Am I doomed to repeat the mistakes I saw in my parents’ marriage? That question made me afraid of love—especially when I started dating. At times, it even made me not want to get married at all. And now, even as a married man, that fear still shows up.

If you come from a divorced or deeply dysfunctional family, you probably feel it too.

The question I kept asking: How do I avoid that? How do I not get divorced? And more importantly, how do I build a strong marriage?

That’s what we explore in this episode, plus:

• Are children of divorce actually doomed to fail at marriage—or is there real hope?
• 5 surprising predictors of whether your marriage will last—including one tip that lowers your divorce risk by 25%
• The truth behind the “soulmate” myth—and what actually makes couples happy
• Why staying single might not be the safe bet you think it is

If you’ve ever felt afraid of love or marriage, this episode is for you.

Buy Dr. Brad’s Book: Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization

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Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to Avoid

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For so many of us from divorced or dysfunctional families, the tension with our parents doesn’t just fade. It can grow into silence, distance, or even a total cutoff where we can become estranged from each other. 

But what exactly is estrangement, why does it happen, and how can you rebuild an estranged relationship? In this episode, we discuss that and more:

• The subtle ways parents (and children) unknowingly push each other away
• Why grief is often buried beneath family conflict—and how to face it without getting stuck
• When reconnection is wise—and when staying estranged might actually be safer

If you’re dealing with an estranged relationship, this episode is for you.

Visit Kreed’s website, TheEstrangedHeart.com

Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to Avoid

Get the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your Fault

Get the Guide: 10 Tips to Help Someone Whose Parents Are Separating or Divorcing

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In many places, we’re facing an epidemic of fatherlessnes. Fatherlessness not only leaves an invisible mark but it also shapes how you view yourself, how you handle your emotions, and how you love in relationships. So are fatherless children doomed?

Not at all. In fact, Tommy shows how to compensate for what you didn’t receive from dad and how healing is within reach. In this episode, we also discuss:

• His dad’s spiral into mental illness, homelessness—and why Tommy hasn’t seen him in over a decade
• The hidden ways father hunger shows up in dating relationships, causing us to seek what we never received from the wrong people
• The lies he carried for years: “I am alone” and “I have to earn love”—and the truth he found to break that grip

If you experienced any sort of fatherlessness, this episode is for you.

Get the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your Fault

Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to Avoid

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So many of us from divorced or dysfunctional families never learned how to deal with pain and suffering in a healthy way. As a result, we usually either numb the pain or get stuck in bitterness. 

But what if you could not only learn how to navigate pain in a healthy way, but actually draw meaning from your pain and emerge stronger? That’s what we discuss in this episode, plus:

• The shocking diagnosis Jack received at 11—and how it rewired his entire future
• Why suffering always pushes you into one of three paths (and how only one leads to freedom)
• The 3 ways to find meaning in suffering and the obstacles that prevent it

If you’re suffering, perhaps because of your parents’ divorce or the breakdown of your family, this episode is for you.

Get Jack’s Course or FREE Class: RISE: Drawing Meaning from Suffering Through the Lens of St. John Paul II, Victor Frankl and Jesus

Book a FREE Mentorship Session with Jack

Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to Avoid

Get Joey’s Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your Fault

Jocko Willink "GOOD" (Viral Video)

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When Brandy was only a few months old, her parents divorced due to her father’s alcoholism. From the outside, her story might seem like a “best case” scenario—she was raised by a courageous single mom and later a kind stepfather. 

But underneath it all, she carried wounds no one could see. She believed perfection was the path to love. She feared becoming like the very people who hurt her. One wound even stayed buried for 20 years. 

In this episode, we explore:

• The shocking memory that resurfaced in adulthood—and what it revealed
• Why her marriage should’ve failed statistically—and how she and her husband beat the odds
• And what her mom did right that every divorced parent needs to hear

If you've ever felt pressure to be perfect, feared repeating your parents’ marriage, or kept wounds hidden, this episode is for you.

Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to Avoid

Get the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your Fault

Episode 84: Angry at God? Why People from Broken Families Struggle Extra in Their Relationship with Him | Sr. Miriam James Heidland 

Episode 39: The Anatomy of a Wound & How to Heal | Dr. Bob Schuchts, PhD

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What is attachment theory? How does your attachment style impact your relationships? As an expert in attachment theory, Kirsty Nolan joins us to discuss all of that, plus:

• The four attachment styles
• What happens when you have a secure attachment early in childhood, but later experience a rupture because of trauma, like your parents’ divorce
• Tips on resolving conflict, specifically how to repair after a rupture

If you’re curious about attachment styles or just want a healthy relationship, this episode is for you.

Listen to Kirsty’s podcast, Attachment Theory in Action

Get help from Kirsty’s organization, Chaddock

Get the Book or FREE chapters: It’s Not Your Fault

Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to Avoid

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What happens when you become your parents’ emotional confidant—their therapist—during a divorce? At first, it might feel like you’re helping. But eventually, it backfires and might even break you. That’s what happened to Cole. 

In this episode, we explore:

• How he went through his parents’ separation twice—and how each one affected him differently

• How he’s slowly rebuilding family relationships after stepping away to heal

• Why even small decisions felt impossible—and how he learned to choose with confidence

  
  

If you’ve ever acted as your parents’ therapist—or felt crushed by their divorce or the chaos at home—this episode is for you.

Share Your Story

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Why you should define your fears instead of your goals | Tim Ferriss | TED

#036: Healthy Relationships Are Impossible Without Boundaries

Celebrate Recovery Community

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So many of us feel depleted and exhausted, yet we might not know why. This is especially true for those of us from divorced or broken families. Research shows that children of divorce typically have worse physical health and more emotional problems. 

But thankfully, that doesn’t have to be your story. Going from depleted to healthy on every level is not only doable—but simpler than you think, according to my guest.

In this episode, we discuss:

• 9 often-overlooked pillars of health that could be sabotaging your wellness.

• The top 4 areas of health where most people need to start. 

• Quick and simple tips you probably haven’t heard to feel and be your best.

  
  

If you’ve struggled with your health in any way or just desire to be healthier, this episode is for you.

Enroll in Reform Online

For 10% off, use code: RESTORED10 (valid until June 15, 2025) Comment end  

Visit ReformWellness.co

Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to Avoid

View Restored’s Resources

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AJ had a normal life as a college student-athlete. But one night, a violent car accident left AJ paralyzed from the waist down. 

What started as 15 minutes of hell has transformed into what he calls “The best thing that’s happened to me.” 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The detailed story of the accident and the unexplainable emotions he experienced in the minutes after the accident

• The two things that helped him cope and beat feeling like a perpetual victim

• What AJ said to the driver of the vehicle and the miracles and transformations that have resulted from his injury

  
  

If you’ve endured trauma, a horrible injury, or you’re just going through an intense season of suffering, this episode is for you.

Follow AJ:

• Instagram

• TikTok

• YouTube

• Email: [email protected]

Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to Avoid

View Restored’s Resources

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At the root of our culture’s many problems is the breakdown of marriages and families. My guest shares sobering statistics, such as that “there are 31% less marriages annually now than in the year 2000” and there are “65% less marriages now than in the year 1970.” 

He says this is hugely contributing to the loneliness crisis today. Thankfully, there is a cure, which we discuss in this episode, plus:

• How the lonelinest group of people at church aren’t the old

• Encouragement for young people from broken families who fear love and marriage

• What a healthy relationship looks like and how to build it, including the 5 stages of healthy relationships

  
  

If you’ve been affected by the breakdown of marriages and families, this episode is for you.

Buy JP’s Book: The Church's Strategic Move to Save Faith and Family in America

Get Dakota’s FREE Guide, The Biggest Fitness Mistakes to Avoid

View Restored’s Resources

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Question for Joey or our guests? Text us. We'll answer on the show as soon as we're able. You can be anonymous if you'd like!