Time to Lean

By Laura Danger and Crystal BrittSociety & Culture Education Self-Improvement Relationships

Time to Lean episodes

April 10 what can we learn when we revisit couples therapy classics?
Have you heard of the Gottman Institute? The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work is a wildly popular relationship book and it has plenty of fantastic insights. However, some of the research and case studies could use some updating. In this episode, we take a close look at conflict while keeping in mind the weight of emotional labor and the impacts of patriarchy.

Mentioned:
The Seven Principals for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman PhD
The Autism Partner Handbook: How to Love an Autistic Person by Joe Biel, Dr. Faith G. Harper and Elly Blue
The Autism Relationships Handbook: How to Thrive in Friendships, Dating, and Love by Joe Biel and Dr. Faith G. Harper
Study:
Check out the https://www.lightenlab.com/

In this episode:
Relationship conflict patterns and Gottman's research
Gendered communication and systemic issues
Neurodivergence and emotional regulation in relationships

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Order No More Mediocre: A Call To Reimagine Our Relationships And Demand More
Follow Laura: @thatdarnchat | thatdarnchat.substack.com
Follow Crystal: @itscrystalbritt | itscrystalbritt.substack.com
Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show
If you or someone you know needs support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline | 800-799-7233

Themes: relationship dynamics, conflict resolution, Gottman Institute, gender theory, neurodivergence, communication, mental load, emotional labor, systemic gender issues, relationship advice

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
51 min
January 14 when does teasing turn toxic?
In this episode, we share a "candid" video from a couple who are having a serious convo in a #couplescomedy tone. We unpack emotional attunement, family dynamics and the impact of social media on all of us.

Mentioned in this episode:
No More Mediocre by Laura Danger is in stores on January 6, 2026! Enter here for a chance to win an early copy!
Don’t miss Crystal’s upcoming groups! More info here!

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Get resources, ad-free episodes, and more at timetoleanpod.substack.com
Order No More Mediocre: A Call To Reimagine Our Relationships And Demand More
Follow Laura: @thatdarnchat | thatdarnchat.substack.com
Follow Crystal: @itscrystalbritt | itscrystalbritt.substack.com
Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show
If you or someone you know needs support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline | 800-799-7233
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
51 min
November 26, 2025 when does modeling better balance become capitalizing on the issue of inequity?
In this episode, we explore the line between sharing personal growth and capitalizing on the widespread normalization of inequity. When does modeling a more equitable division of labor go from influencing a cultural shift to patting yourself on the back?

Mentioned in this episode:
No More Mediocre by Laura Danger is in stores on January 6, 2026! Enter here for a chance to win an early copy!
Don’t miss Crystal’s Autism Self-Diagnosis Group, starting Dec 1st! More info here!

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Get resources, ad-free episodes, and more at timetoleanpod.substack.com
Preorder No More Mediocre: A Call To Reimagine Our Relationships And Demand More
Follow Laura: @thatdarnchat | thatdarnchat.substack.com
Follow Crystal: @itscrystalbritt | itscrystalbritt.substack.com
Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show
If you or someone you know needs support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline | 800-799-7233
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 hr 3 min
October 08, 2025 what if men were tricked into going to therapy?
In this episode, Crystal and Laura discuss an IG reel sent to us from a listener. Do men need to be tricked into going to therapy? What are some things that keep them from going? How do you even go about picking a therapist that’s right for you?
Get resources, ad-free episodes, and more at timetoleanpod.substack.com
Preorder No More Mediocre: A Call To Reimagine Our Relationships And Demand More
Follow Laura: @thatdarnchat | thatdarnchat.substack.com
Follow Crystal: @itscrystalbritt | itscrystalbritt.substack.com
Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show
If you or someone you know needs support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline | 800-799-7233
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
49 min
September 24, 2025 if i have to ask you to invite me, is it REALLY an invitation?
In this episode, Laura and Crystal chat about a clip from the movie Knocked Up where Leslie Mann confronts Paul Rudd about his dishonesty around how he's been using his time. We cover invisible labor, insidious inequity, subtle betrayals and so much more.

Here's the link to the original video!

Get resources, ad-free episodes, and more at timetoleanpod.substack.com
Preorder No More Mediocre: A Call To Reimagine Our Relationships And Demand More
Follow Laura: @thatdarnchat | thatdarnchat.substack.com
Follow Crystal: @itscrystalbritt | itscrystalbritt.substack.com
Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show
If you or someone you know needs support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline | 800-799-7233
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
1 hr 1 min
September 10, 2025 i asked for two, but he got me one—am i supposed to be okay with less... everyday... for the rest of my life?
In this episode, we discuss a viral thread where a woman describes a metaphor for her entire relationship: a situation where she asked for more and was expected to be satisfied with less. We talk: self-sacrifice, relationship dynamics, small moments that really reflect big issues.

Get resources, ad-free episodes, and more at timetoleanpod.substack.com
Preorder No More Mediocre: A Call To Reimagine Our Relationships And Demand More
Follow Laura: @thatdarnchat | thatdarnchat.substack.com
Follow Crystal: @itscrystalbritt | itscrystalbritt.substack.com
Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show
If you or someone you know needs support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline | 800-799-7233
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
47 min
August 13, 2025 is it funny to have to be begged to do the dishes?
In this episode, Crystal and Laura talk about a viral video that makes light of the dynamic of "nagging". Join us as we consider not just what happens when you "ask a man to do the dishes", but what the jokes of the #couplescomedy genre actually teach us to laugh off.

Mentioned:
Revolution at Point Zero
The original video
Paris Paloma - Labour

Get resources, ad-free episodes, and more at timetoleanpod.substack.com
Preorder No More Mediocre: A Call To Reimagine Our Relationships And Demand More
Follow Laura: @thatdarnchat | thatdarnchat.substack.com
Follow Crystal: @itscrystalbritt | itscrystalbritt.substack.com
Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show
If you or someone you know needs support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline | 800-799-7233
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
52 min
August 06, 2025was 'marriage story' cis-het propaganda?
In this episode, Laura and Crystal discuss the 2019 Netflix film, ‘Marriage Story,’ which starred Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. A popular clip is circulating on social media again and made us wonder: with all the passing of responsibility and finger-pointing and tantruming—was it all just cis-het propaganda??
Mentioned in this Episode:
Pre-Order Laura’s Book! – No More Mediocre
Laura’s Substack Article from Last Episode
Scarlett Longstreet's Instagram Post: “Five Things I Wish I Knew Before Getting Divorced”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
35 min
July 30, 2025 would you leave someone on read for being too available?
This week, we’re digging into a few clips from @leftonread_show that had us feeling things! We talk about what it means to be “cool" and whether or not the host's advice to play hard to get is ACTUALLY good advice. A lighthearted one today. <3

Let’s get into it.

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Find more at timetoleanpod.substack.com for resources, ad-free episodes, and more.
Follow Laura @thatdarnchat → thatdarnchat.substack.com
Follow Crystal @itscrystalbritt → itscrystalbritt.substack.com
Subscribe, rate, and share if you love the show.
Preorder No More Mediocre now.
If you or someone you know needs support, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
35 min
July 23, 2025 can an unfinished painting cause you to question everything?
This is a weird one. Crystal has been slammed and Laura couldn't get a painting out of her head, so she decided to write(and read) about it. In this episode, Laura reads something she wrote about an unfinished painting of a mother.

PLEASE PARDON LAURA'S FRENCH. :)

Check out the painting here!
Madame de Pastoret and Her Son, 1791–92
Artist: Jacques-Louis David (French, 1748–1825)

Here's her husband.

Here's her son.

Get resources, ad-free episodes, and more at timetoleanpod.substack.com
Preorder No More Mediocre: A Call To Reimagine Our Relationships And Demand More
Follow Laura: @thatdarnchat | thatdarnchat.substack.com
Follow Crystal: @itscrystalbritt | itscrystalbritt.substack.com
Subscribe, rate, and share to help others find the show
If you or someone you know needs support: The National Domestic Violence Hotline | 800-799-7233
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
17 min

About Time to Lean

From the publisher's feed

On the Time to Lean podcast with Laura Danger and Crystal Britt, we dig into the often-overlooked realities of domestic labor, care work, and household inequity. Through sharp cultural…