ERP 482: Naming What Matters: How Couples Can Align On Priorities — An Interview with Nick Brancato
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
Release Date: 06/24/2025
ERP 482: Naming What Matters: How Couples Can Align On Priorities — An Interview with Nick Brancato
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode Ever feel like you and your partner are speaking different languages when it comes to what truly matters? Maybe that seemingly minor argument about weekend plans or household chores is actually a sign of deeper, hidden misalignments. In many relationships, conflicts arise not just because of surface-level disagreements, but also because we haven’t taken the time—or found the right language—to name and share our genuine priorities. In this episode, you’ll discover practical tools and insightful strategies to help couples identify, understand, and communicate their...
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ERP 481: Taking Control Together: Financial Preparedness for Real-Life Challenges — An Interview with Donna Jean Kendrick
Empowered Relationship Podcast: Your Relationship Resource And Guide
About this Episode What would happen to your family or loved ones if life threw an unexpected curveball tomorrow? Would they feel protected, supported, and prepared, or left to navigate a stressful maze of financial questions and paperwork on their own? In a world where change is the only constant, financial preparedness is an act of love that too often gets pushed aside for another day. But when the unimaginable happens, being unprepared isn’t just stressful—it can have lasting effects on your sense of security, your relationships, and your peace of mind. In this episode, you’ll...
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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
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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...
info_outlineAbout this Episode
Ever feel like you and your partner are speaking different languages when it comes to what truly matters? Maybe that seemingly minor argument about weekend plans or household chores is actually a sign of deeper, hidden misalignments. In many relationships, conflicts arise not just because of surface-level disagreements, but also because we haven’t taken the time—or found the right language—to name and share our genuine priorities.
In this episode, you’ll discover practical tools and insightful strategies to help couples identify, understand, and communicate their individual and shared priorities. By exploring the difference between values and priorities, introducing a simple method to measure alignment, and breaking down actionable steps for regular check-ins, this conversation is packed with guidance for strengthening your partnership. Whether you’re seeking more harmony in daily life or aiming for lasting intimacy, this episode provides a roadmap for aligning on what matters most, together.
Nick Brancato is a seasoned personal development coach and educator with over 25 years of experience helping individuals and couples connect, communicate, and thrive. With a master’s degree in education and a background as a Microsoft systems engineer, Nick blends practical tools with data-driven frameworks to guide clients through life’s challenges, including career shifts, financial pressures, and personal growth.
Nick’s holistic process incorporates meditation, guided visualization, and hypnotherapy, emphasizing both emotional insight and actionable steps. By fostering deeper connections and mental clarity, Nick empowers couples to transform tension into trust and misalignment into mutual success, creating lasting, meaningful change in their relationships.
Check out the transcript of this episode on Dr. Jessica Higgin's website.
Episode Highlights
03:09 Nick Brancato’s journey to relationship coaching and the origins of "Prioritize Us".
06:50 The power of priority alignment and differentiating priorities from values.
10:35 Navigating conflict by understanding differences and looking beyond surface issues.
13:52 Practical tools for identifying, ranking, and comparing priorities in relationships.
17:14 How to use the Total Difference Score (TDS) and the ten core life priorities.
21:01 The importance of individual assessment before sharing priorities with your partner.
27:45 Shifting priorities together and supporting each other’s growth and change.
35:57 Fostering positive daily connection through small, medium, and large relationship check-ins.
39:01 Overcoming overwhelm with decision-making, clarity, and relationship scorekeeping.
43:08 The Swiss Cheese principle.
47:47 Key takeaways and available resources for couples.
Mentioned
Prioritize Us (*Amazon Affiliate link) (book)
Relationship Map To Happy, Lasting Love
Connect with Nick Brancato
Websites: nickbrancato.com
Instagram: instagram.com/personaldevcoach
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Podcast: drjessicahiggins.com/podcasts/
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Twitter: @DrJessHiggins
Website: drjessicahiggins.com
Email: [email protected]
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*With Amazon Affiliate Links, I may earn a few cents from Amazon, if you purchase the book from this link.