make your relationship better, it's absolutely essential to BELIEVE it is possible to do so. That's why I love sharing about the changes my clients see when they work with me: it helps you believe you can also make your relationship better, too! But it's even more helpful and inspiring to hear directly from these women themselves. So here's Caroline! Get ready to feel s
18 Counter-Instinctual Ways To A Love-Filled Marriage
197 One of the reasons so many marriages and relationships are not as good as they could be, or are really quite painful, is that we tend to approach our relationships in instinctual ways. Since instinct often comes not from our inner wisdom (that intuition’s role), but from our inner protective patterning and our cultural conditioning, following our instinct in our relationship can often slowly –
Active Hope VS Passive Hope
196 Hope comes in various flavors. Some of them promote better relationships, and some drag them down. Hope can leave us helpless to change things, OR make us powerful agents of change in our marriages (and other areas of our lives, of course).Today you will hear about the 2 kinds of hope that don’t help, and the 1 kind of hope that makes ALL the difference in your marriage–and in being able to ma
“Why Do I Have To Be The One To Work On Our Relationship?"
195 This may be one of the most important episodes you will hear to make your marriage the one you want it to be. Especially if, like so many women, you wonder “Why should I be the one to do the work on our relationship?” Or you feel burdened or resentful that you seem to be alone in working on your marriage. Or if it just seems unfair that a lot of relationship advice is directed at women, when m
Reverse Sexism In Relationships
194 Today we are shining light on an almost funny thing that goes on deep under the surface in us women, which can really cause rifts, pain, and unnecessary suffering in our marriages to men: What I am calling Reverse Sexism in relationships. What is that, you may wonder? Tune in to find out. You will hear many examples of it, both how it has shown up in me personally, and my clients, too. You’ll
Where Your Feelings Really Come From
You shape your emotional experiences SO deeply. Even if you can’t see it now, even if it feels like your partner is the main shaper of how you feel in your relationship, even if it seems like you are often emotionally at the effect of the world. YOU, in fact, are the #1 source of your own emotions.This is the best news EVER. Because it means you have so much more power over how you feel in your r
Emotional Delegation 101
192 If there has been one major underlying concept that I have woven into nearly every episode of this podcast, it is the concept of emotional delegation (or its opposite, emotional agency). BUT I’ve never made a podcast episode solely dedicated to making sure you understand this concept. So today is the day! I made this episode to clearly define emotional delegation for you, and help you see how
Vulnerability: The Key To Great Communication And Love
191 Vulnerability is the secret magic sauce that makes for the best, most connecting communication in your relationship– and today you are going to learn all about it!You’ll hear:What vulnerability actually isWhy it is so magic in relationshipspecific examples of what communicating vulnerably looks like, along with when to lean into using it, Why you may not be being vulnerable when you most need
QUIZ: Are YOU At All Dysregulated?
190 I made you a special short quiz to determine the level of dysregulation in your unique nervous system. (This episode goes hand in hand with episode 189, so I highly recommend listening to it first, or after you take the quiz.)Why should you take it? Because as highly sensitive people (and really, as just regular human beings on this planet in these modern times), our nervous systems are often
Caretaking Your Sensitive System for More Love 2.0
189 (This episode goes hand in hand with episode 190) Being a highly sensitive person obviously means we are more sensitive than others. This has real ramifications in our love lives— both wonderful and challenging. Listen in to this VERY revised (almost totally new) version of an older topic, where you will learn that, luckily, you can support your sensitive self in ways that amplify the best p
Psychological Boundaries For More Closeness
188 Developing healthy boundaries is an absolutely essential part of having a great intimate relationship, especially as highly sensitive people.They are a way to take care of yourself, each other, and the relationship. I teach 3 types of boundaries, and today we are diving into the 2 psychological, or energetic types of boundaries: Protection boundaries, and containment boundaries. (Please list
The 4 Main Areas To Focus To Bring Connection Alive in Your Relationship
187 If you want a great–or even just good– marriage, you of course want to feel close and connected to your spouse. When you and your partner have that going for you, it’s one of the best feelings ever! But even if you're not feeling that way these days, there is a LOT you can do to receive and deepen the connection and closeness in your relationship (in almost all cases).It can take a lit
Cuddle Up For Connection
186 In this episode, you will learn about one very powerful, but simple, way to generate emotional connection and strengthen all realms of your relationship.Words and great verbal communication can really add to the closeness you feel in your relationship, but they are absolutely not the only way to deepen connection. In fact, there is plenty of research that shows the power of physical touch to
The Role Of Respect In Marriage
185 Every marriage needs a foundation of respect to thrive. Yet, in so many marriages, there’s a lack of respect. Studies show that men, especially, feel its lack, which tends to take a big toll on the sense of love and connection in that relationship. Why is this so common? Well, for one, it does not always come naturally to be respectful. And, as women, we may sometimes shy away from giving our
