Eye Contact and Love in Your Relationship
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
Release Date: 12/16/2019
Finding Adventure and Connection in the Ordinary, with Jason Frishman, PsyD.
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
Jason Frishman, PsyD, shares his insights into creating adventure and meaningful connection in the everyday activities of life. We’re often taught the adventure story of the hero’s journey. We think we have to do grand, extraordinary things. It’s important for us to have a new perspective and create adventure in the smaller, daily activities needed to sustain a family. What do men experience in seeking adventure in real life vs. the hero’s journey? The hero’s journey can be harmful to men. It’s often the guiding narrative. Men are led to believe if they aren’t doing a grand...
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Desire Differences with Jessica Cline, MSW, LCSW
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
Jessica Cline, a Clinical Sexologist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker, discusses sexual desire differences in relationships. Many couples experiences desire differences and need help navigating their sexual life. What couples experience with sexual desire differences People often set the standards for their relationship in the limerence phase. That isn’t sustainable. Sexual desire can change over time. You may get into the pattern of initiator and gatekeeper. Sex education programs we’re taught in school are based more in fear and prevention. We aren’t always taught about sex,...
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Love Languages with Bridget Boursiquot, MSW, LICSW
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
Bridget discusses love languages and how we can all have relational care through understanding the basic work needed to create a healthy foundation. We often speak to our partner in the love language we want to receive instead of understanding how they receive love. 5 Love Languages (Developed by Gary Chapman) Words of Affirmation It’s about the “why”. Speaking to your partner’s strengths, their experience, their needs, is even more affirming than just a simple “thank you” or a compliment. Actions to avoid: Insults and criticism. To someone who feels love in words of affirmation,...
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Worry, COVID-19, and Your Relationship
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
Worry is exhausting and stressful. So many of us are experiencing worry right now. It can overwhelm your mind, your body, and your relationship. We’ve all been battling COVID-19, and there’s a lot to be worried about. I’ll be transparent with you: I’m not an expert on global pandemics and I don’t have the medical knowledge to share facts about this virus. But I do know about connection. I know that we all need connection and support. Friendship is important. Your larger support system is important. And your marriage, your significant relationship, can be one of the most encouraging,...
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Dating after Divorce with Kelly Lynch, EMT, LCSW, CPT, PN-1, Life Coach
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
In this episode, Kelly Lynch, owner and coach at The Unapology Project, talks about dating after divorce and the keys to building trust in yourself. We don’t talk about dating after divorce enough to help people prepare for it. The culture of dating has changed, and dating after a significant relationship has ended brings more challenges and more opportunities for growth. How do you filter out what’s unhealthy vs. what’s healthy with dating after divorce? Figure out what your relationship with yourself looks like. When in a long-term relationship, it’s common to shift your...
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Bringing Your Baby Home
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
Having a newborn can be exciting and sweet, and also stressful and challenging. You and your partner will experience many changes. It’s important to be able to accept those changes, and work to keep your relationship strong and close. Changes you and your partner may experience when you bring your baby home: You may both experience sleep deprivation. You’ll be tired. If the baby wakes up, you’ll probably wake up too. You’ll have to navigate new roles and parenting duties. You or your partner may need to be asking for help. With a new baby, there are more tasks on your daily to-do...
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Pregnancy and Your Relationship
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
In this episode, I talked with two women, Hannah and Andrea, about their pregnancies and their relationships- finding a balance, letting go of control, and everything else they’re learning along the way. What was it like for you and your relationship when you began to discuss trying to get pregnant? Hannah discusses the challenge of balancing the head and heart. Lining up when it felt right to start trying to conceive, along with when it made sense. Andrea discusses her plan and how she had a timeline in mind, which helped them decide when they were ready. No matter what, you’ll...
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Trying to Conceive
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
If you and your partner are trying to conceive, it it’s important to keep your relationship strong and focus on supporting each other. The process of trying to conceive can be filled with stress and unexpected changes, so instead of getting stuck in worry, focus on what you can control. Everyone’s experience with pregnancy and having children is different. However, there are some common issues that relationships may experience in the process of trying to conceive. Problems in your relationship when beginning the process of trying to conceive: Making the decision to try to conceive...
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Infertility and Your Relationship
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
You and your partner may be going through a challenging season of fertility issues right now. You feel alone, scared, isolated, and anxious. You shouldn’t go through infertility and trying to conceive alone. Miscarriages, infertility, and other fertility issues bring hurt, grief, sadness, and loss. It can be painful, overwhelming, and shocking when you learn you may have difficulty getting pregnant, or that you might not be able to at all. It’s important to know how infertility affects you and your relationship. You and your partner may experience more feelings of anxiety and...
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Addiction and Relationships with Ross Hill, MMFT, LMFT, CAC-P
Marriaging: The Marriage Podcast with Jessica Fairfax
Addiction impacts your relationship with your partner. Whether alcohol, drug, or another addiction, it doesn’t live in isolation. Your relationship is affected. In this episode, Ross Hill, MMFT, LMFT, CAC-P, shares his knowledge of addiction from years of working with substance use issues. He gives helpful advice and encouragement for both partners, whether you’re not using and trying to establish boundaries and support for your partner, or whether you’re the one struggling with addiction and unsure of how to get help. What are the signs that may tell someone if their...
info_outlineIn 1997, Arthur Aron developed a theory that 4 minutes of eye contact makes people closer and increases intimacy. In this episode, you’ll be encouraged to take steps to connect with your spouse and truly look them in the eyes without being distracted by all the noise around you.
What you need to know about eye contact and your relationship:
- You’re missing out on more intimate love without eye contact with your partner.
- Think of times that you and your partner are in the same room and talking, and don’t make eye contact.
- There might also be times you are in separate rooms and doing your own things, when you could take 4 minutes to become closer every day.
- Do you watch tv separately? Or talk while watching tv?
- Are you looking at your phone during conversations with your spouse?
- Do you stay busy with cleaning or other household tasks, without taking just a few minutes to connect?
- When you go to bed at night, how much have you actually looked at your spouse?
- What eye contact can do for your love in your relationship:
- Set aside 4 minutes today to sit with your spouse and make eye contact. Try to just connect through your eyes, without even talking.
- You will feel closer to your partner. Deep eye contact is vulnerable and can feel intense. It may bring up deep emotions for you. This is an experience you’re sharing with your partner, thus building a closer connection.
- Mirror neurons also come into play here. You’re activating neural pathways of connection and empathy through eye contact with your spouse.
- Putting eye contact into action every day in your relationship.
- You might not do this 4 minute experiment every day. But you can take time every day to make eye contact and connect with your spouse. Even if it’s over dinner or during a short conversation after work, put your phone or other distractions away and make eye contact while talking. You’ll begin to notice how each of you feel closer to each other.
Resources
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/refugee-crisis-europe-eye-contact-amnesty/
https://articles.aplus.com/a/amnesty-poland-video-european-refugees-eye-contact
Special thanks to:
Will Gladden of LEVEL Digital Music Entertainment for making the music for the podcast.
http://www.leveldme.com/
Connect:
My mission with the Marriaging podcast is to help you create a more authentic and connected relationship. I’m always working to provide you with the best help for improving communication and intimacy in your marriage. Please subscribe and leave a rating and a review to support the podcast.
Connect with me at marriagingpodcast.com
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