Shows
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LoveLife PodcastKids and Pets in the way?Children and pets can bring a wonderful bond that completes a relationship or they can become a source of disunion, it all depends on how a couple addresses it beforehand. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about how to ensure both parties are on the same page about key issues assuring a happy and fulfilling life together. For a complete transcript, click here: LL35-When Kids or Pets are in the way
2026-01-2415 minLoveLife PodcastPraying TogetherYou’ve probably heard it said that couples that pray together stay together. Is there any truth to this? Religion can play a role in helping couples navigate their relationship or it can lead to fractious quarrels and disunion. Alvean and Doug discuss the pitfalls and the promises that a faith based relationship can offer in this episode. For a full transcript, click here: LL34-Couples That Pray Together
2026-01-1715 minLoveLife PodcastBringing Back the PassionIt happens, especially if a couple have been together for a long time. The passion seems to be less and less common as everyday life with all its stresses and challenges get in the way. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about ways in which couples can renew the patterns and behaviors that ignited their passion in the first place. For a complete written transcript, click here: LL33-How to Bring Passion Back?
2026-01-1015 minLoveLife PodcastWhy do couples argue about money?Along with differences in libido Money is one of the chief issues that couples tend to argue about in the course of their relationship. In this episode Alvean and Doug reveal the underlying causes and more importantly strategies for avoiding the consequences. For a full transcript, click here: LL32-Why Do couples Quarrel About Money?
2026-01-0315 minLoveLife PodcastWhy Men and Women FlirtBe honest, flirting is fun–even thrilling for some, but it can cross a line into something much less innocent. In this episode, Alvean and Doug explore the motivations behind flirting and the ground rules that can keep it light hearted and positive without causing harm or crossing over into emotional or physical cheating. For a complete transcript, click here: LL31-Why Men and Women Flirt
2025-12-2714 minLoveLife PodcastHow Men and Women DifferA lot of books have been written on this subject but many deal only with superficial themes. Alvean and Doug go deeper to help listeners understand some of the fundamental truths about how different genders process thoughts and emotions, and how that knowledge can help listeners avoid the usual misunderstandings that can accompany relationships. For more and a full transcript, click here: LL30-How Men and Women Differ
2025-12-2015 minLoveLife PodcastWhy Couples QuarrelIn this episode, Alvean and Doug take on a familiar subject–why otherwise loving couples quarrel. The issues are relatively common, arising from differences over money, divisions of labor, intimacy, and in some cases parenting. They offer some practical suggestions about how to mediate such differences and resolve the underlying factors that lead to dis harmony in relationships. For a full transcript, click here: LL29-Why Do Couples Quarrel?
2025-12-1314 minLoveLife PodcastCan Love heal?It is said that time heals all wounds but is that true or is it love? In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about the healing properties of loving and being loved. For a complete transcript, click here: LL28-Can Love Heal?
2025-12-0615 minLoveLife PodcastCan you love two people?Torn between two lovers–its the popular song that this episode reflects. Is it possible to be in love, honest and true love with two different people at the same time? You don’t have to wait for the big reveal, the answer is no, but you’ll want to listen to Alvean and Doug to find out why. Fot a full transcript, click here:LL27-Can you love two people equally?