Making a Habit of Love Without Conditions (Revisited)
This episode is one of the -- if not THE-- #1 most essential episode of this podcast, if you want to have a loving, connected lasting marriage. SO important I'm updating and re-publishing it so you can listen again--or for the first time. Most of us limit ourselves (unconsciously, of course!) from feeling as much love as we could in our marriages. We therefore not only miss out on all the lo
The Power Of The Pause In Intimate Relationships
183 This episode is for everyone in an intimate relationship —especially if reactivity is ever an issue, or if you ever find yourself in sticky, difficult, or heated interactions with your spouse– or you just want to communicate and relate even better!You will learn one of the most essential skills you can develop to make your relationship strong and loving: The Pause. Being able to pause is imm
The 3 Simple Things You Must Be Able To Do To Have A Great Marriage (Revisited)
182 The ESSENCE of what it takes to have a good – even GREAT – marriage is not complex – it's actually very simple. In this episode, I boil down EVERYTHING I teach my clients to do–and everything I have done to make my marriage the amazing loving thriving one it is– into the 3 things you must do to have the same. Just 3! Because I want you to see how simple it really is. That said, DOING them
The HSP Time-Out (Don’t Live Or Love Without It)
181 If you sometimes find yourself overwhelmed, triggered, emotionally overloaded, or reactive in conversation (or conflicts) with your spouse, this is a must listen episode.In it, I want to introduce you to a key thing to do (a tool I don’t want ANY HSP to live without), broken down into 4 simple steps, so you can get back to navigating that charged moment or conflict with grace, sensitivity,
How To Argue Better; 9 Ground Rules For Smoother Conflict
180 Most, if not all, couples argue. Even when their relationship is very healthy. So if you and your spouse find yourself mired in the occasional --or even more regular -- conflict, it doesn't mean it’s detrimental to your marriage, and it doesn't have to be painful…In fact, conflict can actually be an important part of growing a more deeply intimate, connected and supportive marriage.
Update and Announcements (How to Make the Most of the Podcast)
179 Things are changing around here going forward. What will it mean for you? How can the podcast (now a vast library!) be even MORE helpful going forward?Listen to this short episode to hear what to expect and how the changes will affect you – and how you can make the most of the podcast and my support to make your marriage great going forward.I will give you a few very specific and practical su
Is It Time To Leave Your Marriage? How To Know
178 If you're unhappy enough in your marriage to be questioning if you should stay or go, you probably feel uncertain, confused, afraid. You're too scared and unsure if it's the right thing to do to actually leave, but you also know you don't want to go on living like this with your spouse. What if your spouse CAN improve? What if you CAN connect in the deeper ways you want? W
How Highly Sensitive People Can Feel More Fulfilled in Their Relationship
177 There are three major things I learned from my first marriage ending in divorce that have allowed me to create an amazing fulfilling marriage with my second husband. And they have to do with understanding my sensitivity so much better. As I've worked with hundreds of other highly sensitive women, I've noticed the struggles I had in my first marriage echo so many of the struggles the
Internal Overstimulation in Sensitive People
176 When things are feeling less connected, loving and supportive in your relationship than you want them to as a highly sensitive person, there is an excellent chance a lot of it is coming from chronic dysregulation and emotional overload. In other words, stress. As Hsps, it is hard to NOT feel overstimulated or stressed in our modern lives. I’ve recently shared a fair amount about how this lea
Ending Hurt In intimate Relationships
175 Ever felt that stinging (or punch-in-the-gut) feeling when your partner says or does something hurtful? Or maybe it’s something he doesn't do that leads to you feeling like he just doesn’t care. Like you don’t matter. Like you aren’t loved.Normal for everyone, for highly sensitive women and deep-feeling women, this is extra oh-so-common. It may very well be true that your partner could b
Un-Walk-Over-Able: How To Not Be A Doormat (Revisited)
174 This is a slightly revised episode, updated and re-released because of its importance! Here’s to not tolerating mistreatment, and how to begin the process of influencing your partner to treat you best! As modern women, we’ve been encouraged to not let ourselves be “doormats” in our relationship with our significant other. And we want to be strong, to not tolerate criticism or unkind treatmen
4 Quick Hacks To Get Back To Calmness, Ease, And Lightness
173 Releasing this one early to help you reduce any Thanksgiving related stress! We have a TON of sway over how we feel on a daily, hourly, and even minute by minute basis–-as well as on our ability to connect in the deepest, sweetest, most loving ways with our loved ones. So very much of this comes down to which part of our nervous system is activated at the moment, and knowing how to activate t
How To End Division, “Bad Othering”, And Emotional Dysregulation In Marriage (And The World)
172 If there was one thing I could shout out from the rooftops right now to help all intimate relationships –and really all of humankind and our very planet– what I share in this episode would be it. It is that important. Have you ever felt a sense of your spouse being “against” you, almost like they’re an enemy, a nemesis, a “bad guy” at moments, if not much of the time? If so, you are FAR from a
