Every couple has conflict. But when disagreements turn into labeling your spouse—with words like “selfish,” “dramatic,” or “narcissist”—it doesn’t just hurt in the moment… it chips away at emotional safety and long-term connection.

In this episode, we unpack:

• Why labeling is so destructive (even if you didn’t mean it that way)
• How it rewires the way you see each other over time
• What to say instead that’s honest—but not hurtful
• Real-life phrases to express hurt without attacking character

We also give you a simple script to use during tough conversations—so you can still speak your truth without triggering shame or defensiveness.

If you want to feel closer and more emotionally safe in your marriage, even during conflict, this is a must-listen.

🛠️ Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

→ De-Escalating Conflicts Guide → Making Up & Moving Forward Guide → Family Meeting Guide

Episode Time Stamps:

00:00 – Why name-calling or labeling is never okay in a marriage

01:05 – What actually happens in your brain when you label your partner

02:13 – Pop psychology traps: labeling as “anxious,” “avoidant,” or “narcissist”

03:12 – Labels attack identity, not behavior — and here’s why that matters

04:01 – Labels don’t inspire change—they create shame and resistance

05:05 – The long-term damage: how labels rewire how you see each other

06:38 – How labels erode emotional safety and destroy repair opportunities

08:13 – The shift from “us vs. the problem” to “me vs. you”

09:42 – A moment of truth: do you and your partner ever label each other?

10:18 – What to say instead of labeling: label behavior, feelings, or boundaries

12:09 – Scripts to use: “When you ___, I feel ___, and what I need is ___.”

13:35 – Labeling your boundaries vs. punishing your partner

15:00 – Quotes to remember: “Name the impact, not their character”

16:02 – Why this episode is a wake-up call for every couple

17:13 – The 2 tools every couple needs to stop the label-repair cycle

18:05 – Final encouragement + how to find our best conflict resources

You don’t just marry your partner’s strengths—you marry their triggers too.

If you’ve found yourself walking on eggshells to avoid setting them off… or shutting down because you feel like you’re too much… you’re not alone.

But let’s be clear: tip-toeing isn’t emotional maturity—it’s disconnection in disguise.

In this episode, we unpack how to create real emotional safety in your marriage—so you can stop spiraling and start feeling heard, seen, and safe again.

🎧 What You’ll learn:

• How to bring things up without triggering defensiveness
• What to do if your're the one who reacts quickly
• The subtle shift that turns arguments into deeper understanding
• How your perception—not just the event—shapes your emotional response
• A real-life story from our marriage about navigating triggers in real-time

Whether you’re the one walking on eggshells or the one who reacts fast, this episode will give you tools to stop avoiding hard conversations—and start transforming them into connection.

🛠️ Resources Mentioned in the Episode

1) If triggers are hijacking your conversations, these three guides will help you de-escalate, repair, and reconnect fast—especially in those “walking on eggshells” moments.

 → De-Escalating Conflicts Guide: https://thecouplesexperience.com/conflictguide

2) If you’re working through a hard season in your marriage — the Rebuilding Us 30-Day Challenge was made for you.

For 30 days, you’ll rebuild trust, improve communication, and reconnect emotionally through simple, guided steps each day. Start healing and moving forward together:

 → Rebuilding Us: www.MeetTheFreemans.com/Rebuilding

3) Meet Us In Person — October 5th Couples Workshop

Want to go beyond podcasts and guides? Come experience a full-day, in-person marriage workshop with us in Chandler, AZ. You’ll do private, guided exercises, learn powerful tools, and walk out feeling closer than you’ve felt in a long time. Spots are limited and always sell out.

→ Reserve your seats now for the Couples Workshop: https://www.thecouplesworkshop.com

4) You can also view all of our other resources here: https://www.meetthefreemans.com/links

Episode Time Stamps:

00:00 – Are you tiptoeing around your partner’s emotions?

01:10 – The problem with trying to “keep the peace” in marriage

02:24 – How we accidentally train each other to hide the truth

04:00 – When you’re scared of your partner’s reactions (or they’re scared of yours)

05:13 – What emotional eggshells actually sound like in real conversations

06:28 – The silent damage of unspoken resentment

07:42 – Why you both need to feel emotionally safe to be honest

09:03 – It’s not about walking on eggshells—it’s about building emotional maturity

10:21 – A secure marriage isn’t trigger-free—it’s repair-friendly

11:45 – How to shift your tone, so feedback doesn’t land as an attack

13:12 – Real example: giving feedback without provoking defensiveness

15:01 – “I want to be able to bring things up without it becoming a blow-up”

16:30 – The difference between emotional regulation and emotional suppression

18:18 – Why tiptoeing keeps your marriage stuck

19:20 – You both play a role in the dynamic—here’s how to change it

21:04 – Your tone might be more triggering than your words

22:47 – Tools for building a secure marriage where honesty is welcome

Just because something is common in marriage doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

We’ve heard countless couples ask: “Is this just a hard season… or is something actually wrong?” “Are we still okay, even though this feels hard?”