2025-11-2912 minLoveLife PodcastIt's all about meSurely you have met someone like this–a person who believes they are the center of the universe and nothing you or anyone else says or does can dissuade them of this opinion. Well fasten your seatbelts–Alvean and Doug discuss the best way to address those who behave this way and how best to protect yourself from their outsized egos. For more and a complete transcript, click here:LL26-It is all about me
2025-11-2213 minLoveLife PodcastSavoring LonelinessLoneliness seems epidemic these days–certainly among younger generations. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about some positive aspects of being alone, and how one can use that time to renew self love and affirm one’s feelings about others. For a full transcript, click here: LL25-Savoring Loneliness
2025-11-1516 minLoveLife PodcastYou're not the boss of meHave you ever heard this expression–possibly from kids but sometimes said in another way it is the sentiment behind adult push back. In this episode, Alvean and Doug dissect the meaning behind that expression and why it is an important indicator of control issues that may be working behind the scenes. For a full transcript, click here: LL24-You’re not the Boss of Me
2025-11-0810 minLoveLife PodcastDo Opposites Attract?Conventional wisdom suggests the answer is yes, but is that really true. In this episode Alvean and Doug take on the question with some surprising insights int what makes for a lively and rich relationship. For a full transcript, click here: LL23-Do Opposites Attract
2025-11-0115 minLoveLife PodcastJealousyArguably, jealousy is one of the most toxic emotions, one that can destroy any relationship. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about its roots in insecurity and poor ideation of the self. They offer some thoughts about how best to counter it and create an environment that in wholesome, and transparent. For more click here: LL22-Jealousy
2025-10-2513 minLoveLife PodcastGetting back with your exCan you go back? Do failed relationship work on a second try or is the damage too profound to ever repair. In this episode, Alvean and Doug offer their thoughts on the pitfalls and possible benefits of a second chance. For a full transcript, click here:LL21-Getting Back with Your Ex
2025-10-1212 minLoveLife PodcastThe Vindictive ExMaybe you have had the experience or perhaps heard about such situations. When a relationship ends it is often more than painful emotionally, some partners go that extra step to inflict even more pain, emotionally, financially, or in other ways. How does one handle such a situation and even more pertinent, how does one avoid it in the first place. Listen to what Alvean and Doug have to say in this episode: LL20-Vindictive Ex’s
2025-10-0512 minLoveLife PodcastEmpathy is a lost virtueIf there is a human trait that matters more and least understood, it is empathy. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about why empathy is at the core of all durable relationships, ib life, work and love. For a full transcript of this episode, click here: LL19-Empathy is a Lost Virtue
2025-09-2816 minLoveLife PodcastThe power of vulnerabilityIt takes a secure person to open themselves up to others but it is only through vulnerability that true emotional connection can flourish. Alvean and Doug explore this paradox in this episode and offer vivid examples from their own experience. For a full transcript, click here: LL18-Vulnerability
2025-09-2111 minLoveLife PodcastWhat Really Matters?Philosophers and everyday men and women alike wrestle with the question, what is my purpose in life? What actually matters–and how do we discover the answers? In this episode, Alvean and Doug take on these pithy questions and offere their own experience and insights in response. For a full transcript, click here: LL17
2025-09-1412 minLoveLife PodcastThe wisdom found in painIt sounds counter-intuitive but Alvean and Doug would tell you that some of our most painful experiences are also incredibly important teaching moments. Although no one seeks out suffering, especially where relationships are concerned, emotional pain, loss and grief take us to places where we can look at ourselves and our lives in a more objective perspective and emerge–either through one’s own devices or with help into a better and healthier life. For a full transcript of this episode, click here:LL16
2025-09-0710 minLoveLife PodcastThe lies we tell ourselvesCan we truly deceive ourselves? In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about the ways we obfuscate, pretend and misdirect our intuition and intellect when matters of the heart are concerned. For a full transcript, click here:LL15
2025-08-3113 minLoveLife PodcastGetting Over HeartbreakSome have said that a broken heart is worse than any physical pain, and for many it is one of if not the hardest thing they may face at a young age. Alvean and Doug discuss the ways we mend and build on a stronger foundation following a difficult passage such as this. For more and a full transcript, click here: LL14
2025-08-2413 minLoveLife PodcastCan you prevent cheating?As a followup to last week’s episode, Alvean and Doug take on the thorny question, can anyone prevent their partner from cheating? Alvean unfolds her now famous dry grass analogy to explain how relationship fare when they are not regularly tended. And Doug tells a story about a marriage that foundered through inattention. For a full transcript, click here: LL13
2025-08-1715 minLoveLife PodcastCan Love Survive InfidelityIt may be the hardest test of a relationship, when one partner is unfaithful to the other. In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss how to move on –whether the relationship is at its end or otherwise and how to know the difference between someone that cheated (and why) and someone who is a cheater. For more, and a complete transcript, click here: LL12
2025-08-1012 minLoveLife PodcastThe Best Advice EverDoug & Alvean share stories about the best advice they ever received regarding relationships. For a full transcript, click here: LL11
2025-08-0312 minLoveLife PodcastCross Cultural RelationshipsA lot has been written and said about interracial or inter-religious relationships and the challenges they pose, but really these differences are only a part of what Alvean and Doug describe as cross cultural relationships because they involve more than race or faith, but a matrix of language, behavior social and cultural norms that may be wide or narrowly different between partners. In this episode, Alvean and Doug offer some thoughts on how to energize and remain open to thsoe diferences seeing them as opportunities rather than obstacles. For a full transcript, click here: LL10
