Marriage Therapy Radio

Zach introduces Laura, his "little sister," and Julie Ruediger, his friend, mentor, and "big sister”. They discuss how they met, what they’ve learned from each other, and the work they are doing together this fall. Episode Highlights: Sibling Dynamics and Family Reunions: Zach introduces Julie, who immediately fits into the sibling-like rapport he shares with Laura. The trio dives into stories about family reunions, sibling rivalries, and the lighthearted teasing that defines their relationships. Saying Goodbye to Summer: Zach reflects on dropping his daughter Abi off at the airport and the mixed emotions of enjoying a peaceful home while missing her presence. The conversation touches on the challenges and joys of parenting young adults ready to spread their wings. Julie’s Mentorship and Training with Zach: Julie shares her journey as a mentor at Terry Reals' Relational Life Institute, where she met Zach. They reminisce about their early training sessions, highlighting Zach's growth and talent as a teacher and therapist. Introduction to Relationship Boot Camps: Julie and Zach discuss the upcoming relationship boot camp they are co-facilitating in Philadelphia. They explain the boot camp's structure, purpose, and unique benefits, whether attending as a couple or an individual. The boot camp is designed to teach essential relationship skills in a condensed, intensive format, making therapeutic principles accessible and actionable. Understanding the Adaptive Child: The episode delves into the concept of the "adaptive child," a key idea in relational therapy that refers to the immature, reactive part of ourselves. Julie and Zach discuss how the boot camp helps participants recognize and manage this aspect of their personalities, enhancing personal growth and relationship satisfaction. Navigating Family Triggers: The conversation circles back to family dynamics, with Zach sharing a personal story about managing his temper during a summer visit with his daughter. Julie offers insights on how family relationships can often trigger our adaptive child and the importance of conscious, deliberate responses to these triggers. Resources mentioned in this episode: Relational Life Foundation (https://www.relationallifefoundation.org/) - This website provides information about various boot camps available throughout the year, particularly aimed at individuals who need financial aid or help to access these programs​. Relational Life (https://relationallife.com/) - Similar to the foundation's website, this site offers details on relationship boot camps, with sections dedicated to both couples and therapists. You can find a list of available boot camps and other resources for relationship improvement​. Terry Real (https://terryreal.com/) - Terry Real's website provides a comprehensive list of boot camps for both online and in-person formats, with sections tailored for couples and therapists. You can find schedules, locations, and registration details for various workshops across the country​. Marriage Therapy Radio (https://marriagetherapyradio.com) – Find the links to all the boot camps conducted by Zach Brittle, including both online and in-person sessions. Julie Rudiger (https://www.julierudiger.com/) - Julie Rudiger's website provides a way for people to reach out to her directly with any questions about the boot camps or other relationship resources. It also hosts information on her workshops and professional services​. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura shares her latest journey towards better gut health and the surprising benefits she's noticed, like increased energy and clarity. Zach talks about some feelings that were brought up when seeing his brother at the recent Lard Butt race.  They then tackle an important listener question: Is it okay to have close friends of the opposite sex (or any potential partner alternative), outside of your marriage? Laura and Zach explore the complexities of friendships in marriage, discussing the importance of trust, communication, and setting boundaries. They share insights on maintaining healthy friendships while ensuring your marriage remains the top priority. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura touches base with Zach about his other projects and his upcoming race. Zach shares a successful exercise his clients took on to help them disrupt their boring and predictable patterns of conflict.   Paired. Download the PAIRED app at https://www.paired.com/MTR  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach and Larua discuss the downside of Nice Guys with the man who literally wrote the book on it. Dr. Robert Glover wrote No More Mr. Nice Guy over 20 years ago after seeing his relationships crumble even though he was so nice. His sage wisdom will help any man (or woman) stuck in the nice cycle. Check out Dr. Glover at: https://www.drglover.com/ Pick up his book at: https://amzn.to/4d95LER While you are on Amazon pre-order Zach & Laura's new book: https://amzn.to/4ds7XY6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach woke up 5 minutes before recording this episode. Laura is a bit baffled and shares a story about her best friend giving her a new beverage to help her tummy now that she's 40.  