That Relationship Show

From parenting to relocations to job changes, every couple will experience life transitions and the stress, joy and pain they bring---sometimes all at once. Deb & Nao enlist the help of Theresa Bullock Cohen, LICSW, Certified EFT supervisor and group process expert to talk about how couples can prepare for and work through these changes. Theresa offers guidance so that couples can protect and strengthen their bonds through all that life presents them with---from the cradle to the grave.

Deb and Nao enlist the help of EFT trainer, author and adjunct faculty member at UNC Greensboro Lorrie Brubacher, LMFT & RMFT to talk about the most painful of injuries for couples. Lorrie shares her extensive knowledge about how couples can come together after safety and trust have been shattered, to a place of deep healing and reconnection. 

Deb and Nao land the interview of their dreams with Psychologist and EFT developer Dr. Susan M. Johnson. Sue shares the stories of her childhood and young adulthood that led to her passion for helping couples find connection.

Triggers are the match and core struggles the gasoline that set the negative cycle ablaze for couples. In this episode, Deb & Nao enlist the help of EFT supervisor extraordinaire Jean Shirkoff LICSW to help couples learn how to turn off the gas valve and snuff out the match before too much damage is done. By identifying our triggers and seeking support for our core struggles, we can avoid the negative cycle and enjoy a more calm and loving connection with our partner. As if that weren't enough, we hear about Phil & Dolly Curtis's honeymoon as well.

Deb and Nao confront their own issues with technology usage, and enlist the help of Oz Akbas, LMFT, who has a specialty in the impact of technology usage on individuals, couples, families and society. They discuss the unintended consequences of technology usage, and Oz gives tips about how to protect our most cherished relationships from being negatively impacted by it.

Deb and Nao define what they mean by culture, and explore its impact on couples. From race to religion to families of origin, the cultures we belong to play an important role in the way we see the world. Though we may not share these things with our partner, we do need their sensitivity and understanding when cultural issues arise. Dr. Robert Allen talks with Deb and Nao about how couples can connect more deeply by weaving cultural awareness into their relationships.

Deb and Nao define and discuss the origins of Borderline Personality Disorder, which can feel devastating to relationships for everyone involved. Their guest is clinical psychologist Karin Wagenaar, the first EFT trainer in Europe, who joined them from Holland where she helped create an innovative program that uses EFT as part of its treatment of this complex disorder.

Deb and Nao welcome Dr. Patricia Papernow, stepparent, psychologist, author and expert on the subject of stepfamilies. Dr. Papernow discusses the inherent challenges that adults and children face, explains why the notion of blending ought apply to smoothies and not families, and offers the best tools for second-family couples to maintain connection to each other, their children and stepchildren whilst building new traditions together.

With suicide rates on the increase locally and around the world, Deb & Nao seek the expertise of Kirk Woodring to help understand this tragic phenomenon. Kirk is the Chief Clinical Officer of the Brattleboro Retreat, a lecturer at Smith College and the author of books about suicide. We discover the importance of connection as a protective factor against suicide.

Deb and Nao tackle the timely topic of narcissism. Deb interviews Dr. Craig Malkin, psychologist, expert and author of the book Rethinking Narcissism on how narcissism develops, impacts relationships and can be addressed using an attachment-based approach like EFT. Dr. Malkin explains how to tell when loving a narcissist has hit a dead-end.