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 502: Beyond Fear and Control: Building Emotional Flexibility in Relationships — An Interview with Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
Are you letting anxiety and the need to play it safe hold you hostage in your relationships and personal growth? Too often, fear—of rejection, failure, or the unknown—becomes the invisible fence shaping our actions. Perfectionism, procrastination, overthinking, and the constant urge to avoid discomfort can shrink our lives, leaving us disconnected from our true selves and the people we care about most. In this episode, we explore how fear influences perfectionism, anxiety, and avoidance in our relationships and daily lives. Discover compassionate approaches to working with...
info_outline
ERP 501: From Projection to Presence: The Art of Seeing and Being Seen — An Interview With David Mars
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
Feeling unseen and misunderstood in your closest relationship can be one of the loneliest experiences, even when surrounded by family and friends. It's not uncommon for couples to fall into patterns of projection, reactivity, and defensiveness, leaving genuine intimacy and deep connection feeling just out of reach. How do we move from these cycles of blame and distance towards the kind of secure, transformative partnership that brings true accompaniment, dignity, and joy? In this episode, you are invited to slow down and explore new pathways to presence and connection. Through practical tools,...
info_outline
ERP 500: The Practice of Us: Living the Skills That Keep Love Alive
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
This episode marks an incredible milestone—the 500th episode of the Empowered Relationship Podcast. To celebrate, Dr. Jessica Higgins and her husband, Reid Peterson, sit down for a heartfelt and revealing conversation about what it really takes to cultivate a truly empowered partnership. If you’ve ever wondered why, despite your best intentions, emotional honesty and vulnerability can feel so risky—or why differences and conflict so often create distance instead of closeness—you’re not alone. The path to authentic connection is filled with challenges that test even the strongest...
info_outline
ERP 499: Regulate to Relate: Building Embodied Safety in Love — An Interview with Aubrey Aust
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
Ever feel like you know all the “right” things to do in a relationship, but when the moment comes, your body is flooded with stress, your voice tightens, or you just shut down? Many of us long for deep connection and trust, but when life gets real, our nervous system can hijack our best intentions. The invisible forces of old wounds, protective patterns, and the lightning-fast reactions of our bodies can make true safety in love feel just out of reach. In this episode, you’ll discover practical ways to bridge the gap between knowing and feeling safe and connected with your partner....
info_outline
ERP 498: Turn Toward, Turn On: How Couples Grow Desire (Not Just Talk About It) — An Interview with Dr. Diane Mueller
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
Why is it that talking about desire and intimacy with your partner can feel more intimidating than any other conversation in a relationship, even when you’ve shared years—or decades—together? So many couples silently struggle with mismatched libido, lost spark, or simply the discomfort of broaching sensitive topics about sex and pleasure. When left unspoken, these issues have the power to erode connection and joy in long-term relationships. If you’ve ever wondered why desire seems to fade, or why candid discussions about passion feel off-limits, you’re not alone. In this episode,...
info_outline
ERP 497: Become the Family CEO: Build a ‘Family Bank’ and Lasting Wealth — An Interview with Lavaisha Davis
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
Have you ever faced a family crisis only to realize that financial instability adds an overwhelming weight to an already heavy moment? Or maybe you’ve felt isolated as the “first” in your family to reach new professional heights, only to discover no one handed you a playbook for building true generational wealth. Financial challenges don’t just shake our wallets—they can ripple through our relationships, legacies, and even our sense of security and belonging. In this episode, listeners are invited to think beyond individual wealth and step into a bold new perspective: managing your...
info_outline
ERP 496: From Old Patterns to Strong Partnership—Using Tiny External Shifts — An Interview with Laura Day
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
Ever felt like you’re stuck in old relationship patterns, no matter how hard you try to break free? Or perhaps you find yourself repeating the same old arguments, feeling misunderstood, or cycling through self-doubt and disconnection from your partner. The truth is, long-term intimacy often brings hidden challenges to the surface, and many of us wrestle with how to unravel deeply ingrained habits that hold us back from experiencing truly authentic, safe, and thriving partnerships. In this episode, listeners discover how making tiny, targeted external shifts—rather than endlessly searching...
info_outline
ERP 495: Play the Right Money Game Together: How Couples Balance Today’s Joy with Tomorrow’s Security - An Interview With Kali & Eric Roberge
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
Money may not buy happiness, but the tension between enjoying life today and securing a stable future can leave many couples feeling stuck, anxious, or even at odds with each other. Are you and your partner finding it difficult to strike a balance between living for the moment and building a financially secure tomorrow? Navigating finances together can bring up deep-seated fears, old money stories, and conflicting priorities—making it a journey that’s as emotional as it is practical. In this episode, you’ll discover how couples can open up the conversation about money in a way that’s...
info_outline
ERP 494: Designing Love That Lasts: 6 Principles for Lasting Connection — An Interview with Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode What if everything you know about love is a myth—built on luck, chance, and hope? The truth is, many of us walk into relationships with big dreams of “happily ever after,” only to find that real connection can feel overwhelming, elusive, or even impossible to sustain. We use words like “respect,” “trust,” and “compassion,” but rarely stop to define what they truly mean for ourselves and our partners. Without a roadmap, couples often end up lost in confusion, miscommunication, and heartbreak. In this episode, you’ll discover a fresh, research-backed...
info_outline
ERP 493: What Happened to Our Sex Life? Understanding What’s Going On with Me—and Us—in the Bedroom — An Interview with Dr. Kate Balestrieri
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode What happened to our sex life? It’s a question that so many couples and individuals ask themselves in silence, often with a mix of confusion, frustration, and vulnerability. Desire seems to disappear overnight. Intimacy becomes awkward or routine. Shame and self-doubt creep in, making it all the harder to talk about what’s really going on—let alone figure out how to reconnect. The problem isn't just about mismatched libido or busy schedules. It's about navigating the invisible scripts, societal expectations, stress, and even past wounds that shape our most intimate...
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: jessica@drjessicahiggins.com
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.
Thank you so much for your interest in improving your relationship.
Also, I would so appreciate your honest rating and review. Please leave a review by clicking here.
Thank you!
*With Amazon Affiliate Links, I may earn a few cents from Amazon, if you purchase the book from this link.