How can you make your relationship flourish through joy?

Allison Villa is a Registered Psychotherapist who specializes in keeping couples' thriving throughout parenthood. As a wife and mother, she understands how raising a family affects the romantic relationship and the challenges that modern parents face. With Allison's virtual therapy practice, online courses, retreats, and monthly membership program, this keepin-it-real-mama teaches busy couples to live with intention & to use simple time-efficient strategies to connect with each other. When she's not living ocean-side in Mexico, you can find Allison cycling around Toronto, enjoying day-dates with her husband, or busting out in family dance parties.

In this episode, we jump right into connected relationships. A connected relationship looks like two people who have a strong sense of self. They support each other in being individuals first, then they're able to come together in their relationship to be their best selves. That means being there for each other, celebrating each other, and growing together. The relationship should feel so amazing. Plus, a connected couple will also be there for their children and families. Self-care is at the foundation of connected couples – we chat all about self-care tips for thriving relationships.

Later, Allison explains why your relationship is like a flower. When you get really busy with life, your attention gets pulled away from the flower. The flower is still getting lots of sun. However, the soil is dry. Eventually, the flowers start to wilt. Quickly, you give the flower more water. Again, things get busy and the flower starts to die. Well, consistency will be the most critical aspect for the flower to grow and thrive – it is the same way for your relationship. Couple's need small moments of quality time that you intentionally build into your daily life. Tune in as we chat about the four relationship seasons, the importance of therapy, and showing up in the community after Covid.

In This Episode:

• About Allison Villa + what's lighting her up now [ 2:00 ]
• What a connected relationship looks like [ 7:30 ]
• How we can practice self-care as women [ 10:45 ]
• Why you should think about your relationships like flowers [ 20:40 ]
• All about the four relationship seasons [ 24:50 ]
• How to create your family's vision as a couple [ 44:40 ]
• Exploring your intimacy vision as a couple [ 48:50 ]
• Therapy can be preventative work for your relationship [ 60:00 ]
• How we want to show up in our community after Covid [ 64:20 ]

Quotes:

• "Taking care of yourself as an individual will allow you to show up as who you really are."
• "Your relationship needs consistent care - small moments of quality time that you intentionally build into your daily life."
• "I think it's important as a couple to understand the relationship seasons because then you can name where you are."
• "It's not about wrong or right or having to convince each other; we can have different views and still have love and respect - they can exist together."
• "Stand firmly in yourself."

Links Mentioned:

• Allison Villa: https://www.allisonvilla.com/
• House and Hook: https://www.houseandhook.com/
• Couple's Sandbox: https://www.allisonvilla.com/couples-sandbox
• Listen to Allison's Podcast: https://www.allisonvilla.com/podcast
• Allison on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllisonVillaPsychotherapy/
• Allison on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allison__villa/
• Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lea.pickard
• Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lea.pickard