They make the big announcement of their new book Reconnect: A Marriage Counseling Workbook: Guided Conversations & Exercises for a Long-Lasting Relationship available for pre-sale now. https://amzn.to/3WGgi4G It would be awesome if you headed over to Amazon to pre-order today https://amzn.to/3WGgi4G. Thanks for your support of Zach and Laura. Sponsor: Paired. Download the PAIRED app at https://www.paired.com/MTR  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach and Laura discuss how to deal with feeling overwhelmed. This leads them into a great conversation about how to listen to yourself and control the things that you can control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura discusses how regular she is (if you know what I mean). Together they contemplate if it is worth not engaging with certain things that bring distress. Zach and Laura reflect on some of the insights from a recent interview regarding the importance of feeling heard. They provide tools and resources to help couples and individuals meet this essential aspect of their relationship. Sponsor: Paired. Download the PAIRED app at https://www.paired.com/MTR  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Laura gives an update on her son's diagnosis and her efforts to raise funds to fight his Not Fun condition. Zach shares about his upcoming book club.  They address a listener's question about differentiating from your grown kids. They discuss how it is necessary, but sometimes painful. This is a great episode for folks with kids of any age.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach and Laura start the podcast remembering how it all started. They share how they met and how the podcast was launched. Laura is getting back into weightlifting and is hoping Zach will be at the finish line when she finishes her Iron Man.  Zach shares about a recent fight he had with his wife, Rebecca. Although he doesn't go into the content of the fight, he is very open about how the fight ended and what he learned about himself in the following two days.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach reconnects with Laura after her 2+ week travels in Europe. She shares what she learned while away. Zach recounts his birthday celebration and some gifts he received that are prompting him to slow down. They go on to discuss the importance of changing the pace, and specifically slowing down, to create space for change in your life and in your relationship. Join MTR Patreon to get exclusive behind-the-scenes and exclusive content from Zach and Laura. https://www.patreon.com/MarriageTherapyRadio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach and Laura discuss making change, 2 dollar bills, the tooth fairy, and the struggle of using the bathroom in a one-piece outfit.  They go on to discuss the importance of good boundaries.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Susan Morgan Taylor joins Zach and Laura to discuss her work as a sex therapist. She talks about some of the different types of sex therapies/therapists and shares her leys to pleasure.  Download her audio Pleasure Keys Guided Meditation here: https://susanmorgantaylor.ck.page/8f8b0e42c6  You can learn more about her work at https://www.pathwaytopleasure.com/  Sponsor: Paired. Download the PAIRED app at https://www.paired.com/MTR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach and Laura discuss their latest "streaks". Not surprisingly, Laura's is a little more sexy than Zach's.  Laura asks how to deal with unmet expectations in your relationship. Should you lower your standards? Should they step up to the plate? Is there a middle way?  Join the community at https://www.patreon.com/marriagetherapyradio  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach's family is all together for the summer. Laura is getting up to speed with her mountain biking.  They invite listeners to support the podcast by joining Patreon. Come for the perks, stay because you support building stronger relationships.  Laura asks when complaining is too much or too little in a relationship. It leads to some great discussion on emotional bank accounts and some tips and tricks to make complaining work within your relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach and Laura discuss a number of topics including Mother's Day disappointment, getting to a decision point as a couple, and a special announcement about an upcoming book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach and Laura tackle the tough questions of relationship. Like, "How do you pack for a multi-city trip?". After some discussion of their travels, Laura shares about her passion for sex therapy. Zach finds it very helpful and we think you will too.  Sponsor: Paired. Download the PAIRED app at https://www.paired.com/MTR  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach is away on some travels, so Laura gets to welcome back a previous guest, Craig Smith. Craig is a therapist, coach, and all-around good guy. They discuss how working on yourself can be one of the best things you can do for your marriage. Learn more about Craigs work at https://www.greatestdaymindset.com/ Sponsor: Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to  https://rocketmoney.com/mtr Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marriage is hard and Sophia, a 14-year-old from NY, wants some answers to what she has been learning. Zach answers her questions and is able to learn a bit about the life and relationships of "kids today".  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a false start recording, Zach and Laura kick off the episode with some intros for new listeners. They go on to discuss the concept of "being triggered". Why does it happen? And what can you do about it? Sponsor: Target the root cause of aging with OneSkin. Get 15% off by using code MTR at https://oneskin.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After some discussion of Ted Lasso and Gray's Anatomy, Zach and Laura hear from Charisse Cooke https://charissecooke.com/ about her work and new book The Attachment Solution. Charisse shares about the origin of the styles and how they deeply impact our relationships. You will end this episode with some great tools to better understand yourself and your partner. Sponsor: Stop wasting money on things you don’t use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to  https://rocketmoney.com/mtr Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices