What Marriage Challenges Are 'Normal' and What’s Not Okay: Episode 403
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Release Date: 07/01/2025
Marriage Intimacy Q&A: Mismatched Desire, Dry Spells, Emotional Safety & Reigniting the Spark: Episode 410
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
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How Intimacy and Desire Change as You Age and How to Evolve With It (Not Drift Apart): Episode 409
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
The problem isn't that your desire or drive is changing. The problem is that you're not talking about these changes and finding solutions on how to evolve with them and stay connected. In this vulnerable and eye-opening episode, we share the real reasons intimacy shifts over time (especially after kids, through peri-menopause, or with stress and aging), and how couples can adapt together rather than growing apart. In this episode you’ll hear: -A raw confession from a wife/mom at a retreat Jocelyn spoke at recently -The difference between spontaneous and responsive desire -Why intimacy...
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When Intimacy Feels Like Another Task in Marriage — How to Shift the Energy & Reignite Desire: Episode 408
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Is it normal for intimacy to feel like another item on your to-do list? You love your partner, but between parenting, exhaustion, and unspoken resentment… desire can fade. In this episode, we're unpacking why intimacy feels like an obligation — and how to shift the emotional and physical energy in your marriage so that you both actually want it again. We share real stories, emotional dynamics, and practical shifts that help couples go from feeling like roommates to rekindling passion — even in the busiest seasons of life. Topics we cover in this episode: -Emotional disconnection vs...
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Emotional & Physical Turn-Offs in Marriage (and How to Create More Attraction Again): Episode 407
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Attraction in marriage doesn’t just disappear overnight, but it can fade through the habits, energy, and unspoken patterns you fall into over time. In this episode, we reveal the biggest emotional and physical turn-offs (and turn-ons) based on anonymous submissions from real couples. This episode is for couples who want to feel that spark again—without needing to go back to the beginning. In this episode you will hear: What’s quietly draining desire in your relationship Five patterns that slowly erode attraction How to reignite emotional connection and physical intimacy—without...
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Stop Reacting and Start Responding (How to Take Control of Your Emotions in Marriage): Episode 406
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
You want to feel peace, love, and connection—especially in your marriage. But when something disrupts that inner calm, it’s easy to slip into old patterns: snapping, shutting down, blaming. Sound familiar? This episode is about how to stop being emotionally reactive—and start responding in a way that brings clarity, compassion, and connection (even in the tough moments). 🎧 What You’ll learn: Why controlling your partner won’t regulate your emotions How to take ownership without bypassing what you feel A 5-step process to go from reactive to responsive How to repair when...
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Why Labeling Your Spouse is More Damaging Than You Think: Episode 405
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Every couple has conflict. But when disagreements turn into labeling your spouse—with words like “selfish,” “dramatic,” or “narcissist”—it doesn’t just hurt in the moment… it chips away at emotional safety and long-term connection. In this episode, we unpack: Why labeling is so destructive (even if you didn’t mean it that way) How it rewires the way you see each other over time What to say instead that’s honest—but not hurtful Real-life phrases to express hurt without attacking character We also give you a simple script to use during tough conversations—so...
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Stop Tip-Toeing Around Each Other’s Triggers (How to Create Real Emotional Safety in Marriage): Episode 404
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
You don’t just marry your partner’s strengths—you marry their triggers too. If you’ve found yourself walking on eggshells to avoid setting them off… or shutting down because you feel like you’re too much… you’re not alone. But let’s be clear: tip-toeing isn’t emotional maturity—it’s disconnection in disguise. In this episode, we unpack how to create real emotional safety in your marriage—so you can stop spiraling and start feeling heard, seen, and safe again. 🎧 What You’ll learn: How to bring things up without triggering defensiveness What to do if your're the...
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What Marriage Challenges Are 'Normal' and What’s Not Okay: Episode 403
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Just because something is common in marriage doesn’t mean it’s healthy. We’ve heard countless couples ask: “Is this just a hard season… or is something actually wrong?” “Are we still okay, even though this feels hard?” In this episode, we unpack those questions using anonymous submissions from real couples. You’ll hear what challenges are normal in long-term relationships—and what behavior or dynamics cross the line into unhealthy territory. We cover emotional disconnection, mismatched intimacy, recurring conflict, parenting stress, and more. Plus, we share clear next steps...