2025-07-2714 minLoveLife PodcastBlending FamiliesWhether as a result of divorce, widowhood, or other circumstances second marriages often face the prospect of combining families. Where children are involved this is a delicate and potentially difficult proposition but also one that can be rewarding and a significant improvement for all involved. The results turn on how well the prospective partners relate to and communicate with their children in the months/years prior to combining their households and families. Alvean and Doug take on this tricky subject with lots of good counsel for all concerned, parents and children. For a full transcript, click here: LL09
2025-07-2014 minLoveLife PodcastWhen the woman makes moreIt has become increasingly common to find that traditional gender roles in the household are no longer –well, traditional. Who is the primary housekeeper, parent, breadwinner? It isn’t always what one might expect which raises some questions about how best to navigate the relationship when the traditional roles no longer apply. For many men, being the stay at home father/homekeeper is a delight but for others it is a challenge when one’s spouse or partner makes more. And it isn’t limited to men and women–the same inequity questions can crop up in same sex relationships a...
2025-07-1314 minLoveLife PodcastAm I Too Picky?Perhaps a friend has said it–maybe it was you: Where are all the good (men/women), I just can’t find the one. If you have any self awareness this should lead you to ask the question: Am I Too Picky? You may not be, or you just might but failing to ask the question is an all too common mistake. Let’s face it, we dream of finding the ideal person–and once we get to know our intended we no sooner begin to notice the small or larger issues -things we want to change or in extreme case...
2025-07-0614 minLoveLife PodcastThe Best Way To Say GoodbyeWe probably should have been more direct. There is no good way to say goodbye–but there are ways to bring a relationship to a close without causing each other deep and lasting pain. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about how to do just that–to honestly and transparently acknowledge that for whatever reasons the relationship has run its course and the possibility of resurrecting mutuality is nil. You may remain friends after a time, or not as you both navigate the future but you can and should part ways the same way you began with genuine affect...
2025-06-2914 minLoveLife PodcastGod's Dating ServiceYou’ve probably heard people describe someone as a soul mate, or say that their relationship was meant to be. Are their cosmic relationships, those blessed by God, and karmically arranged, or are these simply justifications? Alvean and Doug take on this somewhat controversial subject in this episode, a transcript of which may be found here: LL05
2025-06-1515 minLoveLife PodcastWhat is real?Quite often men and women will question whether their relationships are authentic, or a manifestation of chemistry, the short tem allure of the chase, or some other temporary circumstance. In this episode, Alvean and Doug offer some thoughts on how to recognize a genuine bond, built of real love and respect for one’s partner. For more and a full transcript, click here: LL04
2025-06-0816 minLoveLife PodcastLoving RelationsBuilding on the previous episode, Alvean and Doug talk about how our role models and family help us to expand our capacity for loving. For a full transcript of the episode, click here: LL03
2025-06-0114 minLoveLife PodcastWho are your role models?As we go though life we may find various people who will become our role models in life, in our careers and in our relationships. They may be parents or other relatives, friends or simply people we meet along the way. In this episode Alvean and Doug discuss their own role models and offer thoughts on how the identify those who might serve as role models. For a full transcript of the episode, click here: LL02
2025-05-2515 minLoveLife PodcastPassive Aggressive PartnersIn this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about passive/aggressive behavior and offer insights on how best to address this toxic form of relationship. For a full transcript and more, click here: 68-The Passive-Aggressive Partner
2025-05-2015 minLoveLife PodcastSocial MediaIt is a pervasive influence on our lives and some would say not a healthy one. How does participation in social media affect our lives and our relationships for better or for worse? Alvean and Doug discuss the subject and offer some thoughts on how to navigate this fraught space in a healthy and productive manner. For more and a complete transcript, click here: 64-Relationships and Social Media
2025-05-1116 minLoveLife PodcastParenthoodSome have said that Parenthood is the last of the unskilled occupations. How do we prepare ourselves, how do we take on the necessary wisdom to raise our children to become successful and happy adults? To answer these and other questions, Alvean and Doug offer real world examples from their own and others’ lives in this episode. For a full transcript, click here: 65-Parenthood
2025-05-0416 minLoveLife PodcastMoving In TogetherIt is a momentous step and one that can make or break a relationship. Accommodating another person’s habits, posessions, and space put our affections to the test and what may be acceptable when we live apart is strained when we live together. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about the stresses and pitfalls of moving in together but also the many rewards and sweetness that can accompany this step if couples are prepared. For more on this topic and a full transcript, click here: 63-Moving In Together
2025-04-2716 minLoveLife PodcastLove LanguagesFor some it is acts of service, for others affirmation, gifts of touch, or quality time. These are the ways we express our affection and affirm our love. But they are not always acknowledged, valued or understood by couples and a mismatch between what is desired and what is received can be fatal to an enduring relationship. In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss the languages of love, how we show and how we receive these gifts–and most importantly how we can align ourselves so that we are speaking the same language. For more on this episode and a com...
