In this episode of The Grounded Union Podcast, we dive deep into the moment we realized traditional marriage advice wasn’t cutting it—like, literally getting booted from a counselor's office kind of not cutting it. What do you do when the experts tell you to settle for “good enough” healing? Spoiler: You don’t settle.

We share the wild stories of counselors who downplayed our marriage struggles, labeled Caitlyn as “too demanding,” and insisted that lifelong sexual brokenness was just... normal.

We unpack how denial sneaks in, why radical honesty is the only way to real intimacy, and what happens when you clean house—emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and yes, even digitally. If you've ever felt stuck cycling through the same old advice and getting nowhere, this episode is the call-out and the call-up you didn’t know you needed.

Prepare yourself: no more secrets...

Looking for immediate support in your marriage?
Community for Men: Tap here to join the app with a 14-day FREE trial

Workshops for Couples: Tap here to attend one of our 2025 in-person workshops
Grounded Intimacy Program: Tap here for more info on our online couples program
 
Follow us on social at @brandontalksmarriage & @caitlyn_doerksen
Check out our IG account to stay updated @groundedunionpodcast
YouTube Show available here

Timestamps & Key Moments:

• 00:00:00 –  Welcome back! Updates on live events and why this episode picks up where Episode 1 left off.
• 00:02:30 – The Counselor Showdown – Brandon shares the story of getting kicked out for wanting full transparency.
• 00:06:10 – "Codependent" and Other Mislabels – Caitlyn discusses why women seeking healing often get wrongly blamed.
• 00:11:40 – The Myth of "Men Will Always Struggle" – Why one counselor’s hopeless advice was the final straw.
• 00:16:20 – The Problem with Too Many Voices – How limiting outside opinions helped Brandon stop minimizing his behavior.
• 00:23:00 – No More Secrets – The power of sharing everything (yes, even the ugly stuff) to rebuild true intimacy.
• 00:30:15 – Facing Denial Head-On – Why denial is the shield keeping you stuck—and how to break it down.
• 00:36:45 – Thank You & Goodbye to Denial – The process Brandon used to acknowledge, release, and move past old patterns.
• 00:44:20 – The Purge – What it looked like to spend 30+ days clearing out every hidden secret and starting fresh.
• 00:51:40 – When Life Falls Apart (For the Better) – Why things might get worse before they get better—and why it’s worth it.
• 01:00:05 – Your Invitation – Brandon and Caitlyn invite you to join the same radical healing journey they took.