Couples Counseling For Parents

A show about couple relationships: how they work, why they don’t, and what you can do to fix what’s broken.

Avoiding the Passive-Aggressive Trap: Communication tips for Parenting Partners

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Transform passive-aggressive tension into moments of connection with proven communication strategies for parenting partners. Join us, Dr. Stephen Mitchell and Erin Mitchell, as we explore how understanding the essential pause between feeling and reaction can change the dynamic of your relationship. Unpacking a scenario with Nora and Thad, we reveal how undetected emotions often lead to conflict and how recognizin...

11-11
26:03

The Dilemma: Do I Need to Prioritize My Relationship Over My Kids?

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Have you ever wondered if focusing too much on your kids might be pulling you away from your partner? Join us as we unravel this intricate conundrum through the lens of Regina and Sebastian, a couple attempting to juggle the needs of their relationship with the demands of raising three young children. This episode takes you on a journey beyond the surface-level conflicts to reveal the tender, unspoken plea of "I ...

11-04
34:26

Navigating Nighttime Duties and Differing Parenting Styles

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Unlock the secrets to a stronger parenting partnership as we explore the intricate interplay of trust and communication in relationships. What happens when differing parenting styles collide, especially during nighttime duties? Join us to uncover how real-life couple Devante and Steph navigate these challenges with their son, Tavon. Through their journey, you'll gain insights into recognizing underlying beliefs t...

10-28
25:58

Criticism and Conflict: How to Turn Tension Into Teamwork in Your Relationship

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Have you ever found yourself caught in a whirlwind of negative banter with your partner, wondering how it all escalated so quickly? Join us as we explore the pitfalls of critical behavior in relationships through the story of Janelle and Hector. This episode reveals how picking at each other's imperfections can create a cycle of resentment and disconnection. We promise you'll walk away with practical strategies t...

10-21
34:54

What Happened to Our Sex Life: Intimacy After Baby

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.What happens to intimacy when children enter the picture? Many parents find themselves asking this question, and we're here to provide some insights. Join us, Dr. Stephen and Erin Mitchell, as we untangle the complex web of maintaining a healthy sex life post-kids. Through the relatable journey of Whitney and Rupal, we highlight the challenges that can strain intimacy, such as exhaustion and body image concerns, ...

10-14
27:01

How to Make Up After a Fight

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Have you ever had a fight with your partner that left you both feeling distant and unsure of how to reconnect? In this episode of Couples Counseling for Parents, Erin and Dr. Stephen Mitchell dive deep into the art of repairing after conflict. Using the relatable story of Trey and Addie, they illustrate how unresolved arguments can create emotional distance, while offering practical scripts and steps to help you ...

10-07
28:58

Finding Your Reset

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.In today's episode, Stephen and Erin tackle the feeling many couples experience after kids—that sinking thought that "maybe I’ll never feel truly loved or appreciated." Using the high-stress periods of pregnancy and birth as a case study, they break down how partners can lose sight of each other’s needs and how to reset that dynamic for good. If you’re ready to stop feeling stuck and start feeling connected, this...

09-30
30:02

My In-laws are driving me crazy!!!

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.One of the most complex relationships to navigate for parenting partners is relationships with their parents and in-laws. What can parenting partners do to have healthy relationships with their parents/in-laws and give their kids strong relationship with grandparents? Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP answer this question and so many more in this episode.

08-20
26:48

My partner keeps telling me I need to talk about my emotions, why does it matter?

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Does talking about emotions matter? We see so many couples were one partner's primary complaint is that their partner cannot talk about how they feel. Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP discuss whether talking about emotions matters and what couples can do to resolve this conflict.

08-02
29:09

My Partner is So Needy!

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Is the preoccupied attachment style really just needy? We examine how childhood experiences shape adult relationships, focusing on preoccupied attachment. Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP discuss what preoccupied attachment is, how it impacts a couple relationship, and how partner's can stay connected if one of them is preoccupied.

07-05
43:10

My Partner Has No Emotions!

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Ever wondered if an avoidant partner can truly connect emotionally? We examine how childhood experiences shape adult relationships, focusing on avoidant attachment. Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP discuss what avoidant attachment is, how it impacts a couple relationship, and how partner's can stay connected if one of them is avoidantly attached.

06-28
45:04

Do You Love Me, Do You Want Me, Do You Accept Me?-Three Important Questions Parenting Partners Ask Each Other Every Day

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.There are three questions that parenting partners are asking one another every day. They might not be asking them directly but in their conflict, in their frustration, in their stress these are the questions that underline all of these interactions. Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP tell you what the questions are and how you can your partner can answer them in the affirmative for one another.

05-24
36:48

It's something every couple with kids feels but doesn't talk about: Loneliness.

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.It's something most parenting partners feel but no one really talks about: Loneliness. That's right. Many parenting partners find themselves feeling lonely during the parenting years and it can be hard to talk about with your partner. This feeling of loneliness can also be an underlying factor for some of the stress, conflict, and hurt feelings parenting partners feel and have regarding one another. Stephen Mitch...

05-10
38:17

The Art of Partner Support in Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Beyond!

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.If your partner has ever been pregnant. If you have ever had a partner in the postpartum phase of parenting. If you are a parent period. You need to hear this! Being aware of the impact of pregnancy and postpartum on your partner's body matters. Even if you are beyond this phase of your parenting journey, it matters! Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP help you understand "why?" in this weeks episode.&n...

04-26
36:41

I'm The Default Parent!-A Conversation Every Couple Needs To Have

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.No one likes having the default parent conversation because it typically ends up in both partners getting frustrated and going to their separate corners. Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell MACP help you understand how to have the conversation differently and in a way that will actually change your couple relationship for the better.

04-19
38:59

"We Just Don't Feel Connected Anymore"-How Couples Can Get Reconnected in the Midst of Parenting

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Have you ever caught yourself wondering how the spark you once had with your partner could disappear so fast? Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP discuss how the "little" moments of everyday parenting life can lead to disconnection, and how these "little" moments can also be what keeps you connected.

04-05
37:06

What is the 80/80 Marriage?: An Interview with Kaley Klemp and Nate Klemp, PhD

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Discover a refreshing take on love and commitment as Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP sit down with Nate and Kaley Klemp, authors of "The 80/80 Marriage." https://www.8080marriage.com/

03-22
51:01

Thriving Together While Tackling Career and Family Demands

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.We hear it all the time, "My partner cares more about their job than our family." Or "My partner's job gets the best parts of them and we get what's left over at home." Work is something that happens everyday and is big source of conflict and hurt in parenting partner relationships. Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP offer a two step process for how couples can discuss work, family life, and staying co...

03-08
26:21

My Partner's Mental Health is Negatively Impacting Our Home

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.What do you do when you think your partner's mental health is negatively impacting your family? How do you bring it up? What if your partner dismisses your concerns? Join Stephen Mitchell, PhD and Erin Mitchell, MACP as we shed light on the profound impact that conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and unresolved trauma can have on a family. This episode is an invitation to acknowledge, address, and appro...

02-29
27:49

When Stress is Driving Your Couple Relationship

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.Every relationship faces the siege of stress, but how we navigate through this inevitable reality makes all the difference. Imagine this case example: Josh, retreating into his shell under the pressure of life's stress, leaves Lindsay spinning plates to maintain the family's harmony. Their story may sound familiar, and we're peeling back the layers to discover why Josh's withdrawal and Lindsay's increasing load b...

02-22
28:23

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