ERP 476: Radical Acceptance & Real Connection: Navigating Differences in Relationship — An Interview With Carolyn Sharp
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
Release Date: 05/13/2025
ERP 480: Understanding Pathological Partners: How to Break Free from Toxic Relationships — An Interview with Dr. Nadine Macaluso
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode When love turns toxic, it can be almost impossible to see clearly through the confusion, self-doubt, and emotional chaos that follow. If you've ever found yourself trapped in a cycle of hope, heartbreak, and uncertainty within a relationship, you’re not alone—and there’s a reason why breaking free can feel so overwhelming. The hidden dynamics of pathological partnerships and trauma bonds often keep people stuck, questioning their worth, and struggling to understand why things never seem to get better. In this episode, listeners are offered insight and validation as the...
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ERP 479: Super Psyched About Love: Applying the Science of Connection to Couplehood — An Interview with Dr. Adam Dorsay
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode Are you truly alive in your relationships, or just going through the motions? In a world overflowing with distractions, many of us drift into autopilot—checking boxes, chasing benchmarks, and hoping real connection will fall into place. But without genuine presence and intention, lasting intimacy becomes elusive, leaving us depleted, disconnected, and wondering why meaningful fulfillment always seems out of reach. In this episode, discover how the science of connection can transform the way you approach your closest bonds. Through a blend of psychological insight and...
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ERP 478: When The Future Feels Uncertain: Tools for Couples Considering Divorce — An Interview with Dr. Becky Whetstone
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode Is your relationship quietly unraveling, and you’re not sure what to do next? Facing the possibility of divorce can feel like your world has been turned upside down, leaving you trapped between fear, uncertainty, and the heartbreak of not knowing what comes next. Too often, couples get lost in a whirlwind of painful emotions, making rushed decisions that can have long-term consequences for themselves, their children, and their extended families. In this episode, you’ll discover practical tools and compassionate insights designed to support couples sitting at the...
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ERP 477: Redefining Intimacy & Sexuality: Breaking Myths and Embracing Your Truth — An Interview with Dr. Erika Schwartz
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode Do you ever feel like intimacy and sexuality come with a set of rules no one can quite explain, and yet everyone expects you to follow? So many of us find ourselves struggling to meet society’s expectations around relationships, sex, and what it means to be fulfilled, only to discover that the realities of our experiences rarely match the myths we’ve been told. From changing hormones to evolving desires and the pressure to fit into cultural norms, finding authentic connection while honoring our true selves can feel overwhelming and, at times, isolating. In this episode,...
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ERP 476: Radical Acceptance & Real Connection: Navigating Differences in Relationship — An Interview With Carolyn Sharp
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode Conflict in relationships isn’t just inevitable—it’s normal, healthy, and, perhaps most importantly, an opportunity. Yet, the tension between wanting deep connection and authentic acceptance, while also holding onto individuality, can feel like a tightrope walk. How do couples move beyond judgment and misunderstanding to experience radical acceptance and true intimacy, especially when old patterns, unresolved hurts, and competing needs seem to pull them apart? In this episode, listeners are guided through the complex terrain of navigating differences in long-term...
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ERP 475: How to Balance Career Ambition with Love & Relationship — An Interview with Katarina Polonska
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode Can you really have it all—an ambitious, thriving career while also nurturing a deeply satisfying romantic relationship? Or does chasing professional success mean sacrificing love and connection at home? For many high achievers, pursuing career goals brings unexpected loneliness, relationship strain, and an exhausting sense of self-abandonment. The pressure to perform at work often leaves little time or energy for building intimacy, leading countless professionals to quietly wonder: Why does succeeding at work come so much easier than succeeding at love? In this episode,...
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ERP 474: How to Build More Emotional Health & Resilience — An Interview with Rachel Kaplan
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode Ever feel like you’re going through life with an invisible weight holding you back—old hurts, unspoken fears, or emotional “constipation” clogging your sense of connection with yourself and others? Many of us are conditioned to avoid our discomfort, stuff down our feelings, or simply muscle through, only to discover that real joy and closeness remain just out of reach. The struggle to feel truly seen, cared for, and emotionally vibrant isn’t just personal—it’s a modern epidemic. In this episode, you’ll discover how to build emotional health and resilience by...
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ERP 473: How to Experience More Embodied Pleasure Sexually – An Interview with Susan Taylor
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode Are you feeling disconnected from your own pleasure, physically present but emotionally absent during intimate moments? For many, the path to sexual fulfillment can feel blocked by a haze of stress, routine, numbness, or the pressure to reach a specific end goal. In a world where busyness and performance often take center stage, it’s all too easy to lose touch with the authentic, embodied experiences that deepen intimacy and bring lasting joy to our relationships. In this episode, listeners are guided through the steps to rediscover and reclaim embodied pleasure in their...