2025-04-2015 minLoveLife PodcastAre you an enabler?The path to hell they say is paved with good intentions. Too often we make the mistake of enabling a loved one to continue to harbor destructive –even self destructive habits or patterns of behavior. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about the ways in which our good intentions can result in the worst results for those we love. Enabling robs those we love of self determination, reinforces their bad habits, and shields them from the reality of their lives. For more on this subject and a full transcript of this episode, click here: 67-Are you an Enabler?
2025-04-1316 minLoveLife PodcastYour Ideal MateHow many of us have idealized the perfect mate, and found that our dream curdled in reality? That is the question Alvean and Doug tackle in this episode. Is it possible to find such a person, and if and when we do will they measure up to reality? Who is the ideal mate in any event? For more on this and a full transcript, click here: LL62-Your ideal mate
2025-04-0617 minLoveLife PodcastAre you a good friend?In a time when friend may mean someone you know on Facebook, what is a good friend and how do you know if you are one? Alvean and Doug talk about friendship and relationships and how the two relate. For a full transcript, click here: LL61-Are you a good friend?
2025-03-3016 minLoveLife PodcastMoving In TogetherFor many couples that moment when one decides that its time to begin living together can be a fraught–even difficult navigation–even if it is something both desire. Adjusting to someone else’s routines, habits, and life style is not always a seamless and easy proposition. In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss the challenges and strategies for navigating them to help couples enjoy a smoother transition from single-hood to couple-hood. For a full transcript, click here: 63-Moving In Together
2025-03-2316 minLoveLife PodcastParenthoodAnd Baby makes three, so the saying goes. That precious moment, however, is not without its challenges–especially for couples experiencing parenthood for the first time. It can elicit latent fears, create tensions where none existed before –interfere with careers, health and fray the edges of relationships, but it can also be the culmination of dreams, and blessing. Finding your way through the thickets is the subject of this episode–as Alvean and Doug talk about their own experience as Parents and offer some counsel for those awaiting or in the midst of parenthood for the first time. For a complete...
2025-03-1616 minLoveLife PodcastThe Passive Aggressive PartnerOne of the more difficult behaviors to address in a relationship is the passive/aggressive partner. Communication with passive aggressive partners is ultimately a difficult proposition that stands everything on its head and if unchecked can lead to dissolution, a bad breakup or worse due to latent anger and its effect. In this episode, Alvean and Doug help listeners recognize the signs of this behavior and offer advice on how best to counter it in order to get to a healthier place. For a full transcript of the episode, click here: 68-The Passive-Aggressive Partner
2025-03-0915 minLoveLife PodcastSocial MediaSocial Media is omnipresent in our lives and while it can help us maintain our involvement with friends and famil, it can also be a toxic wasteland spreading mis information and echoing unhealthy views or outright propaganda. In this episode Alvean and Doug talk about the ways social media bear on relationships and how to make the best use of the medium without undue influence or harm. Fir a complete transcript of this episode, click here: 64-Relationships and Social Media
2025-03-0216 minLoveLife PodcastLoving RelationshipsHealthy and authentic relationships have a very special quality, they actually expand our capacity to feel and express love–not only to our beloved but to our circle of friends and family as well. In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss this in concrete terms with examples drawn from their experience. For a complete transcript, click here: LL03
2025-02-2314 minLoveLife PodcastRole ModelsIn life and in relationships we may model our behavior on influential people in for better or worse. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about their role models and explore the ways role models act as intermediaries. For a full transcript, click here:
2025-02-1614 minLoveLife PodcastLove LanguagesPerhaps you heard that everyone has different ways of expressing their love, some through acts others through gifts, some through verbal expression and so on. In this episode Alvean and Doug discuss the various love languages and how couples can learn to understand and accept the expressions of their partner, especially when they may not speak the same language. For more and a full transcript. click here: 66-The Love Languages
2025-02-0915 minLoveLife PodcastAre you an enabler?Sometimes we want so much to do everything possible for our loved ones that we end up serving their best interest poorly. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about enabling and how you can identify whether or not you may be an enabler wiothout realizing it. For a full transcript, click here: 67-Are you an Enabler?
