Raising Marriage Podcast

Enjoy the holiday season with your partner and family This episode provides tips on how to manage the busyness of the holiday season while working together as a couple.

Learn how to handle family expectations, create new traditions, plan your schedule, and budget for expenses.

By having important conversations and getting organized, you can reduce stress and conflict to truly enjoy this special time of year with your loved ones. 

This episode of Raising Marriage focuses on how to start difficult conversations in marriage using a "softened startup" approach.

Kirsten and John discuss the difference between harsh and soft startups, explaining how a softer approach can lead to more productive conversations and conflict resolution.

Listeners will learn practical tips for implementing softened startups, including identifying feelings, expressing needs clearly, and using "I" statements.

The episode highlights how this communication technique can improve relationship dynamics and create a more positive environment for addressing challenging topics.

- The Gottman Institute - Research on harsh vs. soft startups in relationships

- Episode 45 of Raising Marriage podcast - Discussion on weekly marriage check-ins

- ChatGPT or other AI tools - Can help rephrase harsh statements into softer language

This episode of the Raising Marriage podcast focuses on building a strong family unit and creating a home environment that children will want to return to as adults. The hosts discuss the importance of balancing marriage and parenting, and offer tips for cultivating family connections. They emphasize that it's okay if your family is your main "tribe" rather than feeling pressured to have a large social network. Key ideas include establishing rituals like weekly pizza and movie nights, having regular family dinners, maintaining open communication, and finding shared activities like camping that bring the family together. The hosts also address how these connections may need to evolve as children grow into teenagers and young adults.

Resources

Below is a list of resources mentioned during the episode:

• Instagtram: @raisingmarriage

• Conversation starter cards for family dinners

This episode of Raising Marriage gets real. Kirsten and John share how one theme kept them going in their family crisis - advocating for their child.

They navigated a challenging medical diagnosis for their son, offering encouragement and practical advice for other families facing similar struggles.

Key takeaways:

• The importance of trusting parental intuition
• Persisting in seeking answers even when faced with roadblocks
• Balancing traditional and alternative approaches to healthcare

The goal of this candid discussion is to help parents feel less alone and more empowered to fight for their child's wellbeing.

Thanks for listening and...

Keep Growing!

This episode of the Raising Marriage podcast focuses on the importance of manners in marriage.

Kirsten and John discuss how good manners can build respect, show appreciation, and create connection between partners.

They explain that manners go beyond just saying "please" and "thank you" to include acknowledging each other, showing gratitude for big and small contributions, and finding moments to connect throughout busy days.

The episode provides practical tips for improving manners in marriage, such as greeting each other when entering/leaving, expressing genuine thanks, having regular check-ins, and making an effort to notice positive things about your partner.

Kirsten and John emphasize that cultivating good manners can help prevent taking each other for granted and foster a more positive perspective on the relationship.

Episode 45 of Raising Marriage podcast - Discusses the weekly marriage check-in practice

This episode explores strategies for breaking through stalemates and unproductive arguments in marriage. Learn how to move past surface-level debates and dig deeper to understand each other's perspectives. The hosts share personal examples and practical tips for compromising effectively without feeling like you're always giving in. By reframing compromise and focusing on shared goals, couples can find creative solutions that work for the whole family.

Resources

Book recommendation: QBQ (Question Behind the Question) by John G. Miller

In this episode of Raising Marriage,  Kirsten and John delve into the common issue of alcohol-fueled arguments in relationships and provide actionable strategies to address and overcome them. They share their personal experiences and practical tips to foster better communication and healthier connections.

Kirsten and John encourage listeners to foster open communication, stay sober during conflicts, and use structured forums and journaling to enhance their relationships. By implementing these practices, couples can prevent arguments from becoming bigger issues and build stronger, healthier marriages.

Key Takeaways From Todays Episode:

1. The Role of Alcohol in Arguments:
   • Alcohol is often a catalyst for arguments due to its relaxing effect, which can lead to the release of pent-up frustrations.
   • Minor issues can become significant problems when amplified by alcohol.
2. Importance of Open Communication:
   • Lack of communication when sober can escalate conflicts when drinking.
   • Effective conflict management skills and understanding are hindered by alcohol consumption.
3. Structured Forums and Business Meetings:
   • Regularly scheduled business meetings for discussing feelings can help manage conflicts before they escalate.
   • Weekly relationship check-ins are crucial for addressing concerns and frustrations in a structured manner.
4. Journaling as a Tool:
   • Journaling helps process intense emotions and brings clarity to underlying issues.
   • It differentiates between petty issues and significant discussion topics, aiding in more coherent and kinder communication.
5. Creating Healthy Activities:
   • Engage in activities not centered around drinking to build healthier, more meaningful connections.
   • Staying sober during arguments is advised to avoid emotional hangovers and messy, incoherent conversations.

Join us next time on Raising Marriage for more insights and tips on nurturing and growing your relationship!

Marriage doesn't have to be hard- we're here to show ou how to keep it fun and fulfilling!

Join us as we uncover the secrets to maintaining a strong marriage through meaningful and playful conversation. Yes, you need to have the tough conversations about big issues like sex, money, and children. But you should also balance those moments with fun and lighthearted conversation. 

Humor is the glue that can hold a marriage together, and this episode is packed with tips for including more laighter and quirky chats into your relationship. We share practical tools like "Would You Rather: questions and the Gottman Card Decks app to spark some sun. 

Balance is key when it comes to your conversations. 

Join us on this journey to keep growing together while having a blast along the way!

Did you begin your weekly business meeting we discussed in Episode 42? Now lets add some more substance and a way for you and your partner to check in with one another on a deeper level. 

In this episode, Kirsten shares questions you can use in a weekly meeting to emotionally check in with your partner. John shares what he loves about the questions and how he sees it have a positive imapact on the relationship week in and week out. 

For eas reference of the questions:

1. What went well in our relationship this week?
2. What went poorly this week?
3. What is something I did this week that made you feel loved?
4. How could I help you more on a regular basis?
5. What is something I can do regularly to make you feel loved and appreciated?

Join us, Kirsten and John as we open up about our family’s tough two-year journey.  We faced challenge after challenge when our family hit this crisis, but we faced it together. 

Our latest podcast episode is about how the years we spent building a strong marriage got us through this difficult time.  We worked together to parent through a season of emotional, behavioral and ultimately medical challenges.  

In our chat, we share the story behind it all and how reflecting on this helped further shape Kirsten’s perspective on marriage counseling.  Parental unity is crucial for a child's well-being. 

We invite you to join our open conversation in hopes that it’s helpful to you in your family’s journey.

Follow us @RaisingMarriage