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ERP 472: Four Essential Pillars to Positively Transform Your Relationship (From a Psycho-Spiritual Perspective) An Interview with Dr. Rachel Glik
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode In many relationships, there's an ongoing struggle to balance personal growth with relational harmony, often leaving couples feeling stuck and disconnected. The issue at hand is not just about communication or compatibility—it's about understanding and nurturing the deeper psycho-spiritual connection that binds two individuals. In this episode, we dive into the essential pillars that can positively transform your relationship from a psycho-spiritual perspective. We'll explore how being responsible for your own happiness sets the stage for healthier dynamics, the importance...
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ERP 471: How the Pelvic Floor Is Related to Many Aspects of Health, Even the Domain of Relationship Health — An Interview with Patricia Siegel
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode Pelvic floor health is a topic that's often shrouded in mystery and silence, yet it is fundamentally linked to our overall well-being, affecting everything from incontinence to intimacy. Many individuals, particularly those with female bodies, face the challenges of pelvic floor dysfunction post-pregnancy, during menopause, or even as athletes, without realizing that it is common but not normal and certainly not something they have to live with. Ignoring pelvic floor care can lead not only to physical discomfort but also strain in relationships due to issues like pain during...
info_outlineAbout this Episode
Conflict in relationships isn’t just inevitable—it’s normal, healthy, and, perhaps most importantly, an opportunity. Yet, the tension between wanting deep connection and authentic acceptance, while also holding onto individuality, can feel like a tightrope walk. How do couples move beyond judgment and misunderstanding to experience radical acceptance and true intimacy, especially when old patterns, unresolved hurts, and competing needs seem to pull them apart?
In this episode, listeners are guided through the complex terrain of navigating differences in long-term relationships. With practical strategies rooted in attachment science, trauma awareness, and mindful communication, this conversation dives into how curiosity, compassion, and proactive agreements can transform even the most challenging dynamics. Expect actionable insights on building repair after conflict, balancing “me” and “we,” and creating a thriving relationship where both partners—and the partnership itself—can grow. Whether you’re in the thick of recurring arguments or simply seeking a deeper, richer connection, this episode offers real tools to help you rediscover joy, security, and growth together.
Carolyn Sharp, LICSW, is an experienced couples therapist with 25 years of expertise in attachment, neuroscience, trauma, and mindfulness. She helps couples build vibrant, secure relationships through coaching, workshops, and retreats. Carolyn’s passion and extensive training inspire her work in creating joyful, healthy connections. She is the author of FIRE IT UP: Four Secrets to Reigniting Intimacy and Joy in Your Relationship.
Check out the transcript of this episode on Dr. Jessica Higgin's website.
Episode Highlights
06:14 How Carolyn Sharp found her calling in couples therapy.
09:25 The complexities of long-term relationships and the importance of learning healthy relationship skills.
12:16 Can couples truly grow together without losing themselves?
15:44 How curiosity becomes a secret weapon in relationships.
18:14 Navigating identity and boundaries: Individuality within relationships.
21:29 Understanding the origins of conflict: Attachment patterns and family system dynamics.
26:46 Proactive communication: The importance of planning and ‘owner’s manuals’ in relationships.
33:31 Relationship needs as a third entity: Maintaining the ‘us’ in times of stress.
35:41 Repairing relationship injuries
39:30 Recognizing and addressing unresolved hurt: Signs and solutions.
42:21 Learning how to apologize and repair: Overcoming childhood patterns and building new skills.
47:59 How tiny moments of repair lay the foundation for lasting trust.
Mentioned
Fire It Up (*Amazon Affiliate link) (book)
Evolve in Love (program)
The Big Leap (*Amazon Affiliate link) (book)
Essentia’s website (*Affiliate link)
Stratami™ Organic Mattress (This is the mattress we purchased) (*Affiliate link)
Classic REM5 Active Mattress - (The mattress we wish we could have gotten for the cooling feature) (*Affiliate link)
Connect with Carolyn Sharp
Websites: carolynsharp.com
Facebook: facebook.com/carolyn.sharp.528
Instagram: instagram.com/secureconnectionscoaching
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/carolyn-sharp-2948407
TikTok: tiktok.com/@secureconnectionscoach
Connect with Dr. Jessica Higgins
Facebook: facebook.com/EmpoweredRelationship
Instagram: instagram.com/drjessicahiggins
Podcast: drjessicahiggins.com/podcasts/
Pinterest: pinterest.com/EmpowerRelation
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/drjessicahiggins
Twitter: @DrJessHiggins
Website: drjessicahiggins.com
Email: [email protected]
If you have a topic you would like it to be discussed, please contact us by clicking on the “Ask Dr. Jessica Higgins” button here.
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*With Amazon Affiliate Links, I may earn a few cents from Amazon, if you purchase the book from this link.