2025-02-0216 minLoveLife PodcastWho is your ideal mate?Do you have an ideal mate? How do you know what you are looking for and can you trust those instincts? In this episode, Alvean and Doug offer some suggestions for how to recognize the traits that make someone ideal for you. For more and a complete transcript, click here: LL62-Your ideal mate
2025-01-2617 minLoveLife PodcastWhat is Intimacy?Intimacy is a word with many meanings–some quite nuanced. In this episode, Alvean and Doug offer their views on intimacy and how best to achieve it. For a complete transcript, click here: LL60-What is Intimacy
2025-01-1216 minLoveLife PodcastWhat does true love teach us?It has been said that life is a poor teacher because it first tests us then gives the lesson. What are the lessons life has taught us about true love? In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss their own lessons and those that listeners have shared. For a complete transcript, click here: LL59-What has true love taught you?
2025-01-0515 minLoveLife PodcastIs there a use-by date for marriage?Can relationships grow stale and wither on the emotional vine? In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about the ways in which feelings can change–sometimes growing diminished and how one can alter that course and breathe fresh life into a relationship. For a full transcript, click here: LL58-Is there a use by date….
2024-12-2915 minLoveLife PodcastYour Biggest RegretsAlvean and Doug talk about their own regrets and the most common ones they’ve heard from listeners. How do you navigate those feelings and emerge with a more affirmative attitude? Click here for a full transcript: LL57-Your Biggest Regrets
2024-12-2214 minLoveLife PodcastChildren from a prior relationshipSometimes the past is something we recall with fond memory, while at other times we’d rather forget. In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss the impact children from a prior relationships can have on your current one. Will it be positive or a field of emotional landmines that can explode when you least expect it? For a full transcript, click here: LL56-Relating to children from a prior relationship
2024-12-1515 minLoveLife PodcastWhen there is anotherIn this episode, Alvean and Doug take on the difficult question of what to do when a relationship becomes a party of three and the two are no longer a sacred bond. How does one recover, if at all? For a complete transcript, click here:LL54-You, Me and ………
2024-12-0821 minLoveLife PodcastWhat men rarely sayAsk most women about the men in their life and there is a good chance that they will describe the men in the life as opaque or lacking when it comes to expressing their feelings. As trite as it may seem they aren’t wrong–but what they may not know is what their man is really feeling but not discussing. There are many reasons for this seeming disconnect, and in this episode Alvean and Doug discuss the causes and importantly ways in which women can help their mate to become more comfortable revealing their inner thoughts and feelings. For a...
2024-12-0120 minLoveLife PodcastHow has age changed your perspective?As we age, most of us retain certain personality traits but often change our perspective on issues as they are informed by life experience. What we want out of our lives, our value systems and our views of others can change –sometimes dramatically– as we enter different stages of life. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about their own experiences and the ways in which attitudes and values are affected by our social ecosystem. For a full transcript, click here: LL55-How has your perspective changed with age?pdf
2024-11-2416 minLoveLife PodcastWhen there is anotherLet’s face it, relationships can be hard to sustain. They require constant attention and it can feel like work, not fun. In the midst of those challenges one or both partners can be tempted to stray–looking for a more nurturing, happier, or simply less stressful alternative. In some cases this leads to cheating, or a breakup, but it doesn’t have to. In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss this subject frankly and with practical advice how to handle the possibility of a 3rd party in your relationship before it leads to disunion or infidelity. For a full trans...
2024-11-1721 minLoveLife PodcastAre there any good ones out there?Chances are you’ve heard someone ask this question or maybe you have asked it yourself. For some, dating, much less finding the one is a frustrating and ultimately defeating experience leading to a sense of hopelessness. There are many reasons we don’t connect. In this episode Alvean and Doug talk about the ways in which we can get in our own way by setting unrealistic expectations, looking in the wrong places, or failing to invest sufficient effort in learning about a potential mate. For a full transcript, click here: LL52-Are there any good men or women out the
2024-11-1014 minLoveLife PodcastBreking UpNo one ever wants to think about it and no matter how gently and thoughtfully it is done, it is almost always very hurtful. In this episode, Alvean and Doug take up the issue with some helpful thoughts on how best to handle a breakup whether you are initiating or the recipient. They offer some suggestions on how to help avoid anger and recrimination and equally important, how to help one’s soon to be ex to maintain their dignity and emotional health in the face of a painful experience. For a full transcript, click here: LL51-Breaking Up
2024-11-0314 minLoveLife PodcastAnd Baby Makes ThreeFor most couples the arrival of their first child is both a blessing and long dreamed of moment. But it can also be challenging for both parents. Demands on time and patience, fears about preparedness, added financial burdens, and potential disagreements about parenting are just a few of the bumps in the road new parents can encounter. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about the practical and emotional challenges and offer some thoughts on how to navigate baby’s arrival. For a full transcript, click here: LL50-And Baby Makes Three
2024-10-2715 minLoveLife PodcastToxic FamiliesSatisfying relationships can be challenged by many external factors, not least among these family and friends who feel it is appropriate to weigh in on a couple’s privacy and insert themselves into the mix–often to the detriment of the relationship. We call these circumstances toxic –as they can poison an otherwise positive relationship or inflate minor differences to the point they become destructive. In this episode Alvean and Doug talk about how to identify toxic behavior and what to do when faced with prospective influencers–however well intentioned that might lead to a break up, or divorce. For more a...
2024-10-2015 minLoveLife PodcastDoes Age Matter?Some may see them as May December romances, others find significant age differences in relationships a bit cringy. But the real question is does age truly matter? In this episode Alvean and Doug take on this sometime thorny subject with their usual fresh insights and real world examples. For a full transcript click here: LL48-Does Age Matter?
2024-10-1316 minLoveLife PodcastFriends & FamilyFriends 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
2024-09-2914 minLoveLife PodcastI love you just the way you areLove 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
2024-09-2215 minLoveLife PodcastFinding PurposeAt 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
2024-09-1514 minLoveLife PodcastIs That All There Is?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?
2024-09-0815 minLoveLife PodcastFight or FlightWhen 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
2024-09-0115 minLoveLife PodcastIn Sickness & In HealthThose 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
2024-08-2516 minLoveLife PodcastGrowing Older TogetherDo 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
2024-08-1816 minLoveLife PodcastStaying Positive in a Negative WorldIt 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
2024-07-2314 minLoveLife PodcastThe Art of PersuasionToo 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
2024-07-1617 minLoveLife PodcastTune in, or Tune OutLearning to listen to one another–not just hear but trul listen with your entire attention is a recipe for an enduring relationship. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about how we can learn to improve our listening and our talking skills so that we communicate what we want and need effectively to our partner. For a full transcript, click here:LL36-Listening-Tune in or Tune out
2024-07-0915 minLoveLife PodcastKids and PetsAnd baby–child or pet, makes three–so the song goes. And it can be a blessed event when two become three, but it isn’t always a smooth road. In this episode Alvean and Doug talk about how couples can navigate the changes they will face when introducing another being into their midst–a demanding, loving, and fragile being that can alter their dynamics. For a full transcript, click here: LL35-When Kids or Pets are in the way
2024-07-0215 minLoveLife PodcastHow to bring the passion backIn this episode Alvean and Doug dish about the challenge and the opportunity to rekindle that spark of passion–the chemistry and fire that ignited your romantic relationship in the first place. It isn’t all hormones–most of it is about the secret sauce of romance. For a full transcript, click here: LL33-How to Bring Passion Back?
2024-06-2315 minLoveLife PodcastArguing about moneyCouples argue about a fairly narrow range of issues, including intimacy, control, habits and of course money. Avoiding toxic or nuclear arguments is essential to a solid relationship. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about ways couples can avoid the pitfalls that can derail them and how to take the toxicity out of financial discussions. For a full transcript, click here: LL32-Why Do couples Quarrel About Money?
2024-06-1515 minLoveLife PodcastWhy Men and Women FlirtIn this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss the fine art of flirtation. Why we do it, what it means and how to flirt without crossing a line into cheating. For a full transcript and more, click here: LL31-Why Men and Women Flirt
2024-06-0814 minLoveLife PodcastHow Men and Women DifferA lot of books have been written about the differences between men and women–but often they offer very litte useful insight where it matters most–in relationship. In this episode, Alvean and Doug take on this time worn topic with some fresh insights about how men and women think, react and respond to one another. For a full transcript, click here:LL30-How Men and Women Differ
2024-06-0115 minLoveLife PodcastWhy do couples quarrel?Is fighting normal–dos it help heal or break relationships? Is there such a thing as healthy quarrellng? Answers to these and related questions in this episode from Alvean and Doug. For a complete transcript, click here:LL29-Why Do Couples Quarrel?
2024-05-2514 minLoveLife PodcastCan Love Heal?We read about heartbreak, and may have suffered it ourselves. There is medical evidence that heartbreak can lead to poor health, even death, but is the opposite also true, can love heal? In this episode Alvean and Doug, joined by a special guest discuss the facts and the truth about the healing power of Love. For a full transcript of this episode, click here: LL28-Can Love Heal?
2024-05-1815 minLoveLife PodcastCan you love two people equally?Songs have been written about it –it’s not an uncommon question. What to do when you find yourself attracted to two different people at the same time. How do you resolve this dilemma? In this episode, Alvean and Doug offer their life experience and wisdom on the subject and suggest some paths to resolution. For more, and a full transcript, click here: LL27-Can you love two people equally?
2024-05-1112 minLoveLife PodcastIt is all about meSome people are the main character of every scene in their lives. It is all about them and the rest of us are just supporting characters in their play. In this episode, Alvean and Doug offer their thoughts on how best to navigate should you find yourself in the presence of someone with these characteristics. For a complete trascript of the episode, click here: LL26-It is all about me
2024-05-0413 minLoveLife PodcastSavoring LonelinessIs it possible to find happiness without being in a relationship? For some, being alone is a comfort, a retreat into a contemplative life that starts by being in love with oneself. In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss those aspects of being alone that are sweetened for individuals who find themselves in this state of being or choose to remain so for the comfort of their own company. For a full transcript, click here: LL25-Savoring Loneliness
2024-04-2716 minLoveLife PodcastYOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF MEControlling behavior is not an uncommon dynamic between couples. It can be overt or more often unrecognized but the struggle for autonomy contends with the desire to please and the need for clear boundaries that respect both party’s rights. Alvean and Doug take on this fraught topic in thsi episode and offer some counsel on how to avoid finding yourself controlling or being controlled. For a full traNscript of the episode, click here:LL24-You’re not the Boss of Me
2024-04-2010 minLoveLife PodcastDo opposites attractYou’ve probably heard it, maybe even believe that opposites are attracted to one another. But do they make for a good relationship? In the episode, Alvean and Doug explore the truth and fiction behind the saying and the true path to compatibility. For a full transcript of the episode, click here:LL23-Do Opposites Attract
2024-04-1315 minLoveLife PodcastJealousyThe green eyed monster, jealousy, is at the heart of too many failed relationships. It generally proceeds from a lack of trust or a violation of the emotional investment one partner has made in the other. Whatever the underlying cause, jealousy is a difficult monster to tame. To learn how, listen to Alvean and Doug discuss the subject in this episode. For a full transcript, click here: LL22-Jealousy
2024-04-0613 minLoveLife PodcastGetting back with your exSomething happened and you and your ex parted ways. As is often the case, you both may have regret and after a time drift back into each other’s orbits. Can love be renewed, can ex’s reunite successfully? To find out what Alvean and Doug have to say, listen to this episode and read the transcript here:LL21-Getting Back with Your Ex
2024-03-3012 minLoveLife PodcastVindictive Ex'sBreak ups happen and we hope they can be navigated gracefully even though both parties may experience pain and a sense of loss. But what happens when your ex won’t let go, and pain becomes anger and vindictive behavior? In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about how survive such an experience and what causes it. For a full transcript of the episode, click here: LL20-Vindictive Ex’s
2024-03-2312 minLoveLife PodcastEmpathy is a lost virtueThere are three ingredients for a successful and loving relationship: Honesty, Trust, and Empathy. In this episode, Alvaen and Doug discuss empathy–what it is and isn’t and why it is such an important building block in emotional maturity and life. For a full transcript, click here: LL19-Empathy is a Lost Virtue
2024-03-1616 minLoveLife PodcastThe Power of VulnerabilityToo often our life experiences harden us and create boundaries that prevent us from having a fulfilling relationship. In this episode, Alvaen and Doug discuss the power of opening ourselves to others, being vulnerable to pain or hurt but also open to true love and deep emotional bonds. For a full transcript of the episode, click here: LL18-Vulnerability
2024-03-0911 minLoveLife PodcastWhat Really Matters In Life?In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about life’s priorities. How do we make sense of all the competing demands on our attention, time and affection? Is there a majoc formula for deciding what reall matters? For more and a complete transcript, click here: LL17
2024-03-0212 minLoveLife PodcastWisdom found in painNo one wishes to be in emotional pain but it happens to most of us at some point. While it may not seem so at the time, pain can bring with it a healing power–wisdom–that helps us avoid the circumstances that led to our hurt in the first place. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about how we confront ourselves and learn to separate the pain from the lesson. For more and a full transcript, click here:LL16
2024-02-2410 minLoveLife PodcastLies we tell ourselvesThe easiest person to deceive is ourselves. Whether out of a misplaced sense of self protection, and inability to face reality, or avoid pain, we are accomplished liars when it comes to certain parts of our life. It is, however, extremely unhealthy and in the end self destructive. In this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss the ways in which we can learn to face the truth, accept ourselves, flaws and all, and take decisive action to free ourselves from self imposed limitations. For more, and a full transcript, click here: LL15
2024-02-1713 minLoveLife PodcastGeting Over HeartbreakIt has happened to most of at least once, our hearts have been broken in the wake of a breakup, infidelity, or another violation of the all important trust partners must have in one another. In this episode, Alvean and Doug talk about self nurture–the tools that are available to us to heal our hurt and rebuild our sense of self esteem and wholeness. For more, and a full transcript, click here: LL14
2024-02-1013 minLoveLife PodcastCan you prevent cheating?Last week Alvean and Doug talked about the fallout from infidelity and the path to rapproachment. In this episode they talk about the ways in which couples can prevent infidelity in the first place. Alvean illustrates the dry grass principle that sets up the environment in which emotional estrangement provides a fertile atmosphere for cheating. For more, and a complete transcript, click here: LL13
2024-02-0315 minLoveLife PodcastCan love survive Infidelity?It is one of the most devastating things that can happen in a relationship–when one partner is unfaithful. While most often this violation of trust results in an end to the relationship, or a divorce it is possible to rebuild the foundations if both partners are committed to the long and transparent journey. Alvean and Doug take on this difficult topic in today’s episode with some surprising takes on how love can triumph. For a full transcript of this episode, click here: LL12
2024-01-2712 minLoveLife PodcastBest Advice EverIn this episode, Alvean and Doug discuss the best relationship advice they received over the years. For a full transcript, click here: LL11
2024-01-2012 minLoveLife PodcastAcross CulturesRealtionships can be hard enough without the challenges of navigating two different cultures. They can also be fantastic and rewarding–but that requires emotional insight, tact, and patience to achieve. In this episode, Alvean and Doug offer some thoughts on cross cultural relationships and how to cultivate the right frame of mind for the couple and their families and friends. For more and a full transcript, click here: LL10
2024-01-1314 min