Don’t Learn This Too Late: Ways to Stay Connected After Kids: Episode 411
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Release Date: 08/26/2025
What Separates Couples Who Grow Apart vs Grow Together (Plus a BIG Update From Us!): Episode 445
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
There is one single thing that all couples who grow closer over time have in common. Though in the beginning of a relationship, you might not think that anything could get between you, what you realize as time passes is that you will need to fight… When couples start to face challenges, tests, or unforeseen circumstances – they can tend to start to turn on each other. They see each other as opponents rather than teammates. That is when they fight against each other. But this episode is going to introduce a powerful mindset shift. It’s the one that has you realize that the fight is not...
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You’re Doing a Lot… But This Might Be Why Your Partner Doesn’t Feel It: Episode 444
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
You’re doing a lot. You’re handling all your own responsibilities, and sometimes still picking up the slack. You’re doing what needs to get done for your family. And yet… something still feels like it’s not enough for your partner. Maybe your partner seems distant, less appreciative, or not as connected as you’d expect given how much you’re putting in. This is one of the most common frustrations we hear from couples—the disconnect between effort and how that effort is actually received. In this episode, we unpack why doing more doesn’t always translate into feeling closer,...
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What Women Are Taught Vs What Marriage Needs Them to Learn: Episode 443
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Many women enter marriage with expectations and habits shaped long before the relationship ever began. Some were modeled growing up, others reinforced by culture, and many rooted in a genuine desire to love well and create a strong home. But what once felt natural doesn’t always translate into what creates true connection and partnership in a marriage. This is where frustration can build and where many start to feel like they’re putting in effort but not getting the closeness they hoped for. In this episode, we unpack the gap between what women are taught about love and relationships and...
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What Men Are Taught Vs What Marriage Needs Them to Learn: Episode 442
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Many men enter marriage doing exactly what they’ve been conditioned to do their entire lives. They show up with a certain mindset about what it means to contribute, support, and lead in a family. And while those instincts come from a good place, they don’t always translate into what actually creates closeness, emotional safety, and a strong partnership. This is where a lot of couples get stuck. One partner feels like they’re giving a lot, while the other still feels something is missing. In this episode, we unpack the gap between what men are taught to bring into a relationship and what...
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Assumptions About Who’s Doing What and Responsibilities Slipping Through the Cracks: Episode 441
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
This time of year, life starts to fill up fast. Between holidays, travel plans, kids’ activities, family events, and everything in between… even couples who usually feel on top of things can start to feel stretched. And it’s not always the amount of responsibilities that creates tension, it’s what happens when those responsibilities aren’t clearly talked about. Assumptions start to form. Expectations go unspoken. And before you know it, things are slipping through the cracks or quietly falling on one person more than the other. In this episode, we’re breaking down why this season...
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The Conversation Couples AREN’T Having (But Need to Grow Together): Episode 440
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
There is a critical conversation many couples are missing, especially after going through a challenge or hard season together. And as we close out the first quarter of the year, this is one of the most important times to have it. When couples are in a difficult season, the focus is to put your head down and get through it. And once you do, it can feel like a relief… but then it’s right back into the logistics of daily life. This creates two problems. First, you miss the opportunity to reconnect and truly understand each other, which is what strengthens your bond. Second, you miss the...
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It’s Been a Tough Few Weeks - Here’s How We’re Working Through It & Staying United: Episode 439
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Some seasons in life feel heavier than others. More pressure. Less capacity. Things outside your control. And if you’re not careful, your marriage can start to feel like another place of tension instead of support. In this episode, Jocelyn opens up about the challenging few weeks we’ve been in and what it’s revealed about how couples either turn toward each other… or slowly start drifting apart. This is a powerful reminder of what actually keeps a relationship strong when life feels overwhelming—and why most couples don’t catch it until more disconnection happens or damage is done....
