Jim and Maureen Otremba join the show to discuss how couples could use the Easter Triduum to strengthen their marriages. They also talk about the importance of charity in marriages. And then they take questions about marriages. Listener questions: Sarah: I have a friend whose husband does not respect her. How can I respect her and support her? Michelle: My husband and I stopped having sex and it's impacting us negatively. What can we do? Erica: I've been having a situation with my husband. I am ...
Apr 14, 2025•49 min
In addition to respect, acceptance, trust, affection, and words of affirmation, Doug continues to unpack men’s emotional needs including intimate fulfillment, physical desire, honesty, security, prioritization, and support. PLUS: The Friday Rant! Listener questions and comments: Sarah - I'm single and I wanted to be married and have children. Why would God want me to not be married? (20:28) Mary - I am pregnant and my husband doesn't want the help of a doula, a certified person who could help wi...
Apr 11, 2025•49 min
Do your kids learn more about what you say or what you do? Today, Monica Hinderer joins Doug to discuss things kids notice about adults without the adults being aware of it. Listener questions and comments: Teresa - My son is 30 years old, but when he was 7 years old, I was fighting with my husband and said quietly 'I hate you' about my husband. My son was not happy. (18:53) Teresa - Our communication with our children can build them up or break them down. My mom always compared me to other chil...
Apr 10, 2025•48 min
Doug unpacks men’s emotional needs in relationships including respect, acceptance, trust, affection, and words of affirmation. Listener questions and comments: Edward - I think men's emotional needs are fulfilled with physical intimacy. (9:30) Mary Alice - What do you do when your husband is bragging about you in public, but not at home. There's verbal abuse, almost like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. (19:51) Jack - I'm dealing with an adult son who’s 30 years old and his fiancé was criticizing him in...
Apr 09, 2025•49 min
Doug shares a story from Impossible Marriages Redeemed by Leila Miller. After 20 years of her husband’s lies, infidelity and pornography addiction the wife in this case knew that divorce was not an option. While this wife wanted to run the other way, she realized that her husband needed healing and conversion. The husband committed to sobriety and the wife committed to forgiveness. Doug stresses the importance of working hard at your marriage every day while relying on the grace of God to live a...
Apr 08, 2025•48 min
Doug and Monica Hinderer give advice on childhood emotions and discuss the importance of stressing that the intellect controls the emotions and it is critical to teach children to think the right way. Doug and Monica also share what to do if you were raised in a highly critical home and give tips for what to do if you are in an abusive relationship. Listener questions and comments: Jack – I was raised in a very critical and negative family. It's affected my life. When I was in the military, my f...
Apr 07, 2025•48 min
Doug unpacks unrealistic expectations that can destroy your marriage. Whether you expect constant romance, to agree on everything, or have the same parenting style, Doug gives insight into the importance of healthy communication and the ability to be honest about your relationship. PLUS: The Friday Rant! Listener questions and comments: Martha - We've been married quite a while and my husband was in an accident and it’s hard to be intimate. Elizabeth - My best friend gave an ultimatum to her hus...
Apr 04, 2025•49 min
Monica Hinderer joins Doug discussing the impact of chatbots on children. They share the importance of children using their imagination but point to the danger of chatbots due to the difficulty in differentiating between an online program and a real person. Monica speaks to the underlying problem of loneliness in our culture and the anecdote of giving our children real life experiences of feeling loved and wanted. Chatbots are a tool and not a substitute for human connection. Listener questions ...
Apr 03, 2025•48 min
Doug unpacks what spiritual healing looks like when childhood trauma warps your view of God. He shares an article from Jaimie Eckert who gives tips for healing including: recognizing that God is not your past, healing past wounds through biblical meditation, forging healing connections in the Body of Christ, and seeing God as He is. Listener questions and comments: Dominic - I'm getting married this year. My fiancé and I have both experienced childhood trauma and we are having issues communicati...
Apr 03, 2025•49 min
Do you feel comfortable talking to your spouse about sex? Renzo and Monica Ortega join Doug to discuss their book, Lovemaking: How to talk about sex with your spouse. Listener questions and comments: Ed - I got married young. My wife said 'Spank Me', and I didn't want to do that. I found out she was molested when she was younger. Mary - What do you do when your spouse is an alcoholic? Resources: Lovemaking: How to Talk about Sex with Your Spouse https://www.avemariapress.com/products/lovemaking?...
Apr 01, 2025•48 min
Doug unpacks 12 ways to keep your spouse deeply in love with you. From making your spouse feel like the most important person in the room, to surprising each other in the ways that matter, these tips will help to keep your love from growing stale. 12 ways to keep your spouse deeply in love with you Make your spouse feel like they are the most important person in the room. Don’t let life get in the way of laughing. Argue in the right way. It’s not about winning but growing together. Surprise each...
Mar 31, 2025•49 min
Are you frustrated with the dating scene and afraid you will never meet the right person to marry? Today, Doug shares dating tips from Venerable Fulton Sheen and gives other words of wisdom for the dating crowd. Plus: The Friday Rant! Listener questions and comments: Robin - My husband died 13 years ago and I am now discerning consecrated widowhood. Eric - I haven't dated for more than 10 years. I was encouraged by a priest to get on a Catholic singles website. I started talking to a girl but th...
Mar 28, 2025•48 min
Jodee Blanco joins Doug Hinderer and his daughter Monica to discuss the trauma bullying victims endure. Jodee shares her own story of the pain of being bullied and discusses the challenges that parents, children, and schools face when it comes to the problem of bullying. Listener questions and comments: Elaine - My daughter was bullied at school after we moved. Nobody talked to her at school so the next day, I called the school but they said kids are going to be kids. They made seating arrangeme...
Mar 27, 2025•48 min
Has your spouse ever come home in a bad mood? Today, Doug shares a letter from Alice Von Hildebrand in her book By Love Refined. In this letter, Alice gives advice to a young bride whose husband came home in a bad mood. She shares how to discern the theme of every situation and to focus on understanding why her husband is upset. Doug talks about the importance of sanctifying every moment and he recommends a stress reducing conversation which will help each spouse communicate the ups and downs of...
Mar 26, 2025•48 min
Doug shares how The Blessed Virgin Mary’s ‘YES’ can be applied to living out a holy marriage. In a new series on the virtues, Doug unpacks how your marriage can help you develop the virtue of fortitude. He defines the meaning of virtue and speaks to power of fortitude in marriage and how it helps to overcome fear and work hard daily for your marriage. Listener questions and comments: Sally - Can you share a statistic of how many couples who lived together before marriage and get divorced? Maria ...
Mar 25, 2025•48 min
Have you or your spouse ever had an emotional affair? Did you experience healing from the affair? Doug shares statistics that 45% of men and 35% of women have cheated on an emotional level. He shares what constitutes and leads to an emotional affair, and how to experience healing. Listener questions and comments: Brian - I have been caught in an emotional relationship by my wife and would like to share my experience so no one else goes through this. My wife saw me texting the woman asked me to l...
Mar 24, 2025•48 min
Do you and your spouse have a good prayer life? How do you begin to pray more with your spouse? Doug unpacks the importance of daily prayer in every marriage. He shares how prayer is a dialogue between human beings and God, it is essential in fostering a relationship with God, and in marriage prayer is a unification of the souls. Listener questions and comments: Grace - My family started praying together when we almost divorced. Our kids started praying with us as teens and are now very strong i...
Mar 21, 2025•48 min
Do you find that your children are comparing themselves to others at school and on social media? Monica Hinderer joins Doug discussing how to keep your children from falling into the trap of comparisons. They share how comparison is the thief of joy, it can result in a decrease in self-esteem, increase in anxiety and stress, resentment and strained relationships. They discuss the importance of acceptance, affirmation, celebrating your child’s efforts, and limiting social media i helping to avoid...
Mar 20, 2025•49 min
Sr. Renee Mirkes joins Doug to discuss NaPro Technology. She shares the great news that NaPro Technology can help couples conceive a child through a method in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church. She explains the difference between IVF and NaPro Technology and unpacks procedures, costs and the success rate of NaPro. Listener questions and comments: Juliet - NaPro is a huge blessing. We haven't been able to conceive yet but are getting help through the use of NaPro Technology. Patrice ...
Mar 18, 2025•49 min
Doug takes calls and listeners share stories of how they were affected by infidelity in their marriage. Doug discusses the importance prayer and forgiveness and how affection and intimacy in marriage should be freely given as an act of love in virtue of the marriage vows. listener questions and comments: Bonnie - I went through Retrouvaille couples counseling. I didn't care how many women my husband had been with. However, I did ask for a divorce. Mary - I am divorced. Can you explore the idea o...
