The Meaningful Life with Andrew G. Marshall

Have you ever experienced a strange, inexplicable coincidence that left you feeling “like a grand, mysterious character in a story?” One that seemed to suggest a particular relationship was “meant to be”, or, on the flipside, that it was time to let go? In this week’s classic episode, Andrew talks to Jungian analyst ROBERT HOPCKE about synchronicity: the strange coincidences that make us feel like the universe is sending us a message, or trying to turn our lives around.  These coincidences have the potential to help us find the meaning we’re seeking. Synchronistic events can offer a sense of underlying wholeness in our lives. They often happen in times of transition, and help us move to the place we need to be. They offer us the opportunity to recognise the symbolic quality of everyday life, and to be alive to the symbolism that everyday objects, events and people present to us. Robert Hopcke is a Jungian analyst, author and a licensed marital therapist in private practice in Berkeley, California. He is the author of two books on Jung’s concept of synchronicity - There Are No Accidents and There Are No Accidents in Love and Relationships - and a number of other books about Jung.  If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week supporters will hear: Three Things Robert Hopcke knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things  Read Robert Hopcke’s book There Are No Accidents: Synchronicity and the Stories of Our Lives Visit Robert Hopcke’s website  Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall 

Meet Richard Blake, a psychologist and breathwork expert known as The Breath Geek. He illuminates how conscious breathing can drastically enhance mental clarity and emotional healing. Richard shares a simple breathing exercise to alleviate anxiety and explores the importance of connecting the body and mind for overall wellbeing. He also discusses the unique ways men and women experience somatic therapies, and the power of community in managing stress. Tune in for transformative insights that may lead to profound personal breakthroughs.

Venus O’Hara plans to change the world, one orgasm at a time. She believes women are equally as sexual as men, and should have the time and space to embrace their multi-orgasmic potential. Venus is a British orgasm activist, author and feminist based in Barcelona. She has a hugely popular YouTube channel on which she discusses the female orgasm and leading a healthy and authentic orgasmic lifestyle. In this classic reissued episode, Venus and Andrew discuss many aspects of Venus’ journey, including her expertise in fetishism (which Venus sees as an intelligent, imaginative approach to sex, fascinating in its eroticisation of the non-sexual), and her career change from real estate sales to online businesswoman, writer and activist.  If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week supporters will hear: Three Things Venus O’Hara knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin.  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things Watch videos on Venus O’Hara’s YouTube channel Take a look at Venus O’Hara’s website. Follow Venus on Instagram @venusohara  Read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.  Read Andrew’s book Have the Sex You Want: A Couple’s Guide to Getting Back the Spark Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall   

Can you criticise your partner without starting a flaming row, or causing them to retreat into a wounded silence? If not, you’re not alone. Many of us struggle for years to find a way to manage relationship conflict in an honest, constructive spirit.  This week, Andrew discusses the secrets of better conflict with relationship coach JACK BOHANNON. Andrew and Jack cover: Attachment theory and how it influences our capacity for constructive conflict.  Better strategies for giving and receiving feedback. The healing power of men’s work.  AND, Andrew participates in a role play exercise designed by Jack.  Jack Bohannan is a certified Somatica relationship coach. He helps clients overcome stuck relationship patterns, insecure attachment, and self-worth issues using somatic techniques. His work is experiential and involves role play, self-disclosure, and genuine conversation. If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week supporters will hear: How attachment theory can transform your relationship.  Three Things Jack Bohannan knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things  Visit Jack Bohannan’s website  Read Jack Bohannan’s writing on Medium Follow Jack Bohannan on Instagram  Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall   

In a candid conversation, Kate Lucey, an author and mental health advocate, shares her six-year journey with depression. She dives into the complex nature of the illness and its effects on relationships. Kate discusses the importance of therapy and open communication while also emphasizing mindfulness techniques to combat negative thoughts. She highlights the value of self-advocacy and finding joy in small moments, along with the healing power of connection and the potential for personal growth through shared experiences.

Most of us dislike or even fear conflict with loved ones. Without it, however, you won't achieve sustained intimacy with your partner.  This week, Andrew talks to writer, psychologist and Jungian analyst Polly Young-Eisendrath, the author of Love Between Equals: Relationship as a Spiritual Path. They explore the challenges and possibilities of building partnerships based on respect, freedom and real dialogue.  Andrew and Polly discuss: What “real dialogue” means—and how to practice mindful curiosity with your partner. How and why to stop avoiding conflict with your partner. Projective identification in relationships.  What to do if you’re feeling defeated or distant in your relationship.  Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D., is the founder of the Center for Real Dialogue in Vermont and the author of 19 books. Her work combines psychoanalytic thinking, mindfulness, and Buddhism to illuminate the inner work required to love with both strength and humility. She is also the host of the popular podcasts Enemies: From War to Wisdom and Waking Up is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space. If You’re Looking for More… You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50: Join here This week, supporters will hear: ⭐ The Benefits of a Conversation Between the Spiritual and Psychological ⭐ Three Things Polly Young-Eisendrath Knows to Be True ⭐️AND access to all our previous bonus content—a rich archive of insight and inspiration Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin: Learn more here Read Polly Young-Eisendrath’s book Love Between Equals: Relationship as a Spiritual Path  Visit Polly Young-Eisendrath’s website  Listen to Polly Young-Eisendrath’s podcasts: ENEMIES: From War to Wisdom  Waking Up is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space  Follow Polly Young-Eisendrath on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter. Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50: patreon.com/andrewgmarshall  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall

Are you one of the many people who end up shocked by the ultimate similarity of romantic relationships that felt very different starting out? Why is it that we find the same patterns repeating, the same problems coming up over and over? In this classic episode, Andrew talks to author and attachment theory specialist Tara Blair-Ball. Tara explains how attachment theory - which is grounded in analysis of how we bonded to our mother as infants - can explain these patterns. Andrew and Tara emphasise that rather than dwelling on the particular faults of partner A and partner B, we can try to understand how our earliest relationships in life have determined later ones. This will help us make the changes that can lead to more meaningful and more fulfilling relationships.  Tara Blair Ball is a Certified Relationship Coach, as well as the author of several books on love and relationships. Her content on relationship and dating has been viewed more than 6 million times.  If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week supporters will hear: Three Things Tara Blair Ball knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin.  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things Take a look at Tara Blair Ball’s website Read Emerson Eggerichs’ book Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs   Read Gary Chapman’s book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts  Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall 

What does it mean to be truly seen and accepted in your sexuality? For those who identify as bisexual—or who experience sexual fluidity—the path to self-understanding and relational honesty can be filled with challenges, uncertainty, and social stigma. This week, Andrew talks with DIANE HASSALL, a Relationship and Psychosexual Psychotherapist, about how we explore and express our sexual identities within intimate partnerships. Together, they consider how to stay true to yourself, even when your sexuality doesn’t conform to the narrow definitions the culture has offered you.  Andrew and Diane discuss: ⭐ What bisexuality and sexual fluidity really mean ⭐ How to have honest conversations with your partner about identity and attraction ⭐ The importance of curiosity and compassion when exploring new facets of yourself Diane Hassall is an Accredited Member of the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSRT) and the founder of the therapy practice, Your Time to Talk. She specialises in working with clients exploring gender, sexual, erotic and relationship diversity, and also trains and supervises other therapists in psychosexual and relationship work. If You’re Looking for More… You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week, supporters will hear: ⭐ The Importance of Sexual Fantasies ⭐ Three Things Diane Hassall Knows to Be True ⭐️AND access to all our previous bonus content—a rich archive of insight and inspiration.  Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin: Learn more here  Visit Diane Hassall’s therapy practice: yourtimetotalk.net  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things  Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools  Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall

How can we learn to be at ease in our bodies so that we can be fully “in the moment” during sex? Anxiety about body image is one of the biggest obstacles to a happy, fulfilled sex life. Many people seek therapy to help them relax and enjoy sex with their partner, others struggle on in low-sex or no-sex relationships.  In this classic episode, Andrew talks to KATE MOYLE, a psychosexual and relationship therapist, about the knots we tie ourselves up in over how we look. Our culture’s esteem for youth and beauty, (expressed in social media images of physical perfection) can make it very hard to inhabit our normal, imperfect bodies. Yet the self-confidence we need to enjoy sex is grounded in how we feel, not how we look.  As well as her work as a therapist, Kate Moyle is host of The Sexual Wellness Sessions Podcast, and also appeared on BBC Three’s Sex on the Couch. Kate helps people to work through challenges in their sex lives and relationships; moving towards a place of sexual health, happiness and wellbeing. Her podcast hosts discussions that focus on normalising sex and relationships talk, and tackling the topics that are often left out of mainstream conversation; and she is a regular media contributor on the topic of sex and relationships. If You’re Looking for More…. You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests  and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  This week supporters will hear: Three Things Kate Moyle knows to be true.  AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin. Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things Listen to Kate Moyle’s The Sexual Wellness Sessions Podcast Take a look at Kate’s website Follow Kate on Instagram @katemoyletherapy Read Andrew’s book Have the Sex You Want: a Couple’s Guide to Getting the Spark Back Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools https://courses.andrewgmarshall.com/relationship-tools  Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.    Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall   

Society would grind to a halt without the work done by unpaid carers - yet they are too often left to feel invisible, unsupported and alone.  In this episode, Andrew talks to PENNY WINCER, the author of Tender: The Imperfect Art of Caring, about how to provide care for loved ones without burning out yourself.  Penny shares her deeply personal story of caring for her mother, who lived with mental illness, and later for her autistic son. She sheds light on the complexity of care—the beauty, the exhaustion, and the personal costs.  Andrew and Penny discuss: Asking for help Dealing with isolation  How being a “young carer” can shape adult relationships The importance of self-compassion. Penny Wincer is a Melbourne born, London dwelling, author and non-fiction writing coach.  She has written for Red Magazine, iPaper, BBC Radio 4 and The Telegraph. Penny’s first book Tender  was published by Coronet Books in 2020. Her second non-fiction book, Home Matters, was published in August 2024.  If You’re Looking for More… You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions.  This week supporters will hear: Three Things Penny Wincer knows to be true. How to balance what YOU want to do with the pressures of life. Subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content—a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees. Follow Up Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin  Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things  Read Penny Wincer’s book Tender: The Imperfect Art of Caring, and her latest book, Home Matters Follow Penny Wincer on Instagram @pennywincer Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.  Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall