Send us a text Today is our 8th installment in our series on the Neuroscience of Connection where we answer the question "Am I reinforcing the behaviors that I like or dislike in my spouse?" Based on Dr. Amen's book "You Happier," this episode is a deep dive into the value of positive thinking toward our spouse and how to combat those negative thoughts that rip us apart. We'll give you three steps to overcoming negative thinking and discuss the amazing way our brains are wired to help us connect...
May 03, 2023•32 min•Ep. 66
Send us a text How you think determines what you say and how you act. Ultimately, how you think determines how you love. Nothing could be more important in your marriage than cleaning up your thoughts. In today's episode, we're going to dive into nine different negative thinking patterns that sabotage relationships, along with five keys that will set you free in your mind and bond you to your spouse. Based on Dr. Amen's best-selling book, "You Happier," this episode will dive deep into the most ...
Apr 25, 2023•34 min•Ep. 65
Send us a text Time is not just a way to discover the hour of the day, it's also a way to bond you closely in marriage. We often thing quality time is the most important. While it's true, it also holds that quantity time is just as vital if you want a thriving relationship. In today's episode, we're diving into the 5th installment of our series on the Neuroscience of Connection to focus on the value of TIME in marriage. We'll look at six keys to spending quality time together and how we can make...
Apr 18, 2023•31 min•Ep. 64
Send us a text Let's talk about the value of being assertive in marriage. Before we do, here are a few definitions of assertive: “The quality of being self-assured and confident without being aggressive to defend a right point of view or a relevant statement.” "A life skill that involves being able to express your thoughts and feelings in a confident, polite, and reasonable way.” Assertiveness in relationship is all about needs - meeting those of your spouse, and expressing those of yourself. Di...
Apr 11, 2023•34 min•Ep. 63
Send us a text We're in week three of our deep dive into the Neuroscience of Connection, and today we'll be talking about the power of communication. We've heard it said that "in the absence of communication, negativity fills the void." In marriage, the lack of communication is the death-bell for your relationship. So today, we'll be talking about the number one characteristic of good communication: Becoming an active listener! We're going to show you the eight typical bad habits of poor communi...
Apr 04, 2023•30 min•Ep. 62
Send us a text We're in Week 2 of our discussion on the neuroscience of connection (based on the book, "You Happier" book by Dr. Amen). We're talking about the eight keys to staying deeply connected to your spouse, and answering the question, "Am I reinforcing the behaviors I like or dislike in my spouse?" Last week we talked about the importance of taking responsibility in your marriage. This week we're talking about empathy. We're going to show you the latest research on empathy - how it devel...
Mar 28, 2023•31 min•Ep. 61
Send us a text We get jazzed about all the new research that's coming out on the brain and how our thoughts affect every aspect of our life, especially our relationships. In this episode, we're going to dive into the latest studies that show how marriages can be enhanced by understanding how our brains work. We'll be looking at Dr. Amen's recent book "YOU HAPPIER" and dive deep on the eight aspects of brain activity that can strengthen your marriage. You're going to like this one! Enjoy!...
Mar 21, 2023•34 min•Ep. 60
Send us a text As a married couple, you were made to energize each other. In today's episode, we'll discuss exactly how you can do it. We'll share the two key components that lay the foundation and the three characteristics that follow - all of which are qualities that God exhibits in His own nature. When we apply them to our marriage, great things happen! Enjoy.
Mar 08, 2023•27 min•Ep. 59
Send us a text We've got good news - you don't have to top fighting in marriage! Actually, fighting together will draw you together when you learn to do it the right way. In today's podcast, we're going to take a look at the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (coined by Dr. John Gottman) - four things that will destroy your relationship. But we're also going to share four keys to keep these evil destroyers far away. We're going to dive into some serious research-based information that will shine a ...
Feb 28, 2023•35 min•Ep. 58
Send us a text Join us as we interview our good friends, Zach and Andi Wooldridge, and they share how they've been able to balance a growing family, make it through a crazy military life, and manage a hectic schedule all while growing closer to each other in the process. Zach and Andi are a part of our Beauty In Battle Marriage Mentorship program, and today they're going to share some of the keys they've discovered that have helped them draw together in the midst of strain and struggle rather th...
Feb 22, 2023•40 min•Ep. 57
Send us a text We're excited about this special Valentine's Day edition of our podcast, as we've brought on an amazing couple who is a part of our Beauty In Battle Marriage Mentorship program. Tanner and Brittany Hoyt are former college athletes who got married, lived the dream life for almost five years, then moved away for business while having kids at the same time. They moved from Easy Street to Sesame Street and found themselves trying to hold on to their ever-increasing chaotic life. But t...
Feb 15, 2023•40 min•Ep. 58
Send us a text Who doesn't want a great sex life in marriage? Research shows the healthiest marriages are those who report having healthy, fulfilling, and frequent sexual engagement. In this episode, we dive into an online study of 70,000 people in 24 countries that revealed 13 keys to great sex. The researchers were curious about what might be different about couples who said that they had a great sex life, compared to couples who said that they had a bad sex life. Here's their findings - Coupl...
Feb 08, 2023•36 min•Ep. 56
Send us a text Huey Lewis sang about it. So did Celine Dion. But the power of love is not about the emotional pull we feel when we love another person. It actually carries intense spiritual and biological power that gives us strength beyond our normal capacity. In today's episode, we tackle the deeper meaning of "love" and how it can literally transform your genes when you are in a loving relationship with another person. We'll also show you what this looks like in a marriage back in Bible days ...
Feb 01, 2023•28 min•Ep. 55
Send us a text Last week we talked about best practices in marriage and gave seven things couples can do to help strengthen their marriage. This week we decided to bring on some friends of ours who model many healthy marriage habits that have allowed them to embrace a busy life while growing close together at the same time. Tune in and learn how laughing together draws you together, how to use celebration as a tool to draw you close, why communication is the lifeblood of relationship, and the nu...
Jan 25, 2023•40 min•Ep. 54
Send us a text One of the best things you can do if you want to accomplish a goal is to find others who have achieved what you would like to achieve and ask what some of their best practices are. This allows you to glean from their knowledge bank and apply it to your own situation. That's what we do in this podcast. We discuss seven "best practices" that we have learned from others and have applied in our own relationship and found them to be worthy of the title. Enjoy!...
Jan 18, 2023•27 min•Ep. 53
Send us a text You want a strong marriage, right? Well, the book of Philippians has some timely advice on how to make that happen. In this episode, we're going to dive into seven characteristics from Paul's letter to the Philippians and how his way of relating to them is a great example for us to relate to our spouse. Even though the dude wasn't married, what we can learn from the way he writes to this church will help our relationships immensely! Enjoy!...
Jan 11, 2023•26 min•Ep. 52
Send us a text A dream written down is a goal. A goal broken down is a plan. While this is true in every aspect of life, one of the areas which we often fail to have goals is in our marriage. So in this episode, we're going to talk about three specific goals that will help you connect deeper with your spouse. These three goals, when applied consistently, will foster the most healthy environment for your marriage to flourish. Happy new year!...
Jan 04, 2023•32 min•Ep. 51
Send us a text Before oneness in marriage, you need two-ness - two healthy individuals to make up one healthy marriage. But it's not always so easy, especially when the chaos of life hits. In this episode, we're going to look at four powerful questions you can ask yourself to help you become the best version of yourself. When you're the best you individually, you can be the best us relationally. Enjoy....
Dec 28, 2022•34 min•Ep. 50
Send us a text Intimacy is to "be fully known and fully accepted." God wants us to be intimate with Him, and He gives us the recipe on how to do it. The same way we connect with God we can connect with our spouse. And when we do, we'll experience a deep level of intimacy. But to be fully known you have to be willing to be vulnerable. To open yourself up so your spouse can "see it all." However, vulnerability must be met with safety in order for a spirit of full disclosure to take place. That's w...
Dec 13, 2022•30 min•Ep. 49
Send us a text On January 2nd every year, divorce attorneys and marriage counselors are overwhelmed with new business. January is often referred to as “Divorce Month.” Why? Because the chaos of the Holidays puts added stress on already unstable relationships. So what can you do to make sure this doesn’t happen to your relationship? That's what this episode is all about. We're going to give you four keys to connect this Christmas even in the midst of all the chaos! Let's dive in!...
