276: The Myth of Effortless Connection with Shane Birkel
Release Date: 02/10/2026
289: Working with Couples Who Get Escalated with Shane Birkel
The Couples Therapist Couch
This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit to learn more Sign up for the June 2026 Cohort of Shane’s Certified Couples Intensive Training (CIT): Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: In this solo episode, Shane talks working with couples who get escalated. Hear some common questions people are wondering about in couples therapy today, how to work with a partner who doesn’t want to be in couples therapy, what to do if one partner is more invested than the other, what to do if things get escalated...
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288: Relationship Repair with Shane Birkel
The Couples Therapist Couch
This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit to learn more Sign up for the June 2026 Cohort of Shane’s Certified Couples Intensive Training (CIT): Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: In this solo episode, Shane talks relationship repair. Hear why repair is one of the most underrated skills in a relationship, the research experiments behind relationship repair, why the rupture is inevitable, why repair is so hard for so many couples, and how to help your clients build their capacity for repair.
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287: Relationships & AI with Trevor White
The Couples Therapist Couch
This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit to learn more Sign up for the webinar Inside a Couples Intensive: The 4 C's in Action on Thursday, April 16, 2026: Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: In this episode, Shane talks with Trevor White about relationships & AI. Trevor is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the Founder of Constellation Therapy, a practice focused on infidelity recovery. Hear how infidelity is changing in the Age of AI, how to help couples agree on the rules...
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286: Working with Trauma & Couples Therapy with Dr. Janina Fisher
The Couples Therapist Couch
This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit to learn more Sign up for the webinar Inside a Couples Intensive: The 4 C's in Action on Thursday, April 16, 2026: Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: In this episode, Shane talks with Dr. Janina Fisher about working with trauma & couples therapy. Janina is an Author, Clinical Psychologist, and Educator on the forefront in the field of trauma. Hear how trauma & therapy have changed over the years, how to help your clients without triggering them,...
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285: Intensives & Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with Dr. Rebecca Jorgensen
The Couples Therapist Couch
This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: In this episode, Shane talks with Dr. Rebecca Jorgensen about intensives & Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT). Rebecca is a Supervisor & Trainer for EFT, and one of the leaders for teaching the EFT model. Hear why intensives are a helpful way to provide safety & security for your clients, why you should do your own work as a couples therapist, how to be supportive to both partners at the same...
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284: Connection: The 4 Cs in Relationships with Shane Birkel
The Couples Therapist Couch
This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: In this solo episode, Shane dives into Connection as part of his mini-series, The 4 Cs in Relationships. Hear how containing boundaries & protective boundaries work in relationships, the difference between codependence & healthy connection, why so many couples struggle to get back to the honeymoon phase, how to help your clients develop true intimacy & connection, and your job as it relates to...
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283: Compassion: The 4 Cs in Relationships with Shane Birkel
The Couples Therapist Couch
This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: In this solo episode, Shane dives into Compassion as part of his mini-series, The 4 Cs in Relationships. Hear why compassion is tied so closely to shame, how to view shame vs. guilt, what to do when a client is struggling with shame, the 3 ways of pursuing self-esteem, and how much is a healthy amount of comparing yourself to others.
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282: Curiosity: The 4 Cs in Relationships with Shane Birkel
The Couples Therapist Couch
This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: In this solo episode, Shane dives into Curiosity as part of his mini-series, The 4 Cs in Relationships. Hear why being a couples therapist can feel like being a judge, how to help shift your clients’ mindsets to curiosity, how to work on the ability to slow down, why strong emotions are okay, and why timeouts can be great in couples therapy.
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281: Consciousness: The 4 Cs in Relationships with Shane Birkel
The Couples Therapist Couch
This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: In this solo episode, Shane dives into Consciousness as part of his mini-series, The 4 Cs in Relationships. Hear what consciousness really is, the different types of awareness to explore with your clients, what to do when a client breaks down from their emotions, the role of a partner when it comes to consciousness, and how to navigate emotions from childhood.
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280: The 4 Cs in Relationships with Shane Birkel
The Couples Therapist Couch
This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: In this solo episode, Shane shares the 4 Cs in relationships. Hear the common patterns couples get into, how to have compassion for each partner’s reality, how to help your clients keep curiosity in their relationship, why it’s okay for couples to disagree with each other, and what to say to your clients regarding each of the 4 Cs.
info_outlineThis episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more
Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/
Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new
Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/
In this solo episode, Shane talks the myth of effortless connection. Hear how to help couples who just don’t feel connected anymore, how to get each person to speak through their feelings, what the healthiest relationships do best, how to slow things down with clients, and how to create a sense of safety in relationships.