Marriage, Motherhood & the Messy Middle; What happens when the therapist gets real
What if the therapist stopped giving advice and started getting real?
Welcome to Marriage, Motherhood, and the Messy Middle - where I, Carrie Cohen, licensed therapist and creator of the Safe2Love™ Method, pull back the curtain on what life actually looks like when you’re juggling a marriage, raising kids, caring for aging parents, and trying to figure out who you are in the middle of it all.
After 25+ years of helping other people navigate their relationships, I’m done pretending I have it all figured out. This podcast is my unfiltered take on the beautiful chaos of midlife - the marriage fights that happen at 2am, the mom guilt that hits when you’re just trying to take a shower, the sandwich generation overwhelm when everyone needs you but you’re running on empty.
Here’s what you WON’T get: perfect advice from someone who’s got it all together.
Here’s what you WILL get: Raw, honest conversations about what it really takes to love and be loved in the thick of real life. Because sometimes the most healing thing isn’t another strategy - it’s knowing you’re not the only one figuring it out as you go.
If you’re a woman navigating marriage, motherhood, and everything in between, welcome. This is your space to feel seen, heard, and a little less alone in the beautiful mess of it all.
Safe to Love
Episodes
67 episodes
Rethinking Mood Through The Nervous System
What if your mood isn’t a verdict about who you are, but a message from your nervous system? We pull back the curtain on the myths that turn feelings into identity and replace them with a grounded, body-first way to understand anxiety, irritabi...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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18:14
How Sudden Shifts Can Strengthen Your Relationship
Sometimes life flips the script with a single call. Carrie gets candid about becoming a full-time caregiver overnight, canceling a dream trip, and learning to lead with nervous system wisdom instead of hustle. We explore how sudden shifts trigg...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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22:41
Your Spouse Hates Your Favorite Series And That’s Not The Problem
Forget shared playlists and TV queues—the real glue in a lasting relationship is how your energies meet when life gets loud or painfully quiet. We pull back the curtain on compatibility and make a bold claim: what keeps couples close is the abi...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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13:50
Inside A Therapist Mom’s Mind On Mom Guilt & “Good Enough” Parenting
What if the fastest way to become a better parent is to let go of guilt? I open up about the choices that shaped our family—moving a kindergartner mid-year, changing schools after COVID, and making the hardest leap from private to public when o...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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31:21
What Protecting Each Other’s Nervous Systems Really Looks Like
The moments that change a family rarely arrive on schedule. One day you’re recording ideas for a new format; the next you’re in the ER at 8:30 p.m., texting updates while your husband drives your 85-year-old mom for an ultrasound. That’s where ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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23:17
Episode 59: If Your Body Doesn't Feel Safe in Your Marriage, No Amount of Communication will Fix it.
You’ve been told that better communication is the key to a better marriage.But what if that’s not the real issue?If your nervous system doesn’t feel safe in love, no amount of deep talks, therapy sessions, or com...
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15:52
Episode 58: What Survival Mode Looks Like in Marriage & How to Get Out of it.
You think you have a communication problem, but what’s really happening is that your nervous system is stuck in survival mode.In this episode, I’m breaking down:What survival mode in marriage actually meansHow...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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14:00
Episode 57: Your Nervous System Determines How You Experience Love in Your Marriage, Not Your Mind
You love your husband. You know he’s a good man. But no matter how much effort you put in—communicating more, reading relationship books, trying to be more affectionate—you still feel disconnected.The problem isn’t communication. It’s yo...
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13:44
Episode 56: The Differences in Communication between Women & Men with Guest Steven Cohen
Have you ever felt like you and your partner are speaking completely different languages? In this special episode, I bring my husband, Steven Cohen, to unpack the fundamental differences in how men and women communicate—and why it...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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28:09
Episode 55: Reconnecting w/ Yourself as the way of Strengthening your Marriage
In this episode, I’m sharing why the key to strengthening your marriage starts with reconnecting to yourself.For so many women I work with, the journey back to love and connection begins with self-awareness, self-care, and reclaiming joy...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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19:59
Episode 54: The Myth of The Superwoman: Why asking for help is actually your Superpower
I’ve always been the go-to person at work—the one colleagues turn to for leadership and solutions. In my personal life, I’m the one who takes charge—planning events, managing big projects, and handling responsibilities with ease. I say yes, not...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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21:23
Episode 53: Why waiting till the kids get older to nourish your marriage is a bad Idea.
