

Relationship Advice
Thrive Therapy - Colter Bloxom, Lauren Mokarry, and Cayla Bozovich
Relationship Advice helps listeners uncover the stuck spots in their relationships by taking expert advice from three licensed professional counselors and boiling it down into digestible tips and tools. Colter, Cayla, and Lauren help people to see that the first step to connecting with somebody else is by connecting with you. They focus their show on understanding and navigating the cycles that couples face, how to practice individuation, and staying in an emotionally regulated state. Just them each week as they come with a jam packed agenda to help you thrive in your relationships.
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- 20 episodes
- a few times a week
- Avg 47 min
- English

- RA

Monday · 56 minWhy Couples Stop Having Sex (And How to Fix It) with George Faller
Free 10 Day Couples Challenge Try Relationship Academy Why do couples so often fall into standoffs where one partner needs emotional closeness to feel physical desire, while the other needs physical touch to feel emotionally open? In this episode, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) trainer and author George Faller joins us to unpack how stress, polyvagal state shifts, and distinct attachment cycles govern relational dynamics. By learning to slow down protective reactions, partners can reframe relational friction into a doorway for true emotional and physical intimacy. Main Talking Points: Navigating High-Stress Trauma Polyvagal Brain States Intersecting Attachment Cycles Decoupling Relational Brakes The Crisscross Pattern Externalizing Negative Cycles Intimacy is not about eliminating relational friction, but about creating enough safety to reveal the deeper longings hidden beneath protective defenses. When partners slow down and face these cycles together, the body and heart naturally return to connection. George Faller's Website: https://www.georgefaller.com George Faller's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fallergeorge Give Me Discounts! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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August 20 · 22 minCharisma Is A Real Thing With Olivia Fox Cabane: QUICK ADVICE
GET $100 OFF SPARK MY RELATIONSHIP Free 10 Day Couples Challenge Olivia's Website Let's talk about the three components of charisma, why it differs from liability, and how you can learn it! Give Me Discounts! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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August 17 · 54 minDecoding the Digital Age with Bridget Todd
Free 10 Day Couples Challenge Try Relationship Academy Can artificial intelligence ever truly replace the messy, necessary friction that defines genuine human intimacy? While emerging technology promises seamless interactions and shortcut solutions to interpersonal conflict, relying on smooth algorithms can quietly erode the reciprocity and vulnerability required for deep bonds. In this episode, tech journalist Bridget Todd joins the hosts to discuss navigating AI in our personal lives while maintaining authentic connection, intentional transparency, and personal agency. Main Talking Points: Human Versus Artificial Intimacy Value of Relational Friction Prioritizing Transparency and Consent Preserving Genuine Reciprocity Corporate Extraction Concerns Reclaiming Personal Agency True relational health doesn't come from outsourcing our emotional labor to algorithms, but from actively choosing presence and honesty amidst life's friction. When we prioritize mutual effort over algorithmic convenience, we protect the depth and safety that make human connection irreplaceable. Bridget Todd’s Website: https://www.bridget-todd.com Give Me Discounts! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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August 13 · 23 minWhy Do People Cheat? QUICK ADVICE with Dr. Glenn Hutchinson
Spark My Relationship Course: Normally $197, you can access for a limited time by only paying $25! FREE 10 Day Couples Challenge Check out Relationship Academy! UNFAITHFUL MINDS VINTED - Download and start turning those extra clothes into cash Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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August 10 · 53 minWhat We Can Learn From Pursuers
Is the partner who constantly pushes for conversation actually protecting your relationship? While pursuers often get labeled as demanding or hyper-vigilant, their relentless focus on connection holds vital lessons for withdrawing spouses. In this episode, we explore how shifting from defensive withdrawal to active engagement turns relational friction into a catalyst for deeper safety and intimacy. Main Talking Points: Modeling Emotional Vulnerability Addressing Relational Conflict Prioritizing Intimate Connection Asserting Authentic Needs Practicing Emotional Co-Regulation Overcoming Avoidant Cycles True relational growth happens when we stop viewing pursuit as an attack and start letting our partner's strengths refine our habits. When you embrace the pursuer's drive for connection, friction transforms from a source of anxiety into a shared pathway toward safety. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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August 6 · 43 minWould You Get Rid Of "Fear" If You Could?