Mar 17, 2025•48 min
Dr. Johann D’Souza joins Doug discussing how to parent an anxious child. He includes common differences between mom's approach, dad's approach and why they are both wrong. Dr. D’Souza shares resources to help parents with children struggling with anxiety and speaks to the importance of avoiding parental accommodations, showing empathy, and restoring confidence. Listener questions and comments: Virginia - I have a 14-year-old daughter and she washes her hands obsessively. What can I do to help he...
Mar 14, 2025•48 min
Monica Hinderer joins Doug to share positive parenting strategies for parents who are divorced. They unpack statistics related to divorce, the negative effects of divorce on children, and share the importance of showing your children unconditional love. Listener questions and comments: Sue - I have experience raising kids through a divorce. I tried to co-parent with a narcissist. You shouldn’t let kids hear negative thoughts about the other spouse. Every negative thing they hear, they internaliz...
Mar 13, 2025•48 min
Doug shares what to do when your spouse has become just a roommate, and what a wife should do when there is an incident of physical abuse. Doug also gives advice to a man who has discovered his fiancé is using contraception. Listener questions and comments: Vicki - There's a single mom who's been asking for me to help take care of her children at our house. I'm starting to get uncomfortable about it. My husband wants to continue helping, but I don’t. What should I do? Teri - I was thinking why w...
Mar 13, 2025•48 min
Doug shares a story of a wife who honors her marriage vows even after husband left (5:00) Off-air caller shares story about how there is life after a bad marriage where the husband was leading a double life and that she survived because of her faith and Catholic mother (36:00) Doug shares a story about adult children still affected by divorce years later (38:28) Listener Calls: Colleen-Shares story of her husband who wanted divorce and the annulment was denied, but her husband committed suicide ...
Mar 12, 2025•49 min
Doug shares an email from a listener who is struggling in her marriage due to lies about past partners. Doug shares the importance of forgiveness, confession and therapy to help heal the marriage. Doug unpacks two case studies on tattoos and privacy, asking for the listeners to call in and give their advice on what to do in each situation. Doug gives his advice on tattoos and privacy in marriage. Listener questions and comments: Rose – About the woman and tattoos: Her husband could've been kinde...
Mar 11, 2025•48 min
Doug shares a story of a single lady looking for a match (4:00) Doug talks about a love depression (11:00) Websites and apps have become mirrors (14:00) What to do while in dating world (20:00) Doug's rant about dating from a listener email (44:00) Listener Comments: Claudia- I didnt get married until 36 and thought I would be single forever. I would always pray. was ok with my singleness. I'm married now for 16 years and I didn't settle for less than I deserve. (28:00) Mary-I have been there wi...
Mar 08, 2025•49 min
Interesting Statistics about Anxiety in Children (5:00) Differences between social anxiety and introverts (10:00) Positive aspects of anxiety (26:00) Doug's Favorite Definition of Anxiety (40:00) Healthy Anxiety Management (43:30) Listener Question: Where is the line when you could speak up against your parents? (17:00) Tony-What if one of the parents made mistakes and is no longer a safe harbor. what can we do now? (20:00) Tom-childhood trauma. how does one determine which mode of therapy is ap...
Mar 07, 2025•49 min
Doug shares prayer Ideas for Lent that you could do as a couple (5:20) Fasting ideas as a couple (12:50) Mortifications during Lent as a couple (20:00) Things you could do extra during Lent as a couple (35:05) Doug shares a letter from a couple that doesn't communicate that much. (40:50) Listener Calls- Joe-Are you a fan of the Gottman method? Is this counseling method consistent with Catholic Theology. (10:45) Marcy-When you are wrong admit it, and when you are right, shutup. (32:00)...
Mar 06, 2025•49 min
Our guest Fr. Robert Altier discusses on what God has joined together. God chooses your spouse for you and brings the couple together. And the importance of prayer for the vocation for the person who you'll be married to. Fr. Robert Altier explains what a sacramental marriage and where and where you can't get married. Also he discusses annulments and a marriage covenant. Listener question: Sharon-Wants to be in a sacramental marriage, but what's preventing them is the potential husband has a dau...
Mar 05, 2025•51 min
Are you a perfectionist? Are you married to a perfectionist? Is perfectionism ruining your marriage? Doug shares how perfectionism can harm marriages. He unpacks what perfectionism is and shares what perfectionism can lead to in marriage including: disappointment and frustration, pressure on others, criticism, stress and anxiety, difficulty to forgive, and focusing on the negative. Doug shares what to do if you are a perfectionist and what to do if you are married to a perfectionist. He discusse...
Mar 04, 2025•51 min
