Many couples avoid "relationship check-ins" because they feel awkward or turn into criticism sessions. This episode offers a completely different approach - a structured 30-minute blueprint that creates safety, deepens understanding, and builds practical solutions together that Christa shares both here and in this mini-episode.You'll learn: The reminder that research backs how healthy addressing and communication dramatically improve relationship satisfaction A simple 3-part framework for your monthly meeting (Connection, Exploration, Solutions) How to adapt the process for different Enneagram types Practical tips to ensure the experience feels positive and productive Whether you've been together for decades or just starting out, this monthly blueprint provides a sustainable way to stay connected amidst busy lives. Download the accompanying PDF guide from Christa's website to make implementation easy.Listen now! Give just 30 minutes a month to intentional connection, and watch your relationship transform!Get the 30 Min Monthly Relationship Blueprint meeting here! >> https://www.enneagramandmarriage.com/the-monthly-blueprint-meeting. << Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when we make our partners the center of our emotional universe? In this insightful episode with Christa walking us through the concept of decentralization, we explore the delicate art of "decentralizing" your partner—a powerful practice that counterintuitively strengthens intimate connections. Through the lens of marriage theory, including but not limited to the Enneagram, we discover how constant emotional monitoring can suffocate even the most loving relationships. Learn to recognize signs you've over-centralized your partner, understand how your Enneagram type influences this tendency, and best of all, walk through a practical anxiety exercise with Christa to help you create healthy space while maintaining deep connection. Whether you're feeling anxious about your partner's every mood shift or struggling with boundary issues, this episode offers compassionate guidance for finding that sweet spot where both individuals can thrive within the relationship. Find resources and coaching info at www.EnneagramandMarriage.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when we open our hearts and homes to others? Craig and Laura Cooper join us to share their extraordinary journey of faith and generosity that inspired MercyMe's song and Walker Hayes' music video "Craig." The Coopers discuss how their Type 3w4 and Type 9 Enneagram dynamics shape their approach to hospitality, and how a simple act of giving a minivan to a family in need sparked a profound spiritual transformation. Learn how small acts of generosity can create ripple effects of change, and discover practical ways to cultivate a spirit of giving in your own relationships and community right here! Watch on YouTubeFind the song with Walker Hayes/MercyMe written about Craig and Laura on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pLNTewIfrg and Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1S9Yxo8bniCYywEMCposAlFind Craig's book here with Mercy Me/Walker Hayes: https://www.amazon.com/Glad-Youre-Here-Unlikely-Breaking/dp/0802424716Find Craig's Instagram here! https://www.instagram.com/craigallencooper/?hl=enJoin the special free women's event beginning today at the Wholehearted Abundance Summit where Christa will be speaking this week hereMore:Craig Allen Cooper is a USA Today bestselling author and keynote speaker. He co-wrote the book "Glad You're Here" with Grammy-nominated country singer and songwriter, Walker Hayes. "Glad You're Here" instantly became a Publisher's Weekly, ECPA, and USA Today national bestseller and has been featured on The Today Show, People Magazine, The 700 Club, Jesus Calling, and Family Life Radio, as well as various other news sources, radio and television programs and podcasts, including That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs and Dream Big with Bob Goff. Craig served as one of the founding pastors of Redeeming Grace Church in Franklin, Tennessee and is the founder of Glad You’re Here Ministries. He is the subject of the song "Craig" by Walker Hayes, and he resides in the greater Nashville area with his lovely wife, Laura, and their four kids. You can follow Craig on Instagram @craigallencooper and for more information or for speaking inquiries, please visit www.craigallencooper.com/speaking. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join us for a powerful conversation with Justin and Trisha Davis about breaking the cycles that hurt our relationships. From navigating infidelity to rebuilding trust, they share how understanding their Enneagram dynamic as an 8w7 and 3w2 couple has transformed their marriage and ministry. Discover practical wisdom for breaking free from shame, resentment, and fear while creating new patterns of connection. Whether you're facing betrayal or seeking to prevent it, this episode offers hope for lasting change—one choice at a time. 🌟💫 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HuWf6-oE3h0Get their brand new book, One Choice Away from Change: Break the Cycles That Hurt Your Relationships and Hold You Back, here! https://a.co/d/8ybdlXfFind Trisha and Justin at Refine Us Minstry: https://www.instagram.com/refineus/Visit them at www.justinandtrisha.com or www.refineus.com (download the first two chapters, free!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Christa and award-winning writer and professor Kimberly Phinney for a tender yet powerful conversation about navigating suffering in marriage. Through her own journey with critical illness and her work as a poet and literature scholar, Kimberly shares how pain can become a doorway to deeper connection. Discover how writing becomes medicine, how presence matters more than perfection, and how to find unexpected gifts in life's darkest seasons as spouses by one another's sides through sickness and in health. Whether you're in the midst of suffering or supporting a partner through pain, this episode offers hope, practical wisdom, and a gentle reminder that beauty can grow in broken places. 🌱💫 Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/r8M0OKRAWDgKimberly is a professional helper and artist completing her doctorate in community care and counseling. She is a professor, writer, editor, and counselor. During her critical illness in 2021-2022, she began dreaming about The Way Back to Ourselves and founded it in August of 2022. She is an award-winning and Pushcart Prize Nominated poet, and her writing has been published in Christianity Today, Ekstasis, Fathom, Truly Co, Radix, Calla Press, Humana Obscura, The Dewdrop, and many others. Her debut poetry collection, Of Wings & Dirt, which is inspired by her health journey, infertility, and miraculous motherhood, was published in April 2024 with Wipf & Stock and was a #1 New Release and Best Seller on Amazon. She is also at work on her next poetry collection and a nonfiction book on suffering and healing. She has been featured on Good Morning America and ABC News.Visit Kimberly's website here: https://www.thewayback2ourselves.com/aboutVisit Kimberly on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/thewayback2ourselves/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join us for this powerful conversation with Julie Menanno, LMFT (@TheSecureRelationship), whose work has helped millions transform their attachment patterns. From her national bestseller, Secure Love: Create a Relationship That Lasts a Lifetime, to her viral Instagram insights, Julie brings practical wisdom about creating lasting security in relationships via the attachment lens and her emotionally focused therapy couples work. Whether you're navigating anxious or avoidant patterns, or seeking to build deeper trust, this episode offers hope and concrete steps toward secure, lasting connection. Get ready to transform how you love right here! 🌟💫 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XAn7LnsM0oQIn this powerful episode, discover: Why certain patterns keep showing up in relationships How to move from anxious or avoidant to secure What security actually looks like in daily moments Practical steps for building lasting trust Find her website and podcast here: https://www.thesecurerelationship.com/Read Dr. Julie Mennano's best-selling book here! https://www.amazon.com/Secure-Love-Create-Relationship-Lifetime/dp/1668012863Looking for coaching help? Don't forget to sign up for the Enneagram Intensive for a deeper dive with Christa here! https://enneagramandmarriage.myflodesk.com/intensive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder why your partner acts completely different under stress? Join Christa as we explore the Enneagram arrows - your map to understanding relationship patterns in both stress and growth, as we move expansively from just your main type to see other typical moves we can expect from each Enneagram pattern. Whether you're navigating challenges or building connection, discover how these natural movements affect your marriage. Perfect for couples seeking deeper understanding of their relationship dynamics! 🌟💫 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RYZRehYmep4The Wholehearted Summit free sign up is here for you! https://www.simplywholehearted.com/2025-wholehearted-abundance-summit-registration-page?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.simplywholehearted.com%2Fa%2F2148060925%2FMhoTboBTLooking for coaching help? Don't forget to sign up for the Enneagram Intensive for a deeper dive with Christa https://enneagramandmarriage.myflodesk.com/intensive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join us for a powerful must-listen conversation with bestselling author Sheila Rae Gregoire, 8, about creating true partnership in marriage. Using evidence-based research and biblical wisdom, Sheila and her team challenge outdated stereotypes while offering practical paths to genuine intimacy! Whether you're seeking deeper connection or wanting to build a stronger team approach with your spouse, this episode offers fresh perspective and real hope. Get ready for truth that transforms! 🌟💫 Listen on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PhcocdJomLwGet Sheila's book here on pre-order! https://a.co/d/8yqOfgU (Ships out March 11, 2025)Join the Enneagram Relationship Intensive (Limited Space!) https://enneagramandmarriage.myflodesk.com/intensiveWe would love to hear from you! Leave your questions or messages for Christa or contact us for coaching or other questions right here: https://www.enneagramandmarriage.com/contact-usFor more freebies and fun, check out the website, www.EnneagramandMarriage.com and our Instagram @EnneagramandMarriage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discover the power of accepting your partner as they are, freeing your relationship from the urge to change them. Explore how integrating the Enneagram fosters self-awareness and compassion, leading to deeper connections. Personal stories reveal the importance of autonomy, encouraging couples to embrace their differences. Gain practical wisdom to transform your marriage by prioritizing acceptance over improvement. Dive into a journey of authentic love and learn to give your partner the freedom to be themselves!

Timing can make or break a crucial conversation in marriage. Learn the science-backed best times for difficult discussions, understand your partner's readiness signals, and discover type-specific approaches to timing-sensitive conversations. Transform potential conflicts into opportunities for deeper connection. We talk about the tips through the lens of the most powerful marriage systems, Gottman, EFT, CBT, IFS, and of course, Enneagram! Listen here! Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/n6o3naNkaYsJoin the Enneagram Relationship Intensive (Limited Space!) https://enneagramandmarriage.myflodesk.com/intensiveWe would love to hear from you! Leave your questions or messages for Christa or contact us for coaching or other questions right here: https://www.enneagramandmarriage.com/contact-usFor more freebies and fun, check out the website, www.EnneagramandMarriage.com and our Instagram @EnneagramandMarriage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices