Couples Therapy In Seven Words

Getting Hold of Yourself - Episode 7

How do you get hold of yourself when your partner is freaking out, or freaking you out? We talk about shame and guilt, getting to the right argument, and tolerating ups and downs without panic. Then we handle a listener question: How can I stop hounding my husband who cheated on me?

Send in your questions: email us at bruce@brucechalmer.com, or just visit brucechalmer.com. We'd love to hear from you!

And let us know if you'd like to be interviewed on the show! Visit brucechalmer.com/podcast for more information.

Dr. Chalmer's book Reigniting the Spark: Why Stable Relationships Lose Intimacy, and How to Get It Back is available here, or wherever you get your books.

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Music: Besamim (Spices) by Bruce Chalmer, performed by Fyre and Lightning Consort

Trauma and Relationships: An Interview with Rabbi David Edleson - Episode 6

How does trauma affect relationships? We talk a bit about the next topic in Dr. Chalmer's book Reigniting the Spark, and then turn to an interview with Rabbi David Edleson. Rabbi Edleson talks about his work doing rabbinic counseling with couples, his role as a congregational rabbi, and his life as a gay man in a 38-year relationship.

Send in your questions: email us at bruce@brucechalmer.com, or just visit brucechalmer.com. We'd love to hear from you!

And let us know if you'd like to be interviewed on the show! Visit brucechalmer.com/podcast for more information.

Dr. Chalmer's book Reigniting the Spark: Why Stable Relationships Lose Intimacy, and How to Get It Back is available here, or wherever you get your books.

Music: Besamim (Spices) by Bruce Chalmer, performed by Fyre and Lightning Consort

Passion and Sex: An Interview with Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus - Episode 5

What happens to passion in long-term couples? And how can they keep their sex life alive and well? We talk about the next chapter of Dr. Chalmer's book Reigniting the Spark, called "The Death Spiral for Passion." Then we have a lively interview with Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus, the "Orthodox Sex Guru." Dr. Marcus talks about her work as a sex therapist, and how both her Orthodox Judaism and her passionate feminism influence her work. Along the way, she busts some common myths about sex and aging, and handles a listener question.

You can find more about Dr. Marcus on Instagram @drbatsheva. She is the co-host of The Joy of Text, a monthly podcast about Judaism, sexuality, and the intersection between the two.

Send in your questions: email us at bruce@brucechalmer.com, or just visit brucechalmer.com. We'd love to hear from you!

And let us know if you'd like to be interviewed on the show! Visit brucechalmer.com/podcast for more information.

Dr. Chalmer's book Reigniting the Spark: Why Stable Relationships Lose Intimacy, and How to Get It Back is available here, or wherever you get your books.

Music: Besamim (Spices) by Bruce Chalmer, performed by Fyre and Lightning Consort

Panic and Its Effects (Good and Bad) - Episode 4

What good is panic? And how does it affect your relationships? We talk about how panic affects us, and then handle a listener question: How can a woman who's only been with women before tell a guy she loves that their sex life isn't doing it for her?

Send in your questions: email us at bruce@brucechalmer.com, or just visit brucechalmer.com. We'd love to hear from you!

And let us know if you'd like to be interviewed on the show! Visit brucechalmer.com/podcast for more information.

Dr. Chalmer's book Reigniting the Spark: Why Stable Relationships Lose Intimacy, and How to Get It Back is available here, or wherever you get your books.

Music: Besamim (Spices) by Bruce Chalmer, performed by Fyre and Lightning Consort

The Two Golden Gifts - Episode 3

What are the gifts you need for your relationship to thrive? We talk about stability and intimacy--how they're both vital, but sometimes conflict. Then we tackle a listener question: He wants to watch porn with her to spice up their sex life, she thinks he's a pervert for suggesting it. Now what?

Send in your questions: email us at bruce@brucechalmer.com, or just visit brucechalmer.com. We'd love to hear from you! Dr. Chalmer's book Reigniting the Spark: Why Stable Relationships Lose Intimacy, and How to Get It Back is available here, or wherever you get your books.

Music: Besamim (Spices) by Bruce Chalmer, performed by Fyre and Lightning Consort

I Am My Beloved's And My Beloved Is Mine - Episode 2

The topic is kindness--not just being nice, but in the stronger (and more difficult) sense of being kin. We explain how assuming good will helps shape your relationship toward that sense of kinship. Then we talk about a provocative listener question: how can their marriage survive when one partner can't stand President Trump, and the other supports him?

Send in your questions: email us at bruce@brucechalmer.com, or just visit brucechalmer.com. We'd love to hear from you! Dr. Chalmer's book Reigniting the Spark: Why Stable Relationships Lose Intimacy, and How to Get It Back is available here, or wherever you get your books.

Music: Besamim (Spices) by Bruce Chalmer, performed by Fyre and Lightning Consort

Be Kind, Don't Panic, and Have Faith - Episode 1

Welcome to Couples Therapy in Seven Words! Your hosts, Dr. Bruce Chalmer and Judy Alexander, tell you what you need to know about relationships, and answer your questions. In this first episode, Dr. Chalmer introduces the seven-word formula, explains how our needs for stability and intimacy often conflict, and answers a listener question.

Send in your questions: email us at bruce@brucechalmer.com, or just visit brucechalmer.com. We'd love to hear from you! Dr. Chalmer's book Reigniting the Spark: Why Stable Relationships Lose Intimacy, and How to Get It Back is available here, or wherever you get your books.

Music: Besamim (Spices) by Bruce Chalmer, performed by Fyre and Lightning Consort