Bubble baths and yoga classes are great but what we really need to reduce stress this holiday season is connection. Are you tired of the same old recycled advice for reducing stress during the holidays? Listen in an learn how relational living is the key to lower stress year round.

Trust has many elements that are essential to a strong relationship. Here's one hack for building emotional trust while staying true to yourself.

We often think of the obvious problems in relationships, like infidelity, abuse, addictions as crossing the line. But there are more subtle and essential ways that lines are crossed which erode intimacy, connection, love and compassion over time. If you want more respect, intimacy, connection and love, take a listen to how boundaries are key to creating what you want and what will help your relationships thrive.

Credit must be given to Terry Real, whose Relational Life Therapy Certification training I am currently a part of and the work of his mentor, Pia Mellody. Their work is helping to strengthen relationships in groundbreaking ways and I'm honored to be a part of sharing that information and transformation with the couples in my office and my listeners.

After more than 2 years since the last episode was published, we are BACK! Listen in to hear our plans for future episodes to help you get stronger together in your most important relationships! We plan to launch mid September 2019 so be sure to follow us so you are alerted to when our new episodes are released.

One in 8 couples has difficulty conceiving or sustaining a pregnancy. Infertility is a developmental crisis for couples and leaves them grappling with a roller coaster of emotions, difficult decisions, the juggling of medical appointments, increased stress at a time that most of us expect to be simple and exciting.

Risa’s guest today is Dr. Tara Simpson, a licensed psychologist in Maryland. Her special interests include providing counseling to individuals with issues related to reproductive health, including fertility issues, adjustment to utilizing assisted reproductive treatments, pregnancy loss, and postpartum depression. In addition, she works extensively with individuals and couples pursuing treatment using donated gametes and/or gestational carriers. She serves on the Executive Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Mental Health Professional Group and is a member of RESOLVE.

Dr. Simpson sees patients in her Towson and Columbia offices. If you, or someone you know is struggling with fertility issues, listen in as Risa and Dr Simpson talk about how the support of a therapist who specializes in fertility issues, coping mechanisms and exercise and mindfulness are essential to couples getting stronger together. Dr Simpson can be reached at 410-303-3402 for those of you who are local to the Columbia, Maryland area.

To find a therapist in your area if you are not local to us, The American Society for Reproductive Medicine is a great resource for finding a clinician near you. go to www.asrm.org and complete the form under Resources and select Mental Health Professional.

We’d love to hear what topics you want us to talk about! Leave us a voice message right on our website. It’s quick and easy at www.togethercouplescounseling.com/podcast and your topic may just be our next episode!

Don’t miss out! Our April Fitness Support group is forming now! For more info go to www.togethercouplescounseling.com/fitness-coaching or email us at [email protected]

Chat with us about each weeks episode and get more support in our Facebook group by requesting to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1128126663947511/

Do you keep setting goals for yourself and get frustrated because you don’t reach them? Do you wish you knew what to do when your excuses keep getting in the way?

Find out how four simple letters, G.O.A.P can be the key to reaching any goal and why the “P” is essential to kicking your excuses to the curb!

If you haven’t already, be sure to listen to episode 012 of this podcast first to help you set up the first steps for success.

In episode 002, Risa talked about the importance of trying something new in order to truly feel alive!Find out what Risa tried recently in today’s episode and tell her about what you’ve done lately, or plan to do by leaving a voice message at www.strongertogetherpodcast.com

We’d love to hear what topics you want us to talk about! Leave us a voice message right on our website. It’s quick and easy at www.togethercouplescounseling.com/podcast and your topic may just be our next episode!

Don’t miss out! Our March Into Wellness group is forming now! For more info go to www.togethercouplescounseling.com/fitness-coaching or email us at [email protected]

Chat with us about each weeks episode and get more support in our Facebook group by requesting to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1128126663947511/

If I have to add one more thing to my to do list, I’m going to fall apart!