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Your Brain’s Default Settings Could Be Sabotaging Your Marriage (How Neuroscience Reveals Your Blocks) with John Assaraf: Episode 402
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Why is it so hard to change the way we show up in marriage, even when we know what we want to do differently? In this special episode, we sit down with John Assaraf, a renowned global leader in success and performance coaching, decades-long behavioral neuroscience researcher, and CEO of MyNeuroGym.com. He’s authored 4 bestselling books (including 2 New York Times bestsellers) and has been featured in 11 films. Together, we explore the science behind why we get stuck in patterns like defensiveness, withdrawal, or reactivity and how to finally break free. Whether you’re trying to communicate...
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Double Standards in Marriage: When It Feels Like the Rules Are Different for You: Episode 401
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Few things create more frustration in a marriage than the feeling of a double standard—when it seems like the rules are different for you than for your partner. Whether it’s around emotional regulation, how long you’re “allowed” to feel upset, or what tone is acceptable from whom, these invisible imbalances quietly erode trust and connection over time. In this episode, we unpack the real-life double standards men and women often feel in marriage—and how those dynamics are deeply tied to core fears like unfairness, rejection, or not being heard. We’re not here to point...
info_outlineJust because something is common in marriage doesn’t mean it’s healthy.
We’ve heard countless couples ask:
“Is this just a hard season… or is something actually wrong?”
“Are we still okay, even though this feels hard?”
In this episode, we unpack those questions using anonymous submissions from real couples. You’ll hear what challenges are normal in long-term relationships—and what behavior or dynamics cross the line into unhealthy territory.
We cover emotional disconnection, mismatched intimacy, recurring conflict, parenting stress, and more. Plus, we share clear next steps for how to handle each one.
Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed or just want clarity, this conversation will leave you feeling validated, informed, and ready to make meaningful change.
🎧 What You’ll Learn:
- What’s normal vs what’s not okay in conflict, intimacy, and parenting
- What’s normal vs what’s not okay in conflict, intimacy, and parenting
- Real examples from couples like you (and how we’d respond)
- One mindset shift that helps you stop tolerating what’s not working
🛠️ Resources Mentioned in the Episode
THIS SUMMER ONLY 3 MARRIAGE CHANGING GUIDES FOR THE PRICE OF TWO 🎉
→ Making Up & Moving Forward Guide
→ De-Escalating Conflicts Guide
→ Family Meeting Guide
Get the bundle here: https://thecouplesexperience.com/3guidesbundle
Surprise Bonus for Committed Couples
If this episode was a wake-up call or gut check, you're not alone. Many couples drift because they normalize disconnection, resentment, or the roommate phase… until it’s too late.
That’s why we created the Best of Us 30-Day Couples Challenge to help you reignite emotional and physical intimacy in just a few intentional minutes a day.
This limited edition is only available a few times per year. And right now? We’ve got a surprise for you waiting here: https://thecouplesexperience.com/surprise
Episode Time Stamps:
01:00 – Is this a normal marriage challenge… or not okay?
01:38 – One key mindset shift: “If it hurts your partner and you won’t change, it’s an issue”
03:03 – Are you playing the same game—or using totally different marriage rulebooks?
05:29 – Conflict: What’s normal vs. what’s actually damaging
07:13 – Are you really repairing—or just resetting the same fight cycle?
08:43 – Is it okay to not talk for days after an argument?
11:27 – Want to shorten your conflict recovery time? Here’s how
13:05 – The truth about intimacy: What’s normal… and what hurts the relationship
16:00 – Intimacy shouldn’t only satisfy one person
18:48 – What to do if desire is low (emotionally, physically, or hormonally)
20:44 – The role of emotional and physical check-ins
22:57 – Are you in a “roommate rut”? You need this challenge
24:35 – The emotional load & mental load: What’s normal, what’s not okay
28:15 – “If you’re not playing by the same rules, no wonder it feels off”
32:11 – Parenting struggles: How common are they and what’s truly not okay
36:55 – You don’t just need consistency… you need adaptability
38:44 – Stop parenting by default—here’s what to do instead
42:30 – What happens when personal struggles or boundaries go unaddressed
44:15 – The boundary breakdown: “If you're not playing by the same rules, you're losing”
47:55 – Final takeaways + How to get resources for your marriage