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Is there a ‘use by’ date for marriage?  Do relationships sour if they fail to move to a next level?  These and other views about how love and bonding work are the topic of this episode as Doug & Alvean discuss how couples can take a long view of the ever changing ever evolving nature of their commitment to one another. For more about this episode and a full transcript, click here:LL58-Is there a use by date….

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Living in the past is an unhealthy and potentially destructive behavior.  We all have regrets at some point in our lives but no amount of emotional investment can change what has occurred.  Alvean and Doug discuss strategies for learning from our past experiences while avoiding the pitfalls of allowing our regrets to rob of us our happiness in the present. For more about this episode and a full transcript, click here: LL57-Your Biggest Regrets

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Raising children together can be one of the most rewarding things a couple can do but at times also the most challenging.  The challenges can be even greater when the children are not your own.  Alvean and Doug talk about emotional bonds that father and mothers have with their children and children of another partner and how you can cope with co-parenting when a divorce or re-marriage occurs due to the loss of a spouse. For a full transcript of this episode, click here: LL56-Relating to children from a prior relationship

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As we move though our lives our perspectives and emotional response to others and to life situations change–sometimes for the better and sometimes the worse. Alvean and Doug talk about how these changes affect us and how we can recognize their impact on our emotional health.  For a complete transcript, click here: LL55-How has your perspective changed with age?pdf

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Torn between two lovers is more than a song title–it is sometimes a reality and can lead to devastating consequences for everyone involved in a relationship triangle. In this episode Alvean and Doug discuss the challenges and chart a course to navigate the emotional seas.  For a full transcript of this episode, click here:LL54-You, Me and ………

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There are times when Men and Women can be opaque to one another–prompting a good deal of misunderstanding and emotional trial.  In this episode, Doug & Alvean explore the real feelings behind things men do say and don’t. Getting in touch with one’s feelings–expressing them to others is not a given and for men in particular an experience for which they may not be well prepared.  Whether you are a man who wants to learn how to better communicate your feelings or a woman trying to decipher what may be confusing signals, this episode can help.  For a full transcript, click here:LL53-What men rarely say but often feel

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Have you ever heard someone say this?  Maybe you have said it yourself after a period of unfortunate misses in the dating scene.   Alvean and Doug talk about the whys and the whos that we encounter while looking for our ideal mate and how we can sometimes sabotage ourselves along the way.  The answer is yes–there are good men and women out there but it matters a great deal whether you are looking in the right places and whether you are ready for the right one when they come along.  For more, click here fr a full transcript; LL52-Are there any good men or women out there?

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The song title says it all, breaking up is hard to do.  But there are ways to part company without scorching the earth.  Alvean and Doug talk about their own experience and the strategies they have found for bringing you both to the conclusion that moving on alone is better than together.  For more, see the attached transcript of this episode here: LL51-Breaking Up

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When a little one comes along it changes things–in some cases for the better but it can also expose weaknesses in a relationship that could tear a family apart. Alvean and Doug talk about navigating parenthood, the last of the unskilled occupations and one few are prepared for. For a full transcript of this episode, click here: LL50-And Baby Makes Three

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What do you do when your family or your partner get involved in your relationship and become a destructive force?  Are there such things as toxic families?  Alvean and Doug talk about the role and importance of building a solid “us” fortress that sets you and your partner apart from negative influences so neither of you need to choose or worry about what family might think or say.  They also offer some tips for diagnosing toxicity when you see it.  For a complete transcript of this episode, click here:LL49 -Toxic Families