So many of us feel like that and we also feel like we never get to the things that truly matter to us. It leaves us feeling drained, demoralized, like we’ve messed up and failed.

Join Risa and her extra, extra special guest (you’ll see why when you listen!) and implement her three strategies for stopping the overwhelm. You’ll feel more fulfilled and aligned with your values. It will boost your energy and reduce your stress.

We’d love to hear what topics you want us to talk about! Leave us a voice message right on our website. It’s quick and easy at www.togethercouplescounseling.com/podcast and your topic may just be our next episode!

Take the real Love Your Spouse Challenge through fitness coaching with Risa. Our March group is forming now! For more info go to www.togethercouplescounseling.com/fitness-coaching or email us at [email protected]

Chat with us about each weeks episode and get more support in our Facebook group by requesting to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1128126663947511/

Big AHA! moments are not the cornerstone of helping relationships change. It’s the small things that have a big impact. Expressing appreciation will change how you see your spouse and will help you really connect to the true goodness of experiencing something outside of yourself that you spouse brings to you every day. Take notice of it, express appreciation for it and make your relationship stronger! Tune in for 5 tips on how to truly express appreciation to your spouse.

We’d love to hear what topics you want us to talk about! Leave us a voice message right on our website. It’s quick and easy at  www.togethercouplescounseling.com/podcast and your topic may just be our next episode!

 Take the real Love Your Spouse Challenge through fitness coaching with Risa. For more info go to www.togethercouplescounseling.com/fitness-coaching or email us at [email protected]

Chat with us about each weeks episode and get more support in our Facebook group by requesting to join here:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1128126663947511/

Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. If you’d like to enjoy the day and not run into dashed hopes or unmet expectations this year, tune in for 5 tips that will help you enjoy the day and connect to what it is truly about…LOVE.

We’d love to hear what topics you want us to talk about! Leave us a voice message right on our website. It’s quick and easy at www.togethercouplescounseling.com/podcast and your topic may just be our next episode!

Take the real Love Your Spouse Challenge through fitness coaching with Risa. For more info go to www.togethercouplescounseling.com/fitness-coaching or email us at [email protected]

Chat with us about each weeks episode and get more support in our Facebook group by requesting to join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1128126663947511/

Only 10% of all therapists evaluate and support the role fitness and nutrition plays in their client’s lives. I’ve been a therapist for 26 years and a fitness coach for 7 years and its long past time I started to combine the two in order to integrate all the parts and support every aspect of your life.

Depression and anxiety, inflammation and exercise are our topic today. Learn about the effects of medication versus exercise in treating depression and anxiety and the role inflammation plays in mental health.

You have in your control the ability to reduce anxiety and depression and with the information and the tools offered in this podcast you can be on your way to feeling better, and improving your relationships because of it.

For fitness coaching with Risa, email us at [email protected]

The app mentioned in today’s show is called Seven Minutes Every Day.

Research cited in todays episode:

Salmon, P. (2001) Effects of Physical Exercise on Anxiety, Depression, and Sensitivity to Stress: A unifying theory. Clinical Psychology Review 21, 33-61

Hanson CJ, Stevens LC, Coast JR (2001) Exercise Duration and Mood State: How Much is Enough to Feel Better? Health Psychology 20, 267-275

Neilan, T.G. et al. (2006). Myocardial Injury and Ventricular Dysfunction Related to Training Levels Among Nonelite Participants in the Boston Marathon. Circulation. 2006; 114: 2325-2333

We’d love to hear what topics you want us to talk about! Leave us a voice message right on our website. It’s quick and easy at  www.togethercouplescounseling.com/podcast and your topic may just be our next episode!

To get your free Ebook 7 Strategies to Become Stronger Together in 2017 visit our website at www.togethercouplescounseling.com/contact-us and put Stronger Together Ebook in the subject line.

 Chat with us about each weeks episode and get more support in our Facebook group by requesting to join here:

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1128126663947511/