FREE 10 Day Couples Challenge Check out Relationship Academy! Would you get rid of fear if you had the choice? In this episode, we explore what fear actually is, why it exists, and how it affects us both physically and psychologically. We also discuss the evolutionary purpose of fear, when it becomes maladaptive, and how tools like mindfulness, deep breathing, cognitive reframing, exposure, therapy, and journaling can help us regulate and process fear in healthier ways. In this episode: Understanding the Purpose of Fear The Fight-or-Flight Response Physical and Psychological Fear When Fear Becomes Maladaptive Regulating Fear and Anxiety Processing Fear Through Growth Give Me Discounts! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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August 3 · 51 minWhy Relationships Make Us Feel Like Children Again
FREE 10 Day Couples Challenge Check out Relationship Academy! Why do our deepest relationship conflicts have the power to make us feel like children again? In this episode, we explore how interactions with partners and family members can activate old attachment wounds, causing us to regress into familiar patterns like protesting, people-pleasing, shutting down, or pulling away. We also discuss why healing can initially make these dynamics feel even harder—and how therapy, co-regulation, boundaries, and greater self-awareness can help us respond from our adult selves and create healthier relationships. In this episode: Childhood Attachment Wounds Regressive Relationship Patterns Protest and Shutdown Healing Through Therapy Practicing Co-Regulation Becoming Your Adult Self Give Me Discounts! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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July 27 · 55 minThe Power of Caring with Dr. Tony Nader
FREE 10 Day Couples Challenge Check out Relationship Academy! Dr. Tony Nader joins the podcast to explore ideas from his book, The Power of Caring, and how deeper self-awareness can transform the way we connect with others. He explains how our mind-body tendencies, subconscious patterns, and inner state influence communication, emotional needs, and conflict within relationships. By caring for ourselves and approaching others with greater awareness and compassion, we can create healthier, more meaningful connections. In this episode: The Power of Caring Conscious Self-Awareness Mind-Body Differences Subconscious Patterns Compassionate Communication Deeper Connection Dr. Nader's Website Dr. Nader's Instagram Give Me Discounts! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing?? *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren ______________________ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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July 20 · 50 minConnection Attunement
FREE 10 Day Couples Challenge Check out Relationship Academy! Why do the same conflicts keep showing up in our relationships, even when the surface issue changes? In this episode, we explore how everyday disagreements can activate childhood attachment wounds, leading us to protest, withdraw, or protect ourselves from connection. Learn how self-awareness, co-regulation, and healing relationships can help you respond from your grounded adult self and create deeper emotional safety. In this episode: Attachment Wounds Childhood Origins Defensive Patterns Co-Regulated Connection Healing Relationships Healthy Individuation Give Me Discounts! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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July 15 · 54 minHealing Attachment - What Pursuers and Withdrawers Need To Work On In Individual Therapy
FREE 10 Day Couples Challenge Check out Relationship Academy! Healing attachment wounds begins with understanding how early relationships shaped the ways we seek connection, respond to conflict, and protect ourselves from rejection. In this episode, we explore how insecure attachment patterns can show up in adult relationships—and why healing requires more than simply finding the “right” partner. You’ll learn how self-awareness, emotional safety, consistency, and new relational experiences can help you build a more secure way of connecting. In This Episode: • Understanding Attachment Wounds • Recognizing Protective Patterns • Creating Emotional Safety • Practicing Secure Connection • Healing Through Relationships • Building Lasting Trust Give Me Discounts! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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July 6 · 57 minBreaking Old Patterns for Deeper Love with Stefanos Sifandos
FREE 10 Day Couples Challenge Check out Relationship Academy! In this episode, we talk with Stefanos Sifandos about how old wounds, relational patterns, and emotional reactivity can shape the way we show up in love. He shares why healthy relationships require self-awareness, repair, and a willingness to take responsibility for the patterns we bring into connection. This conversation explores how couples can move beyond blame and create more honest, grounded, and lasting intimacy. Main Talking Points: - Relationship Patterns - Emotional Repair - Inner Work - Healthy Conflict - Deeper Intimacy - Personal Responsibility Give Me Discounts! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Rhythm - Get 15% off + Free shipping the world’s easiest at home blood testing Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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July 2 · 47 minRelational Injuries
FREE 10 Day Couples Challenge Check out Relationship Academy! Today we dive into Relational Injuries! Relational injuries come in all kinds of relationships and we will cover what it is, and how it happens. We explore the distinction between relational injuries and typical relationship challenges. And we will teach you how to recognize when a situation escalates to a relational injury. Once we know what relational injuries are, we will discuss the expectations of having relationships with other people. We will dive into the way to manage expectations and have a healthy ability of navigating injuries effectively as they come. We will walk through the way to apologize and take responsibility for the way that we didn’t meet a need in our partners, along with the role of accountability and remorse in the healing process; teaching clear communication and how to rebuild trust and intimacy at the same time. Listen to our therapists’ role play some examples of painful responses to a partner expressing their missed need, as well as an example of the “right” kind of response. Speaking of intimacy, we will walk through the concept of the intimacy pyramid as a framework for rebuilding intimacy after a relational injury. And finally, we will cover how to move forward. How we find hope after relational injuries, and we will share proven strategies for rebuilding trust and connection. Give Me Discounts! Check out Relationship Academy! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Rythm - Get 15% off your first month + free shipping! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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June 27 · 54 minWhat Our Withdrawer Spouse Can Teach Us
FREE 10 Day Couples Challenge Check out Relationship Academy! In this episode, we explore what pursuers can learn from withdrawer partners instead of seeing them as the “problem” in the relationship. Withdrawers often bring steadiness, pacing, self-regulation, and a needed reminder that not every issue has to be solved immediately. When pursuers can appreciate these differences, couples can move out of blame and into a more balanced, secure connection. Main Talking Points: Slowing Down Self Regulation Energy Conservation Selective Needs Healthy Individuation Grounded Stability Give Me Discounts! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Rhythm - Get 15% off + Free shipping the world’s easiest at home blood testing Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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June 25 · 48 minHow To Treat Trauma
FREE 10 Day Couples Challenge Check out Relationship Academy! In this episode, we talk about what trauma treatment actually looks like and why healing is not as simple as “telling the story” or getting the memory out of your brain. Trauma is not only stored as information. It is often held in the body, in our nervous system, and in the protective responses we learned in order to survive. Because of this, effective trauma work usually requires more than talking through the details. It requires pacing, safety, resourcing, body awareness, and learning how to stay connected to yourself while approaching painful material. We also explore why therapists may not always ask for every detail right away, how trauma responses can show up in relationships, and why healing often begins with compassion for the parts of us that adapted to protect us. Give Me Discounts! Rhythm - Get 15% off + Free shipping the world’s easiest at home blood testing Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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June 22 · 54 minHow To Know If They Are "The One"
How do you know when someone is truly the person you want to build a life with? In this episode, we talk about the big question so many people ask in dating: How do I know if they’re “the one”? We share how we each knew with our own partners, then walk through the real-life markers that can help you understand the long-term viability of a relationship. In this episode, we explore: Shared values Emotional support Healthy conflict Lifestyle fit Hard conversations Intentional pacing The goal is not to find a perfect person or a perfect relationship. The goal is to notice whether this relationship has the ingredients for safety, honesty, repair, joy, and a shared life that actually works. Give Me Discounts! Check out Relationship Academy! Rhythm - Get 15% off + Free shipping the world’s easiest at home blood testing Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! Skylight - Use code “IDO” for $30 off your 15 inch calendar. Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. *If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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June 18 · 41 minWhat Is Trauma?
[2:13 PM]This week on Relationship Advice we dive deep into the definition of trauma and its profound impact on our lives. In this episode, we unravel the essence of trauma, defining it as anything that overwhelms our capacity to cope, persistently leaving unmet needs in its wake. Join us as we explore the lines between the body and trauma, where we experience freezing feelings, securing them in metaphorical boxes, and employing guards. We distinguish between Big T trauma and little t trauma, shedding light on the diverse spectrum of major life events and everyday stressors. Uncover the profound impact of both on coping mechanisms and recovery, as we explore examples ranging from significant incidents like abuse, accidents, or natural disasters to the subtler but equally impactful everyday stressors such as rejection, failure, or loss. We look into the protective strategies of the brain, revealing the adaptive responses it employs to shield us from overwhelming situations and uncover the long-term effects of these protective strategies, dissecting their influence on mental health and coping mechanisms. Give Me Discounts! Check out Relationship Academy! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Rythm - Get 15% off your first month + free shipping! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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June 15 · 58 minHow To Stop Jealousy From Sabotaging Your Relationship
Jealousy and envy can feel shameful, but they often reveal important fears, longings, and unmet needs beneath the surface. In this episode, we explore the difference between jealousy, the fear of losing something we already have, and envy, the pain of wanting something we do not feel like we have. We also talk through how to slow these emotions down, bring them to your partner with vulnerability, and move away from control, criticism, monitoring, or resentment. Main Talking Points: Jealousy vs Envy Fear Of Loss Reassurance Seeking Control Patterns Vulnerable Communication Relationship Boundaries Give Me Discounts! Check out Relationship Academy! Rhythm - Get 15% off + Free shipping the world’s easiest at home blood testing Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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June 11 · 47 minEmotional Regulation and Why It’s Important In Relationships: Part 2
In part two of our Emotional Regulation series, we’re talking all about co-regulation — how to regulate with your partner, friend, or someone you trust. While some people naturally want closeness and support when they’re overwhelmed, others need space before they’re ready to connect. In this episode, we break down why both independent regulation and co-regulation matter, how to know what your partner may need, and how to support someone without escalating the moment. Main Talking Points: Co-Regulation Independent Regulation Giving Space Supporting Calm Partner Differences Repairing Together Give Me Discounts! Check out Relationship Academy! Kiwi Fodzyme - Get 30% off your first order! Rythm - Get 15% off your first month + free shipping! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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June 8 · 53 minConnection vs Safety
In this episode, we talk about how couples can use simple “scales” to better understand each other’s energy, desire, and capacity. Instead of assuming what your partner means when they seem tired, anxious, disconnected, or resistant, naming where you are can turn confusion into context. These tools help couples move out of all-or-nothing thinking and into clearer, more generous communication. Main talking points: Energy Check-Ins Naming Capacity Getting Context Importance Scales Avoiding Assumptions Collaborative Language Give Me Discounts! Check out Relationship Academy! Rhythm - Get 15% off + Free shipping the world’s easiest at home blood testing Simple Practice - If you're in mental health and not using simple practice then what are you doing??? Spark My Relationship Course: Get $100 off our online course. Visit SparkMyRelationship.com/Unlock for our special offer just for our I Do Podcast listeners! Tanasi - Use code “relationship" for 25% off your first order. If you love this episode (and our podcast!), would you mind giving us a review in iTunes? It would mean the world to us and we promise it only takes a minute. Many thanks in advance! – Colter, Cayla, & Lauren Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices