As the holiday season approaches, many couples find themselves hitting a quiet but undeniable breaking point. Something about this stretch of time—from mid-October through the new year—brings things to the surface. Maybe it's the reflection that comes with the end of a year. Maybe it's the pressure of finances, family expectations, or feeling like life is flying by. But without the closeness you hoped to feel by now. For many, it's a season where the question "Can we really keep going like this?" starts to creep in.

In this episode, we unpack a question so many couples wrestle with: Can one spouse change the marriage if the other isn't ready or willing? What happens when one person is trying, growing, learning... and the other seems stuck? Is it unfair to hope for more? Is it foolish to keep waiting? We're diving into the emotional weight of this question, why so many couples delay getting support, and what it really takes to shift the direction of your relationship. Especially in the seasons that feel the hardest.

In this episode we cover:

• The surprising reason many marriages reach a breaking point during this season

• The #1 personality trait that determines whether couples make it through hard seasons

• Why some partners resist working on themselves or the relationship until separation is on the table

• What delays couples from getting help—and how much damage that can do

• The emotional cost of carrying the growth for two people

To then interrupt destructive cycles and finally start moving forward together:

🎥 Watch the free 1-hour Marriage WebClass: [The 5 Root Causes of Conflict and Disconnection in Marriage & How to Overcome Them]

This is the fastest way to learn what's really underneath recurring arguments, disconnection, and shutdowns—and how to turn it around together. Couples say it gave them more clarity than 6 months of counseling.

👉 Watch this Marriage WebClass now [with this link here]

👉 See all of our practical resources here - from couples challenges, guides, and in-person events.

Have you ever thought about how your own stress affects your kids — or how your parents' stress might still be affecting you? In this powerful conversation with Dr. Taz Bhatia, integrative medicine physician, author, and founder of Hol+, we explore how the health of the parents — especially the mother — sets the tone for the entire family system. Because wellness isn't just about self-care… it's about the legacy you're creating for the next generation.

Together, we unpack how patterns of anger, overwhelm, and chronic stress get passed down in families — and how to finally break the cycle. In this episode you'll hear:

• Why stress isn't always bad, but becomes harmful when your body never feels safe (aka the cortisol hum).

• How unresolved emotions and disconnection show up in the body — from hormone imbalances to fatigue and resentment.

• The way childhood modeling shapes how we handle conflict and stress in marriage.

• Practical ways to track your body's signals (like HRV) and create a calmer emotional climate at home.

• Simple habits couples can build to protect their emotional and physical well-being — and, in turn, their kids'.

Dr. Taz also shares how she's disrupting the medical industry through her Hol+ network (add link) — an integrative system combining Eastern and Western medicine to care for families as a whole, offering both in-person clinics and virtual access nationwide. Her mission is simple yet profound: to help every family heal from the inside out.

This episode is a reminder that when one person in the family heals, everyone benefits. The health of your marriage, your body, and your home are all connected — and you have the power to create a new emotional legacy for your family.

You can find our most popular resources including our FREE Marriage Webclass: The 5 Root Causes of Conflict and Disconnection at - meetthefreemans.com/links

It seems like the "I need more space" and "I need to talk this out now" partners always find each other! This is the basis of the Pursuer/Withdrawer as well as the Anxious/Avoidant partner dynamics in marriage. When this dynamic happens, it always causes more tension, defensiveness, anxiety, and distance than the initial topic of conversation. If this sounds at all like dynamics you and your partner get into, you certainly are not alone!

In today's episode you will hear more detail about what's really happening for each partner, whether it is the need for space or resolution. There are many factors that contribute to this, like personality type and emotional processing capacity. But tune in to hear about details you would have never thought of, hear more about how this dynamic has played out in our own marriage over the years, and then specific steps you can take to keep this dynamic from escalating simple conversations. This will make you both feel even more secure, understood, and loved in your relationship.

👉 Don't forget to join us on our FREE Live Marriage Webclass on: The 5 Root Causes of Conflict and Disconnection in Marriage. This live event only happens 2x per year. If you can't attend live, still register, as we will send you the replay. So don't miss out!