Bonus: Foundations of Emotional Well-Being For HSPs
As a sensitive or deep feeling person, your nervous system is more reactive. This matters. Because, importantly, your nervous system is the foundation of not just your emotional well-being, but also your relationships well-being— or it’s lack of well-being! A chronically overstimulated, stressed out nervous system (which, let's face it, most of us have in our modern world, especially as HSPs)
Editing Yourself In Your Relationship
171 If you've ever felt AT ALL uncomfortable to express yourself in any way in your relationship, this episode is for you. Because, even if you want a loving affectionate marriage, a weird thing may happen that I’ve seen again and again with women I've worked with (and I’ve done it myself, too!) :You may edit your loving impulses, stop yourself from expressing in certain ways the love yo
7 Tips For When Self-Reflection Feels Painful
170 If you have any chance of having a great –or even just a decent– marriage, there will inevitably be times in your relationship that you need to take a look at your self and how you are approaching your relationship. To self-reflect and take ownership of the ways you are contributing to a less-than-great relationship.Even if you know how essential this is for making positive changes and having
Being Who You Want To Be In Your Relationship (Revisited)
169 This is the first in a re-boot of some of the most essential episodes of the podcast that I will be releasing occasionally. Whether you’re newer to the podcast, or if you’ve listened to every episode, this one is a must listen (or re-listen). Because often, as humans, we go about trying to improve our marriage backwards: we're more focused on changing our partner than changing ourselves.
Deeper Intimacy "Vitamins"
The connection and closeness we so deeply want with our partner can dissipate for a variety of reasons, but often it comes from a slow hardening of our hearts towards our spouse in response to the arguments, the many moments of irritation, or the mistakes we feel they are making, and the disappointment we feel from it all.If that resonates at all (or you are simply tired of feeling disconnected wi
Dreaming Together For More Connection
167 You want to look forward to your life with your significant other into the future. Imaging a bright future with each other is part of what keeps a relationship vibrant and alive in the present. An important (and sometimes overlooked) piece of that is spending time dreaming into that future together with your spouse. Sharing and supportively working towards both your personal dreams and your d
How To Get Your Spouse To Help More Around The House
Many women I talk to feel as though their husband doesn't contribute enough domestically, like with the household chores like dishes, laundry, etc, or with the kids. If that is going on at all for you, you probably feel resentful about it, and a sense of burden at having to do the lion's share of the domestic load. Who wouldn’t?!This episode will change that, and help you get your partne
Resting For Better Love As A Sensitive Person
165 If you are tired, as so many women–and especially highly sensitive women—are these days, then it IS affecting your relationship – for the worse. When we are tired, depleted, or burnt out, we HSPs tend to feel especially burdened, irritable and even resentful. And unfortunately it is just so easy to get tired, depleted or burnt out in our modern lives with all the societal and real-life press
How I Used My Own Advice To Move Out Of A Hard Time In My Marriage
164 All marriages have ups and downs. It's in large part how you handle the downs that determines the overall quality of your relationship, and whether it grows more deeply loving and stays that way, or it disintegrates.In this episode I candidly share how I recently applied my own coaching teachings to my own marriage during one of those harder times (when I was feeling like my husband wasn
The Practice of Great Relationship
163 Understanding this one thing about relationships can truly make or break your marriage:What we practice grows stronger. And in our relationship, we are, consciously or unconsciously, always practicing. We practice having arguments, or finding our way to a solution. We practice reactive communication, or choosing to communicate more consciously, we practice repulsion or we practice attraction
Annual Relationship Rejuvenation
162 Today you'll hear about one of the big things my husband and I do once a year that just lights up our marriage–it’s like a total connection, attraction, and intimacy rejuvenator for us. And it can be for you, too.Although usually the most important work you can do in your marriage is about small actions and changes made on a regular basis, I’ve found that there are some bigger things you
A Quick Boost of Fondness And Love
161 Today is a quick dip into an absolutely ESSENTIAL part of building and maintaining a great relationship with your significant other: consciously fostering fondness of them. (You’ll do it in just 5 minutes!)And yes, you CAN absolutely feel more warmth, admiration and love for them on purpose, and build in more of all the good stuff between you and your spouse.A solid body of research about wha
7 Keys To Hold Your Spouse Accountable
160 A common question I have heard from women I work with is, “How can I hold my partner accountable?” And the internet is full of people saying we need to hold our husbands accountable. But what even does that really mean when it comes to an intimate relationship? And how do you actually do it? That’s what you will learn here today.The truth is, “holding someone accountable” can be an important
Backfiring Tactics 2.0 – Power-Over Dynamics