Dec 01, 2022•27 min•Ep. 48
Send us a text Every relationship is about connection. But what do you do when you're disconnected? How can you connect once again and stay connected? That's what this episode is all about. We're going to share a secret that will keep you connected without a trace of disconnection. And the beauty is, it's so easy and fun! Tune in as we share this relational secret. And we'll even share with you our story of how we got engaged - it involved candlelight and a little "foot washing" ceremony (no jok...
Nov 23, 2022•25 min•Ep. 47
Send us a text Your presence is the greatest present you can give your spouse! But it's not easy, especially in a day when technology and busy schedules saps our focus and pushes us to the point of mental exhaustion. So what do we do? We can just give up and slide into a relational comfort zone or we can stop what we're doing, take control and do something about it. That's what we talk about in today's podcast. We're going to talk about two important keys to experiencing presence in your marriag...
Nov 16, 2022•31 min•Ep. 46
Send us a text Before oneness in marriage, there's "two-ness." You have to be individually healthy before you can be relationally healthy. The second greatest commandment echoes this when we're told to love others (our spouse) "as we love ourselves." A healthy life is the foundation for a healthy marriage. In today's episode, we brought in an expert to show us how we can be the best version of ourselves by thriving in our body, mind, and spirit. A former middle school teammate with Jason, Dr. Jo...
Nov 09, 2022•34 min•Ep. 45
Send us a text Have you ever gotten into an argument with your spouse and you felt like you were getting nowhere? We never have. Ok, so that's a lie. In those moments when you feel as though you're at an impasse, there's a surprising solution that will be uber-helpful for you. Tune in to check it out.
Nov 02, 2022•23 min•Ep. 44
Send us a text There are two types of marital conflict - the kind that can be resolved and the kind you have to live with. Solvable conflict relates to a specific situation or behavior. Unsolvable conflict is more about personality differences and underlying issues. Most conflict falls into the unsolvable category. But you don’t have to resolve these marital conflicts in order to thrive. Dr. John Gottman, a world-famous psychotherapist, said that after 40 years of research he found that using hu...
Oct 26, 2022•37 min•Ep. 43
Send us a text Did you know that Google spent millions of dollars on a research project that revealed the #1 characteristic of the best teams in their business? The good news for us is that their findings can help you immensely in your marriage. Dive in to find out what in the world we're talking about!
Oct 19, 2022•34 min•Ep. 42
Send us a text Every couple wants and needs peace in their relationship in order to become all that God designed them to be. But it can oftentimes be difficult to get there. In today's episode, we'll tackle five keys that will lead to peace in your personal and relational life, that ultimately leads to a marriage laced with tranquility. Based on Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, we'll dive into how the peace of God is determined by our peace with others and the practical ways we can get i...
Oct 12, 2022•39 min•Ep. 41
Send us a text Did you know that buried emotions never die? They show up in the strangest places and at the most random times often wreaking havoc on our closest relationships. Insecurities from the past, doubts about the future, fear of failure, overwhelming self-consciousness - all of these and more can creep their way into your marriage and hold you back from becoming the vibrant couple God made you to be. In today's episode, we'll dive into the two keys to properly dealing with emotions from...
Oct 05, 2022•32 min•Ep. 40
Send us a text Every human being was created to connect with others. This is even more so the case in marriage. But disconnection is the natural tendency in our sin-fallen world. However, there is a way to connect on a deeper level with your spouse - and it starts with being emotionally intelligent about where to look. In this episode, Tori will share three core "stances" we take to meet our needs and how understanding the one we predominately rely on is the key to connecting deeper with our spo...
Sep 28, 2022•30 min•Ep. 39
Send us a text God created you and your spouse to operate in very specific roles within your relationship. So long as you stay in your proper lane, all is well. But the minute one or both of you move outside your role, or even worse - you switch roles - it could be devastating to your marriage. Listen in as our familiar guests Eric and Rachel Beck talk about the roles we were designed to play, how we can function within those roles, and how to encourage your spouse when he/she is not operating w...
Sep 21, 2022•32 min•Ep. 37