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3 Mistakes Women are Making in Marriage (and what to change): Episode 438
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
Last week we talked about the mistakes we’re seeing men make in marriage. This week, we’re turning the lens toward women. And just like before, this isn’t about criticism. It’s about clarity and growth. Because in most marriages, the tension isn’t coming from one person being “the problem.” It’s coming from the way both partners’ habits and reactions feed into each other. When you see the pattern, you can finally change the pattern. In this episode, we unpack three common dynamics we’re seeing women fall into — patterns that unintentionally create defensiveness,...
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3 Mistakes Men are Making in Marriage (and what to change): Episode 437
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
This week we’re starting a two-part series on three mistakes we’re seeing in marriages right now. And we’re beginning with men. Before you brace yourself, this isn’t about blame. It’s about awareness. In almost every struggling relationship, there’s a pattern both partners are participating in. And often, the very things a husband thinks are helping or protecting the relationship are the same things quietly creating distance. In this episode, we unpack three subtle but powerful dynamics we’re seeing men fall into — patterns that impact emotional safety, initiative, and...
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Why Some Partners Don’t Follow-Through and How That Impacts a Marriage: Episode 436
EmPowered Couples with The Freemans
At our recent couples workshop, during a private conversation, a wife began crying as we described how broken follow-through slowly erodes trust in a marriage. Not because of one missed promise but because of the pattern. This pattern was to have a hopeful conversation, a commitment to change, and verbal reassurance that “this time will be different.” And then… nothing changes. What many couples don’t realize is that inconsistent follow-through doesn’t just create frustration but it quietly chips away at trust. And when trust weakens, emotional safety and connection begin to fade...
info_outlineMarriage after kids can feel like survival mode. Once out of the immediate chaos, it can settle into a state of function. Between diapers, school runs, shuttling to sports practices, your work, and endless to-do lists at home, it’s easy to put your relationship on the back burner. But here’s the truth: your kids don’t just thrive on how well you care for them—they thrive on how connected YOU are as a couple.
In this episode of the Empowered Couples Podcast, Jocelyn & Aaron (“The Freemans”) share practical, real-life ways to stay emotionally and physically connected after kids. You’ll learn how to move beyond just “functioning” as roommates and bring back fulfillment, intimacy, and spark in your marriage before it’s too late.
If you’ve ever felt the distance growing, this conversation will give you hope and concrete steps you can implement today.
From this episode you’ll walk away with:
- How to make daily emotional check-ins that go beyond “How was your day?”
- Why non-sexual touch matters (and how to bring it back without pressure)
- Simple ways to make family dinners and daily routines bonding moments
- How to prioritize weekly and yearly quality time as a couple
- Why your kids benefit most when YOU thrive together
Don’t just survive marriage after kids—reignite the connection that makes everything else in family life easier. Not only is this for your own satisfaction, but critical for what you then model to your kids.
Want to reignite the spark and feel truly connected again? Join the Best of Us 30-Day Couples Challenge—a proven path to bring back emotional closeness, intimacy, and joy in your marriage. Enrollment only opens a few times per year, so don’t miss this round: https://mycoupleschallenge.com/best 👈
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Episode Topics Timestamp:
00:08 – Why putting your relationship on the back burner hurts your kids too
00:09:50 – The emotional wall couples feel after building the “dream life”
00:10:38 – Why dissatisfaction peaks around the 10-year mark (and how to avoid it)
00:13:37 – Connection is what makes parenting and life easier
00:14:00 – Step 1: Daily emotional check-ins (not just logistics)
00:19:18 – Step 2: Non-sexual touch & physical affection
00:23:59 – Why kids need to SEE your love, not just receive it
00:25:02 – Special edition: The Best of Us 30-Day Challenge
00:28:11 – Step 3: Make family dinners intentional & device-free
00:32:57 – Step 4: Weekly marriage nights (beyond TV time)
00:34:44 – Step 5: Yearly getaways & bucket list adventures together
00:37:24 – The danger of drifting apart slowly
00:39:34 – Kids notice everything—why your marriage is their model
00:41:26 – Final encouragement & invitation to reignite your spark