In this episode, we unpack those questions using anonymous submissions from real couples. You’ll hear what challenges are normal in long-term relationships—and what behavior or dynamics cross the line into unhealthy territory.

We cover emotional disconnection, mismatched intimacy, recurring conflict, parenting stress, and more. Plus, we share clear next steps for how to handle each one.

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or just want clarity, this conversation will leave you feeling validated, informed, and ready to make meaningful change.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

• What’s normal vs what’s not okay in conflict, intimacy, and parenting
• What’s normal vs what’s not okay in conflict, intimacy, and parenting
• Real examples from couples like you (and how we’d respond)
• One mindset shift that helps you stop tolerating what’s not working

🛠️ Resources Mentioned in the Episode 

THIS SUMMER ONLY 3 MARRIAGE CHANGING GUIDES FOR THE PRICE OF TWO 🎉

 → Making Up & Moving Forward Guide  → De-Escalating Conflicts Guide  → Family Meeting Guide

Get the bundle here: https://thecouplesexperience.com/3guidesbundle

Surprise Bonus for Committed Couples If this episode was a wake-up call or gut check, you're not alone. Many couples drift because they normalize disconnection, resentment, or the roommate phase… until it’s too late.

That’s why we created the Best of Us 30-Day Couples Challenge to help you reignite emotional and physical intimacy in just a few intentional minutes a day.

This limited edition is only available a few times per year. And right now? We’ve got a surprise for you waiting here:  https://thecouplesexperience.com/surprise

Episode Time Stamps: 

01:00 – Is this a normal marriage challenge… or not okay?

01:38 – One key mindset shift: “If it hurts your partner and you won’t change, it’s an issue”

03:03 – Are you playing the same game—or using totally different marriage rulebooks?

05:29 – Conflict: What’s normal vs. what’s actually damaging

07:13 – Are you really repairing—or just resetting the same fight cycle?

08:43 – Is it okay to not talk for days after an argument?

11:27 – Want to shorten your conflict recovery time? Here’s how

13:05 – The truth about intimacy: What’s normal… and what hurts the relationship

16:00 – Intimacy shouldn’t only satisfy one person

18:48 – What to do if desire is low (emotionally, physically, or hormonally)

20:44 – The role of emotional and physical check-ins

22:57 – Are you in a “roommate rut”? You need this challenge

24:35 – The emotional load & mental load: What’s normal, what’s not okay

28:15 – “If you’re not playing by the same rules, no wonder it feels off”

32:11 – Parenting struggles: How common are they and what’s truly not okay

36:55 – You don’t just need consistency… you need adaptability

38:44 – Stop parenting by default—here’s what to do instead

42:30 – What happens when personal struggles or boundaries go unaddressed

44:15 – The boundary breakdown: “If you're not playing by the same rules, you're losing”

47:55 – Final takeaways + How to get resources for your marriage

Why is it so hard to change the way we show up in marriage, even when we know what we want to do differently? In this special episode, we sit down with John Assaraf, a renowned global leader in success and performance coaching, decades-long behavioral neuroscience researcher, and CEO of MyNeuroGym.com. He’s authored 4 bestselling books (including 2 New York Times bestsellers) and has been featured in 11 films.

Together, we explore the science behind why we get stuck in patterns like defensiveness, withdrawal, or reactivity and how to finally break free. Whether you’re trying to communicate better, stay calm in conflict, or just feel more connected, this episode reveals what’s really happening in your brain during those moments, and what it takes to rewire it.

John shares breakthrough insights from his book Innercise, along with practical tools to reshape your beliefs, upgrade your mindset, and master the habits that shape your relationship. Which is required if you want to get new results in your life and marriage. If you are ready to become the partner your relationship and your future needs, this episode is a must-listen.

👉 Grab John Assaraf’s book Innercise on Amazon  

🎯 Get the Freemans’ relationship tools at MeetTheFreemans.com/links

Few things create more frustration in a marriage than the feeling of a double standard—when it seems like the rules are different for you than for your partner. Whether it’s around emotional regulation, how long you’re “allowed” to feel upset, or what tone is acceptable from whom, these invisible imbalances quietly erode trust and connection over time. In this episode, we unpack the real-life double standards men and women often feel in marriage—and how those dynamics are deeply tied to core fears like unfairness, rejection, or not being heard.

We’re not here to point fingers—we’re here to name the patterns, give them language, and teach you how to break the cycle without turning on each other. You’ll learn how to move beyond keeping score, how to express your needs without weaponizing them, and how to create emotional safety when things feel uneven. If you’ve ever thought, “Why is it okay when they do it, but not when I do?”—this one is for you.

