Over half of all families in the US will deal directly with divorce. But once the divorce is settled, people want to move on with their lives. This means forming new relationships, marriages, and families. However, now the work is how do we blend the pre-existing families? This is a real concern as we see a higher rate of divorce in second marriages than first marriages. Telling us that round two is not necessarily going to be easy. One of the most challenging parts of the blended family is just...
Feb 19, 2023•39 min•Season 5Ep. 224
Kelli Calabrese shares her story of believing she had it all. Married for 24 years, incredible career, two amazing children, the house, cars, and clothes to make her the envy of her peers. Then one day her husband comes home and tells her he was finished with the marriage. Immediately dropped to her knees with shock, anxiety, confusion, sadness, and desperation. What happened? What's next? How do I handle this? With her faith in God and her desire to grow, she shares her story of healing and gro...
Feb 13, 2023•37 min•Season 5Ep. 223
Secrets versus Transparency. During this show, Linda and Merrill tackle the subject of secrets in relationships. Is it important that you know everything about your partner? Should you tell your partner everything that has ever happened in your life or even in your mind? How transparent should you be? This topic is among the most impactful matter you will ever manage in your relationship. This is not actually a matter of secrets versus transparency, but rather a matter of TRUST! Trust is the glu...
Feb 06, 2023•36 min
It's not an exaggeration to say that anxiety and depression are having a devastating impact on our children. Researchers say that there has been a significant increase in these conditions in children since 2016. While Covid was fuel for the fire, the trend was already well underway. In our schools and homes, we are seeing more kids than ever demonstrating the symptoms of anxiety and depression. On so many other fronts we believe life is better than it has ever been. We have less world poverty, m...
Jan 30, 2023•54 min•Season 5Ep. 221
"You're dead to me", sounds like a pretty harsh phrase to use against someone else. But, in our current culture it seems to be accepted as a very practical way to deal with people you disagree with or you simply do not like. We have seen it in our politics, families, neighborhoods, and even marriages. We have come to recognize the common phrase of "cancel culture", that indicates how we handle people that oppose us. Yes, there may be a time when someone needs to be out of your life or at least f...
Jan 23, 2023•37 min•Season 5Ep. 220
It may be safe to say that most people that are engaged to be married believe their marriage will last a lifetime. But, we no from simple observation that not to be the case. With nearly 50% of marriages breaking in divorce we have to ask the question: What went wrong? Obviously, none of us can be absolute certain of what will drive apart all marriages. But one thing we do know from working with couples is that most couples do not know their spouse nearly as well as they thought they did the day...
Jan 16, 2023•43 min•Season 5Ep. 219
The recent tragic event of Damar Hamlin suffering cardiac arrest after tackling Tee Higgins during a Monday Night Football Game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals has grabbed many people's attention. Among those whose interest has been sparked are parents of kids that play sports, especially sports with higher rates and risks of injury. One day after the event there were already articles being published about the risks of football and why kids should not play it. During this sh...
Jan 08, 2023•46 min•Season 5Ep. 218
These days everyone seems to be looking for a quick fix to lift their mood or give them more energy. The sad thing is that way too often people search out quick fixes that can not be sustained or are even dangerous. I.E. Drugs. In this episode, Merrill and Linda go on location in their gym at Rock Solid Families to show and discuss one of the best antidepressants available to nearly all of us - EXERCISE! People have known that exercise is essential to good health for many years, but in the past ...
Dec 30, 2022•33 min•Season 5Ep. 217
It's that time of year. Closing out 2022 and looking forward to 2023. What are you going to do to better yourself? We have a challenge for you. Would you be willing to intentionally make your life more Christ-Centered? Maybe to answer that you have to realize how your life is currently centered. Is it Child-Centered, Self-Centered, Work-Centered, Money-Centered? Consider all of these to be false gods in our life. When our life revolves around anything but Christ, we are worshipping false gods. I...
Dec 22, 2022•43 min•Season 5Ep. 216
Can you say that your Christmas is Christ-Centered? This may be more difficult than you think. The secular world bombards us with all the material things of this world. It's a busy time, but also a distracting time. Mainly, distracting us from what the true intention of the day was meant to be. Make no mistake about it, many businesses survive because of the sales they make during the holidays. And, that's not necessarily a bad thing. But, when the sales become the main thing, then we could do b...
Dec 19, 2022•33 min•Season 5Ep. 215
Forgiveness is hard! It seems that the deeper the wound the harder it is to forgive. We have all been wounded and we have all wounded. But, forgiveness is the way forward for true healing. The healing that allows us to rid ourselves of the heavy burden and toxicity that builds in our hearts. Whether you like it or not, this lack of forgiveness will keep you from your greatest life. In today's show, Linda speaks with Bruce and Toni Hebel, founders of Forgiving Forward. Bruce and Toni draw from th...
Dec 11, 2022•41 min•Season 5Ep. 214
If you could do one thing to divorce proof your marriage, what would it be? At Rock Solid Families we have worked with couples for over 35 years. We have seen couples thrive in marriage and those that don't. Today's show is a great take-away for what truly has proved to work. It really doesn't have to be that difficult! As you hear the simple strategies discussed in this show, remember a few key ideas. 1. The earlier you practice these the better for your marriage. 2. These are lifestyle practic...
Dec 02, 2022•44 min•Season 5Ep. 213
As Americans we have a more comfortable living standard than almost anyone in the world. This doesn't mean that everyone in American is always comfortable in their living. It simply means that we have a greater opportunity and likelihood to live in comfort than most people around the globe. While this is in many ways a great thing, we must also realize how it can quickly go bad. When in the weight room every lifter knows that in order to get stronger you have to put more weight on the bar than y...
Nov 26, 2022•46 min
Ready or not, the holidays are among us! Many people love them and many people, not so much. The holidays can bring on stress and over commitment like no other season. So, what can you do to make the best of this season. How about starting with a little bit of gratitude? Linda and Merrill give you the keys you need to make the best of this season. Don't wait for the stress to build and the emotional bubble to pop! Get busy today with the simple keys to make your days right! http://rocksolidfamil...
Nov 22, 2022•37 min•Season 5Ep. 211
Your teenager may have the physical ability to be sexually active, but is that all it takes? The easy answer is, yes, but the real answer is quite a bit more complicated. In our work we have seen numerous teenage pregnancies. We have yet to see one in which the father and mother were prepared for what lies ahead. Due to their immaturity and lack of understanding, they often are emotionally devastated. We may think of this as a teenage problem, but in this episode we discuss this as being a paren...
Nov 11, 2022•46 min•Season 5Ep. 210
Life is full of opportunities for failure, regrets, and setbacks. There is no getting out of this journey without the bruises of daily living. But, are our bruises turning into debilitating handicaps? Are we walking through life with a perpetual limp? This is what happens when we are consumed by a life of regrets. What if we could prevent these regrets? What if we could heal from our past regrets? This show helps unpack those regrets and set yourself onto a path of proper healing. http://rocksol...
Nov 06, 2022•33 min•Season 5Ep. 209
The last of our 3 part series - The God Shaped Hole. In this episode we speak with Josh Barth, the director of Celebrate Recovery, Trinity Christian Church. Josh shares his own story of working to fill the emptiness in his life. He choose drugs, alcohol, work, even his wife, and all felt empty. It wasn't until he had a complete surrender to the Way of Christ, that he was able to fill the void and create the necessary balance in his life. http://rocksolidfamilies.org #Rocksolidfamilies #familythe...
Oct 31, 2022•39 min•Season 5Ep. 208
In episode 206 we discussed our God-Shaped Hole. This week we get a little more specific to identify the areas that help us define what makes us this God-Shaped Hole. Learning about these specific needs and understanding how God intends us to fill them is an absolute life changing gift that He desires for all of us. Control, Love, Respect, Trust, Affection, Security, Purpose, and Faith make up these parts of the hole, now let's understand how God desires to feel them. http://rocksolidfamilies.or...
Oct 24, 2022•37 min•Season 5Ep. 207
Often we get to a point in their lives in which they feel like they are chasing the wind. They are in pursuit of things they believe will complete them or at least bring some level of contentment. The journey seems to be never ending. The result is frustration, depression, and even a loss of hope. Listen in this week to get a better understanding of what you may be chasing and how you can stop this meaningless endeavor and replace it with true and lasting refreshment. http:/rocksolidfamilies.org...
Oct 17, 2022•35 min•Season 5Ep. 206
If your family is anything like the majority of families, you frequently find yourself overly committed. Your calendar is booked with well-intentioned activities from kids sporting events, church activities, and extracurriculars that drain your very last second of the day. In this episode we discuss the cost versus the benefits of being so overly committed to so many activities. Activities require energy and energy is not free. Everything from the caloric energy it takes for the tasks at hand to...
