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As the song goes, regrets I have a few.  It is part of life.  We are fallible and flawed and one day we are likely to do or say something that on reflection we regret.  Regrets can be useful reminders that help us avoid making the same mistakes later in life but they can also become corrosive leading to bitterness and heartache.  Alvean and Doug talk about the nature of regret in this episode and offer some advice about how to move on without losing sight of the lessons we are meant to keep.  For a full transcript, click here: LL57-Your Biggest Regrets

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Parenting , as someone once said, is the last of the unskilled occupations.  Most of us have only our own life experiences to guide us and we tend to mimic or counter those experiences in our own lives depending on how we felt about them as we came of age.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss what can be a particularly thorny or rewarding passage for couples that have remarried and are raising children that may not be their own.  For a complete transcript of the episode, click here:LL56-Relating to children from a prior relationship

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As we age and enter new stages and phases of our lives our perspectives may change.  What was once of great importance may no longer capture our full attention, how we feel towards a significant other may deepen or erode, our values and our convictions are not always as steady as we might think.  In this episode Alvean and Doug explore the ways in which we gain or shift our perspectives through the stages of our life and what that signifies.  For more, click here:LL55-How has your perspective changed with age?pdf

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Threesomes may sound like a kinky form of intimacy but in reality few relationships can withstand the addition of another.  While it is true we have the capacity to love more than one person in our lifetimes it generally does not mean romantic love is something we can readily share with more than one person at a time. In this episode, Alvean and Doug explore the stresses and process couples need to navigate to overcome the introduction of a third person in what was a bond of two.  For a full transcript of the episode, click here: LL54-You, Me and ………

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Alvean and Doug take up a fascinating topic in this episode–the things men rarely talk about but often feel strongly.  Men are often viewed as the less emotional gender but nothing could be further from the truth.  Behind a mask of stoicism or a veneer of masculine indifference there is a beating heart that can be easily wounded.  Understanding how men really feel is important to women and men alike, so tune in to this episode or read the full transcript here: LL53-What men rarely say but often feel

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You ‘ve heard the lament before, perhaps you’ve said it yourself: Aren’t there any good (men or women) out there?  Let’s face it, finding Mr. or Ms right isn’t always easy and it can seem like you are a loser or that there are simply no fish in the pond.  Alvean and Doug talk about the feelings that accompany seemingly futile attempts to find the person meant for you and ways that we may be sabotaging ourselves.  Are our standards too high or too low?  Where are we looking, and what signals are we sending, conscious or otherwise?  These topics and much more can be found in this episode.  For a complete transcript, click here: LL52-Are there any good men or women out there?

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It is gut wrenching, and whether you are the one who brings it about or the one who gets left behind there is no easy way to navigate this emotionally difficult moment.  Alvean and Doug offer some life lessons on the experience, and how to process your feelings in a constructive way.  For the those who are on the receiving end, it is crucial to understand the grieving process and for those who have decided to leave a relationship for whatever reason, there are ways in which you can do so leaving your former partner with dignity and emotional respect.  It is hard enough, but the two of you can become ex partners and still remain caring people.  To learn how, listen to the episode and download the transcript here: LL51-Breaking Up

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You were a couple and now you are about to be or already are three, and everything has changed.  As welcome as the birth for a child can be for couples, it is still an emotionally and physically challenging even that will change your lives forever. Whether that change is welcome or not depends to a great extent on your own emotional orientation, empathy and understanding of the potential changes you or your partner may experience.  Alvean and Doug discuss these along with some advice on how to navigate the changes successfully. For a full transcript, click here: LL50-And Baby Makes Three

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Our families should offer us both emotional support and open arms but that is not always the case.  Some families are dysfunctional while others are simply toxic.  Alvean and Doug discuss the red flags that can reveal toxic family members and offer some strategies to address their behavior while insulating you and your partner from damage to your relationship.  For a full transcript, click here:LL49 -Toxic Families

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Differences between partners can make for an exciting and textured relationship, or it can be a prescription for disaster.  Race, religion, social standing, wealth, and of course age are some of the differentiators that couples may wrestle with in navigating the dating and relationship landscape.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about age and the ways it can become an impediment or a non issue in a relationship.  For a complete transcript , click here: LL48-Does Age Matter?