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Friends and family can be part of a wonderful network of love and support, but there is one thing couples should never do, and that is to involve eaither into their lives as armchair therapists or relationship counselors. Despite what they may say or do, family and friends have conscious and unconscious biases, they are untrained and almost always will make matters worse rather than better.  To find out why, listen to Alvean and Doug discuss the merits.  For a full transcript, click here: LL-46 Friends and Family as Counselors

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Love can be conditional or unconditional we are told and of the two most people yearn for unconditional love.  But is that ever truly the case?  Can we ever be loved just the way we are or are we destined to find that our significant other wants to change us–just a little bit? In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about how couples support each other or fail to meet each other’s needs through their interactions.  For a full transcript, click here: LL45-I love you Just the Way You Are

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At some point in life most of us ask ourselves the existential question, why are we here–what is our purpose in life?  In this episode, Alvean and Doug talking about the journey –how individuals alone and together can begin to explore answers to that question. Often it can lead to a deepning commitment to one another and to a richer and more fulfilling life.  For a complete transcript, click here: LL44-Finding Purpose

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Tyhe first blush of a new relationship can be hot and heavy, full of chemistry and passion.  But as time goes by and things fall into a routine couples might find themselves asking, “is that all there is?’  In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss how to handle a perceived change in the emotional climate and restore the balance that brought a couple together in the first place.  For a full transcript of the episode, click here: LL43-Is That All There Is?

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When troubles arise in a relationship it can sometimes result in the triggering of a fight or flight response.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about those responses and how to avoid them. For a full transcript, click here: LL42-Fight or Flight

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Those words in the wedding vows about remaining together and supporting one another in sickness and in health are put to the test when serious health issues arise.  How couples handle these crises says a great deal about their bonds and their ability to weather the difficult storms that may arise in any relationship and at any time.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk from personal experience about those tests and how it affected them as well as others.  For a full transcript of the episode, click here:LL41-In Sickness & in Health

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Do couples grow towards each other as they grow older or further apart?  Alvean and Doug discuss the ways aging can affect relationships for better or for worse and how successful couples keep the spark alive. For a full transcript of this episode, click here: LL40-Growing Older

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What happens when that first rush of love goes away–or diminishes in intensity.  Is Love over–di you make a mistake or is this just a pause in a life filled with love? In this episode Alvean talk frankly about how love ebbs and flows and how we are the agents of that tide. For a full transcript click here: LL39-After the Love

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It can be crippling to face the news these days–but in the midst of the negativity and strife there are ways to create an oasis of calm and serenity.  In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss techniques for transforming your immediate world into a more forgiving and supportive environmwnt. For a full transcript, click here: LL38-Staying Positive in a Negative World

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Too often couples can struggle with control issues or resort to manipulation to get their way.  Both are destructive, eroding the trust and affections of both partners.  Instead try persuasion. In this episode, Doug & Alvean talk about the art of persuading and techniques for entering into an empathetic understanding of your partner’s aims and desires. For a full transcript, click here: LL37-The Art of Persuasion