👉 One way to prevent these double standard dynamics is by consistently building up your “Love Account” through small daily deposits of connection, appreciation, and presence. That’s exactly what the Prioritizing Us 30-Day Couples Challenge is designed to help you do. Start today at MyCouplesChallenge.com.

You want your marriage to feel like a place of joy, momentum, and shared purpose—not just survival mode. Just like in any great sport, the most fulfilling performance only happens inside clear, agreed-upon boundaries. In this episode, we explore the invisible lines that protect your connection, prevent slow erosion, and allow your relationship to thrive through both play and pressure.

Whether it’s how you handle conflict, manage emotional energy, or protect your marriage from outside influences, these boundaries are non-negotiables for couples who want to go the distance. You’ll walk away with powerful insights and practical tools to strengthen your bond and prevent unnecessary damage along the way.

👉 Don’t miss the summer-only special of our 3-guide bundle—De-Escalating Conflicts, Making Up & Moving Forward, and Family Meeting—designed to help you implement everything from this episode. Get the Special 3 Guide Bundle here.

Your emotional state doesn’t just affect you—it affects your partner, too. In fact, if you don’t learn how to co-regulate, you’ll unintentionally become each other’s stressor instead of each other’s support system. This episode goes beyond managing your own emotions and explores how to stay grounded together, especially in high-stress moments.

We’ll break down what co-regulation really means in marriage, how your nervous systems influence each other in subtle but powerful ways, and how to stop spiraling into fights about the fight. You’ll learn 5 practical steps to co-regulate in real-life moments and how to create a more emotionally safe home—one small choice at a time.

👉 Don’t forget to grab the summer-only special of our 3-guide bundle, featuring the De-Escalating Conflicts Guide, Making Up & Moving Forward Guide, and Family Meeting Guide—all designed to help you stay connected and handle hard moments with more calm and clarity. Available here Special 3 Guide Bundle

Stressful situations are inevitable, but how you handle them together can either strengthen or strain your relationship. In this episode, we talk about the kind of external stress that sneaks up on you: sick kids, surprise job changes, financial curveballs, or even your dog throwing up after eating crayons. But the real breakdown doesn’t come from the stress itself, it comes from when that stress turns into tension between you. Suddenly, you're no longer teammates, you're opponents. That’s when decisions get harder, emotions run hotter, and connection takes a hit.

We share personal stories from our own chaotic summer, what it’s like prepping for big life changes (including being guests on Ed Mylett’s podcast), and how good stress and bad stress can show up in unexpected ways. You’ll also hear real-life examples from couples navigating stress with completely different approaches—and how to stay united even when your instincts don’t align. If you want to face pressure as partners, not enemies, this episode is a must-listen.

👉 Ready to strengthen your connection and navigate tough seasons as a team? Start the Prioritizing Us 30-Day Couples Challenge at mycoupleschallenge.com

What if the key to a deeper, more connected marriage wasn’t just about communicating more, but communicating in the right way? In this episode I sit down with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and bestselling author Charles Duhigg, whose newest book Supercommunicators breaks open the science of how real connection happens. We explore how couples often end up having two totally different types of conversations — practical, emotional, or social — without even realizing it, and how that mismatch can quietly erode understanding and intimacy.

Charles also shares how vulnerability and mirroring build emotional closeness, but how quickly that connection can be disrupted by subtle patterns of judgment or control. These hidden dynamics don’t always show up as shouting or criticism. Sometimes they sneak in through trying to fix, correct, or redefine how your partner sees themselves. Whether you're navigating everyday stress or deeper conflict, this episode reveals how to shift from disconnect to understanding, and how to communicate in ways that sync both your brains and your hearts.

Relationship Resources ⬇️

Start the 30-Day Prioritizing Us Couples Challenge to grow your connection, improve communication, and feel like a team again, especially for those that are parents. It starts on June 1st, 2025. You can add your partner for free. www.mycoupleschallenge.com

With all the conflicting relationship advice floating around, like “you shouldn’t need your partner” versus “you should be able to lean on them emotionally”, it’s no wonder couples feel confused about what a healthy marriage really looks like. In this episode we unpack the real difference between codependence, hyper independence, and interdependence and why understanding where you and your partner fall on this spectrum could change everything.

We also share our own journey through these patterns and explore how they show up in daily life, especially in conflict, under stress, and when you’re trying to get your needs met. If you've ever felt too needy, too shut down, or just unsure how to stay connected without losing yourself, this episode is for you. We’ll walk you through the signs, the shifts, and the steps to build a partnership that feels secure and sustainable without giving everything away here.

Relationship Resources Grab our 3 Guides Bundle for deeper connection and conflict repair Includes: • The Family Meeting Guide • The De-Escalating Conflicts Guide • The Making Up and Moving Forward Guide

These tools will help you communicate clearly, reconnect after conflict, and stay united through life’s toughest moments.