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Do you feel like being "quick to anger" or "irritable" is just part of who you are? In this episode, we shatter the lie that reactivity is a personality trait. You will learn the difference between your biological temperament and learned regulation skills, and how to use specific emotional language to stop arguments before they spiral.

Here's what I dive into:
- Temperament vs. Regulation
- The "Skill Gap": Why reactivity isn't your fault, but it is your responsibility
- The Power of Specificity: How expanding your emotional intelligence (EQ) can help improve your marriage

Resources:

Download the Emotion Wheel here

Grab the Conflict to Connection Guide here

Or if you're ready for support - schedule your clarity call here to learn more about how marriage coaching can help you!

Thanks for listening!

Connect and send a message letting me know what you took away from this episode: @michellepurtacoaching and follow me on threads @michellepurtacoaching!

If you would like to support this show, please rate and review the show, and share it with people you know would love this show too!

Additional Resources:

• Ready to put a stop to the arguments in your marriage? Watch this free masterclass - The #1 Conversation Married Couples Need To Have (But Aren't)
• Want to handle conflict with more confidence? Download this free workbook!
• Wanna make communication feel easy and stop feeling like roommates so you can bring back the romance and excitement into your marriage? Learn more about how coaching here!

Support the show

Let us know how you enjoyed this episode!

Are you suddenly feeling a sense of rage towards your partner? You aren't going crazy, and your marriage might not be over—you might just be experiencing the biological shift of perimenopause. In this episode, I am joined by Midlife Marriage Advocate Brooke Davis to discuss why hormones are the "hidden guest" in your relationship. We explore the science behind the "estrogen veil" lifting, why "gray divorces" are skyrocketing, and how to advocate for your health when your doctor tells you "it’s just stress."

Connect with Brooke:
IG: @marriageinperimenopause

Thanks for listening!

Connect and send a message letting me know what you took away from this episode: @michellepurtacoaching and follow me on threads @michellepurtacoaching!

If you would like to support this show, please rate and review the show, and share it with people you know would love this show too!

Additional Resources:

• Ready to put a stop to the arguments in your marriage? Watch this free masterclass - The #1 Conversation Married Couples Need To Have (But Aren't)
• Want to handle conflict with more confidence? Download this free workbook!
• Wanna make communication feel easy and stop feeling like roommates so you can bring back the romance and excitement into your marriage? Learn more about how coaching here!

Support the show

Let us know how you enjoyed this episode!

Is your marriage feeling the "New Year" weight?

The holidays often have a way of shining a spotlight on the gaps in our relationships—the tiny resentments, the communication breakdowns, and that quiet voice wondering, "Shouldn’t we be further along by now?"

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why the "New Year, New Me" mentality can actually backfire in your marriage. Instead of trying to wipe the slate clean and ignore the past, I’m sharing how to treat your relationship like a beautiful experiment where every "failure" is actually just valuable data. If you're ready to stop feeling "behind" and start building a marriage that feels like home, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, I cover:

- How to handle the uncertainty about your marriage that often hits in the new year
- A new perspective to view your marriage with that helps you see progress

Ready to see how marriage coaching can help you bridge the gap? Book a clarity call here!

Thanks for listening!

Connect and send a message letting me know what you took away from this episode: @michellepurtacoaching and follow me on threads @michellepurtacoaching!

If you would like to support this show, please rate and review the show, and share it with people you know would love this show too!

Additional Resources:

• Ready to put a stop to the arguments in your marriage? Watch this free masterclass - The #1 Conversation Married Couples Need To Have (But Aren't)
• Want to handle conflict with more confidence? Download this free workbook!
• Wanna make communication feel easy and stop feeling like roommates so you can bring back the romance and excitement into your marriage? Learn more about how coaching here!

Support the show

Let us know how you enjoyed this episode!

Have you ever wondered why you’re suddenly repelled by someone’s energy, or why your partner seems more drawn to you after you’ve spent the day working out or doing something you love? In this episode, I am joined by Matchmaking Love Coach Leah Mitchell to explore human pheromones and chemical compatibility.

Leah breaks down her signature PheroGlow Method, a neurological strategy designed to move women out of survival mode and into a state of magnetic attraction. We dive deep into the neuroscience of love, discussing how high cortisol (the stress hormone) can literally block your pheromone production and lead to anxious-avoidant relationship cycles.

Connect with Leah:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/leah.mitchell.3914
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/goddess-of-love/id1723559624

Thanks for listening!

Connect and send a message letting me know what you took away from this episode: @michellepurtacoaching and follow me on threads @michellepurtacoaching!

If you would like to support this show, please rate and review the show, and share it with people you know would love this show too!

Additional Resources:

• Ready to put a stop to the arguments in your marriage? Watch this free masterclass - The #1 Conversation Married Couples Need To Have (But Aren't)
• Want to handle conflict with more confidence? Download this free workbook!
• Wanna make communication feel easy and stop feeling like roommates so you can bring back the romance and excitement into your marriage? Learn more about how coaching here!

Support the show

Let us know how you enjoyed this episode!

Most couples don’t struggle because they don’t love each other. They struggle because they were never taught how to communicate, regulate, and stay connected under stress.

As I close out the year, I wanted to give you a gift. Instead of another tip or hack, I’m sharing the patterns and lessons I saw come up again and again in my client sessions this year.

These are lessons learned in the midst of busy lives and chances are, you’ll recognize yourself in at least one of them.

In this episode, I break down six of the biggest takeaways that helped my clients transform their marriage in 2025.

If you feel stuck in the same cycles or unsure what to focus on next in your marriage, this episode will help you zoom out, reflect, and choose a more intentional path forward.

Resources mentioned:

• Download the Marriage 360 Review to gain clarity on what areas to focus on in your marriage
  Book a Clarity Call if you want support for your marriage

Thanks for listening!

Connect and send a message letting me know what you took away from this episode: @michellepurtacoaching and follow me on threads @michellepurtacoaching!

If you would like to support this show, please rate and review the show, and share it with people you know would love this show too!

Additional Resources:

• Ready to put a stop to the arguments in your marriage? Watch this free masterclass - The #1 Conversation Married Couples Need To Have (But Aren't)
• Want to handle conflict with more confidence? Download this free workbook!
• Wanna make communication feel easy and stop feeling like roommates so you can bring back the romance and excitement into your marriage? Learn more about how coaching here!

Support the show

Let us know how you enjoyed this episode!

There’s a quiet grief many parents carry that no one really prepares you for.

You’re still raising kids. You’re still managing a marriage, a home, and work.
And suddenly, you notice your parents slowing down.

In this episode, I am joined by life coach and mom of three, Christine Anastasia, for a raw, honest conversation about anticipatory grief—the emotional weight of knowing loss is coming, even when it hasn’t happened yet.

Together, we unpack:

-What anticipatory grief actually is and why it hits so hard in this stage of life
- Why watching your parents age can bring sadness, anxiety, guilt, or emotional numbness
- How grief, caregiving, and burnout quietly take up mental and emotional real estate
- The impact this season has on marriage and partnership
- Why “pushing through” makes everything heavier
- How to care for yourself without guilt when life already feels like too much

This episode is especially for parents who feel stretched thin, emotionally overloaded, and unsure how to hold everything without losing themselves.

Connect with Christine:

Website: https://christineanastasia.com/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/villagecoachmamma
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineanastasia
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCATfcyjf4cCXMynxmfeZs_w

Thanks for listening!

Connect and send a message letting me know what you took away from this episode: @michellepurtacoaching and follow me on threads @michellepurtacoaching!

If you would like to support this show, please rate and review the show, and share it with people you know would love this show too!

Additional Resources:

• Ready to put a stop to the arguments in your marriage? Watch this free masterclass - The #1 Conversation Married Couples Need To Have (But Aren't)
• Want to handle conflict with more confidence? Download this free workbook!
• Wanna make communication feel easy and stop feeling like roommates so you can bring back the romance and excitement into your marriage? Learn more about how coaching here!

Support the show

Let us know how you enjoyed this episode!

As the year comes to a close, it’s easy to start mentally grading your marriage. You notice other couples at holiday gatherings. You scroll past smiling family photos online. And before you know it, comparison creeps in.

In this episode, I break down why comparison is so damaging to your relationship—and what actually helps instead.

You’ll learn:

- What comparing sounds like in your marriage

- How comparing your marriage keeps you stuck instead of helping you grow

- Why your marriage should be viewed in seasons, not years

- The difference between judgment and curiosity in conflict and connection

- How reflection—not comparison—creates clarity and forward momentum

- A practical way to assess what’s working, what feels hard, and what needs attention

This episode is for you if:

- You’ve been feeling disconnected or “behind” compared to other couples
- The holidays have amplified frustration or self-doubt about your relationship
- You want to start the new year with clarity instead of shame
- You’re craving partnership, direction, and a shared focus moving forward

Resources & Next Steps:

Download the Marriage 360 Review to reflect together and identify what matters most right now

Book a Clarity Call if you want support for your marriage

Thanks for listening!

Connect and send a message letting me know what you took away from this episode: @michellepurtacoaching and follow me on threads @michellepurtacoaching!

If you would like to support this show, please rate and review the show, and share it with people you know would love this show too!

Additional Resources:

• Ready to put a stop to the arguments in your marriage? Watch this free masterclass - The #1 Conversation Married Couples Need To Have (But Aren't)
• Want to handle conflict with more confidence? Download this free workbook!
• Wanna make communication feel easy and stop feeling like roommates so you can bring back the romance and excitement into your marriage? Learn more about how coaching here!

Support the show

Let us know how you enjoyed this episode!

Invisible labor has a well-known phrase amongst modern women and unfortunately, it's a new concept to a lot of their partners. One that has been challenging to explain and change.

This episode is a special treat because for the first time ever, I interviewed a man for the show! When it comes to invisible labor, I thought it would be so valuable to hear from the male's perspective since the female narrative is so often shared. So in this episode, I am joined by Zach Watson, an Invisible Labor Coach for Men.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the weight of the household, the decisions, the logistics, and the emotions on your own… this conversation is a must listen!

In this episode, we talk about:

- What invisible labor actually is

- Why so many men don’t see it

- How men can step up without needing to be told what to do

- The phrase "weaponized incompetence"

- How to move away from "just tell me what to do"

If you’ve been waiting for an episode you can forward to your husband that won’t shut him down — this is the one.

Connect with Zach:
IG: @zachmentalloadcoach
Mental Load 101 PDF: Guide for husbands to quickly understand and implement strategies and for women to improve convo starters to talk about it

Thanks for listening!

Connect and send a message letting me know what you took away from this episode: @michellepurtacoaching and follow me on threads @michellepurtacoaching!

If you would like to support this show, please rate and review the show, and share it with people you know would love this show too!

Additional Resources:

• Ready to put a stop to the arguments in your marriage? Watch this free masterclass - The #1 Conversation Married Couples Need To Have (But Aren't)
• Want to handle conflict with more confidence? Download this free workbook!
• Wanna make communication feel easy and stop feeling like roommates so you can bring back the romance and excitement into your marriage? Learn more about how coaching here!

Support the show