Oct 09, 2022•47 min•Season 5Ep. 205
Are you tough? Are you tough enough? Toughness or resilience is the ability to get back up once you have been knocked down. The ability to endure a hardship without breaking you. Whether you are 5 years old or 85 years old, we all need to have a level of resilience in us if we are going to live in this world. The question we might as ourselves is - How can I be more resilient? #Rocksolidfamilies #familytherapy #marriagecounseling #parenting #faithbasedcounseling #counseling #Strongdads #coaching...
Oct 02, 2022•40 min•Season 5Ep. 204
We all have our perspective on various things. But, does our perspective keep us from seeing and understanding someone else's perspective? If so, this can be a major source of conflict in a relationship. In this show, Merrill and Linda tackle the challenges of being locked in on your own perspective. #Rocksolidfamilies #familytherapy #marriagecounseling #parenting #faithbasedcounseling #counseling #Strongdads #coaching #lifecoach #lifecoaching #marriagecoaching #marriageandfamily http://rocksoli...
Sep 26, 2022•39 min
In the final part of the How We Love series, Linda and Merrill discuss what the ultimate love looks like in the marriage. This love has only been perfect through Jesus Christ. Being perfect as Christ was perfect is not something we can attain here on earth, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't be striving for it. #Rocksolidfamilies #familytherapy #marriagecounseling #parenting #faithbasedcounseling #counseling #Strongdads #coaching #lifecoach #lifecoaching #marriagecoaching #marriageandfamily #love ...
Sep 19, 2022•41 min•Season 5Ep. 202
In part one of How We Love, we discussed the various love styles that often put us in a negative loving pattern. In this show, part 2, we discuss how to love, well! In this show we discuss the various aspects of what love looks like in the marriage when it is done well. The many different points discussed must start with the awareness of wanting to love in a healthy manner. http://rocksolidfamilies.org #Rocksolidfamilies #familytherapy #marriagecounseling #parenting #faithbasedcounseling #counse...
Sep 12, 2022•39 min•Season 4Ep. 201
Celebrating our 200th show, we look back at a few of our favorite shows. We also answer a list of questions that we have been receiving from our followers. Questions: - My spouse and I are not equally yoked in the marriage, what should I do? - What is the role of the grandparent when it comes to weighing in on the parenting of the grandchildren? - What do I do if I want to seek help for the relationship, but my spouse is not interested? - What do we do when we recognize a negative pattern in our...
Sep 05, 2022•46 min•Season 4Ep. 200
Loving people can be complicated. Trying to bring in our personality and past experiences and mixing them with another's personality and experiences is no easy task. In this show we talk from the book, How We Love, about the love styles that often are imprinted on us from early on in our life. Sometimes the love styles are positive, but sometimes they can work against us. Learn more by listening to this week's show. http://rocksolidfamilies. org Support the show #Rocksolidfamilies, #familytherap...
Aug 29, 2022•40 min
Parenting Season 4 - Emancipation. Are you allowing your adult children to fly from the nest? http://rocksolidfamilies.org Support the show #Rocksolidfamilies, #familytherapy, #marriagecounseling, #parenting, #faithbasedcounseling, #counseling, #Strongdads, #coaching, #lifecoach, #lifecoaching, #marriagecoaching, #marriageandfamily, #control, #security, #respect, #affection, #love, #purpose, #faith, #affairs, #infidelity...
Aug 22, 2022•41 min
In Season 3 of Parenting the parents take on the role of a mentor. It is during this season that we begin to teach our children how to work in the real world. We are giving them skills to be practiced outside of the home. We are also allowing them to experience the natural rewards and consequences for their actions. http://rocksolidfamilies.org Support the show #Rocksolidfamilies, #familytherapy, #marriagecounseling, #parenting, #faithbasedcounseling, #counseling, #Strongdads, #coaching, #lifeco...
Aug 14, 2022•38 min
Parenting Seasons are somewhat universal for children. Their bodies and minds develop and require different things at different times in their development. We call these seasons. In this show we discuss Season 2 - Leadership and Authority 3-13 years of age. https://www.rocksolidfamilies.org Support the show #Rocksolidfamilies, #familytherapy, #marriagecounseling, #parenting, #faithbasedcounseling, #counseling, #Strongdads, #coaching, #lifecoach, #lifecoaching, #marriagecoaching, #marriageandfami...
Aug 05, 2022•40 min
Parenting is a lot like farming. There are different seasons and in each season the farmer has specifically different roles and responsibilities in order to produce a bountiful crop. Parenting also presents different seasons. What a parent must do in season 1 is not necessarily going to happen in the seasons that follow. The key is understanding what role must be covered and what it adds to the intended outcome of raising children into adults. http://rocksolidfamilies.org Support the show #Rocks...
Aug 01, 2022•33 min