159 Almost all of us instinctively approach our intimate relationships in mixed ways: ones that generate more loving intimacy and harmony, and ones that drive division and pain, which I call the Backfiring Tactics. To have the marriage you want, it will take cultivating more of the first, and minimizing those Backfiring Tactics. This is always one of the very first things I help my clients do, a
When Your Spouse Isn't Showing His Love For You
If you don't feel your partner loving you, or sometimes your partner’s supposed love isn’t matched by his actions, this episode is for you.Women often share with me that this is a common experience for them, and they are hurting because of it. And without some insight into what is really going on in these instances, their relationship just feels worse and worse over time. I don't want th
Micro-Repairs and Re-Directs For a Better Relationship
157 There are many “micro” things you can do on a regular basis to keep your relationship strong (and so you don't need larger “interventions” that take a lot more time and energy in order to get things back on track). And a very important one? Micro repairs. Today we dive into just how to make them, as well as how to make micro re-directs that will help stop a downhill-heading interaction i
How To "Hold Space" For Your Spouse
156 An episode for both you and your spouse, especially if communication isn’t always the easiest thing between you or if one or both of you ever feel misunderstood or unheard. If you want to give your marriage the best chance to be the fulfilling connected one you want–the NEW marriage we talked about last episode– and your partner the very best chance to be the loving, supportive one you want,
The Emerging New Paradigm of Marriage
155 Sometimes you hear something that changes everything, and puts you in a state of mind that leads to finally being able to bring a big dream to life. This must listen episode may very well be that for you. Because if you are like most of the women I talk to and work with, you want a new level of intimacy with your spouse: a real partnership that is tender, connected, deeply supportive and nur
Other People's Opinions of Your Marriage
154 Other people in your life ( friends, family members', and even professional "authorities" in your life) are going to have opinions on your spouse and your relationship, and they may share them with you. If you don't know how to handle this well, you may end up making things even harder in your relationship.As highly sensitive people it can be all too easy to let our oth
The End Of Male Bashing; The Start Of Better Loving
153 As women, we often go to our friends and other people in our lives when something isn't going as well as we want with our partner, or when an issue comes up. And it’s only natural to want to get support that way. But, it is all too easy when we do that to fall into the toxic trap of griping, venting and male-bashing — even WITH the big sensitive conscientious hearts we tend to have as H
Interest Overlap (For More Connection)
152 Not feeling as connected as you want to with your spouse? Feeling like you're not on the same page much these days, or you have sort of evolved AWAY from each other? I have been there and it doesn't feel good. But there is a way back that’s simple and straightforward. In this episode, you’ll hear a great remedy to bring more connection into your marriage–in ways BOTH you and your p
A Little Drop Of Lightness
151 Most of the highly sensitive women I talk to mention wanting their relationship to feel "lighter"-- easier, more carefree, more warmhearted. And that IS a place where a lot of joy can be found in our intimate relationships--if we can access that lightness. . .The challenge is, as HSPs, we can tend to take things pretty seriously. Not a bad thing, by any means, but it can make it
Listener Relationship Questions Answered
150 I put out a call to you listeners for questions, and today I am going to answer three of them!All three highly sensitive women’s questions are very relatable and have a somewhat similar theme:How to handle being bothered by things their spouse does or ways he is, so they can feel better AND work with their spouse effectively in these situations. Specifically (but with a bit more detail).Ella
From Feeling Alone To Being a Loving Team in Marriage; Kathy’s Story
149 After 32 years of marriage, and the help of many different marriage counselors, Kathy was looking at apartments and thinking of a future without her husband.She just could hardly imagine being happy with him again. Nor did he seem interested in getting help for his side of the issue they had between them.But, after just a week or two of starting her work with me, not only did she start to
How Perimenopause Can Be The Most Powerful Time To Grow Closer As A Couple
148 If you're a woman between the ages of 35 and 55, you are going to want to catch this episode–and bring your spouse! Because this is a big transitional time for women and couples of this age range. And, even though the hormonal shifts that happen during this time have a bad rep, they actually bring along with them a big opportunity to grow the love, supportiveness, connection in your marr
BONUS: Relationship Coaching for HSPs FAQ's
If you are at all curious about or interested in what coaching can do for you and your relationship, or even what it IS, this bonus episode will help clarify that, and what my specific version of it, for highly sensitive people, is all about. Since I have changed a few things over the years in what and how I offer marriage coaching, I wanted to update you about those changes as well as help answe
From Walled-Off to Connected and Affectionate; Gina’s Story
147 Gina, a client who worked with me in Treasured, had been totally disconnected from her husband and lonely in her marriage for 20+ years. The connected intimacy we love as sensitive people? There wasn’t any of it. She wasn’t sure she could change things much after all those years, or how totally disconnected they were, but she was clear she didn't want her life to feel that way forever,