Are you putting your marriage on pause while raising your kids, waiting for the "perfect time" to reconnect with your partner? In this episode, we unpack why delaying the care and nurturing of your marriage might be more harmful than you think....
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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13:44
Episode 52: Why Traditional Marriage Advice Fails & What You Really Need.
Are date nights, communication exercises, and scheduled intimacy leaving you feeling more disconnected than ever in your marriage? You’re not alone—and it’s not your fault.In this episode, I uncover why traditional marriage advice often ...
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16:05
Episode 51: What if I don't find my husband attractive anymore?
On today's episode, I'm tackling a topic that hits close to home for so many of us, but one we rarely feel safe discussing: what happens when we don't feel attracted to our partner anymore? I'm diving deep into this uncomfortable truth that I'v...
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24:26
Episode 50: The Perfectionism Trap: How It’s Sabotaging Your Marriage and What to Do About It
Is your need for perfection quietly destroying your relationship? In this eye-opening episode, I'm diving deep into the hidden connection between perfectionism, anxiety, and the health of your marriage. If you've ever felt exhausted trying to m...
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18:35
Episode 49: Relationship Anxiety Part 2: Why exactly are you blocking the love?
In this powerful follow-up episode, I'm taking you on a deep dive into the root causes of relationship anxiety. Ever wondered why you push away the very love you're desperate to keep? Or why past relationships seem to haunt your present connect...
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14:58
Episode 48: Relationship Anxiety Part 1: The Hidden Struggles of Love
Have you ever felt your heart race when your partner takes too long to text back? Or found yourself overthinking every little interaction in your relationship? I want you to know that you're not alone. In today's episode, I'm pulling back the c...
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15:01
Episode 47: How to Love Your Laid-Back Partner When You're a Go-Getter; Type A Woman meets Type B Man
Are you a driven, goal-oriented, Type A woman who's paired with a laid-back, go-with-the-flow Type B partner? If so, you're not alone! In this episode, I dive deep into the challenges of navigating a relationship where ambition meets relaxation...
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20:47
Episode 46: Stuck in your Head? It's hurting your marriage more than you think.
Hey there! In this episode, I'm diving deep into a topic that's close to my heart and probably yours too. Have you ever found yourself stuck in a loop of overthinking, analyzing your partner's every move, or feeling constantly on edge in your r...
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23:01
Episode 45: Letting Love In: The High Price of Being a 'Strong, Independent Woman'
In this episode, I’m getting real about the high cost of being a strong, independent woman in love. As a high-achieving woman myself, I know how it feels to take charge, handle everything, and wear that independence as a badge of honor. ...
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17:04
Episode 44: Why You Keep Missing Each Other Emotionally: The Role of Co-Regulation
In this episode, I’m diving into something that can completely change how you understand emotional dynamics in your relationships—co-regulation. Ever felt a shift in mood between you and your partner and wondered what caused it? That’s y...
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24:13
Episode 43: How a Dysregulated Nervous System affects your marriage & your family. Unlocking Love & Connection Part 2
Are you struggling to maintain harmony in your relationships despite your best efforts? The culprit might be hiding in plain sight: your nervous system. In this eye-opening episode, we dive deep into the world of nervous system regulation and i...
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18:56
Episode 42: The Hidden Power of Your Nervous System: Unlocking Love and Connection Part 1
In this episode, I'm diving deep into the fascinating world of your nervous system and revealing its profound impact on your relationships and emotional well-being. Here's what I'll be covering:I'll explain the Autonomic Nervous Sys...
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36:17
How to get your hubs to open up, engage & truly connect.
In this episode, I dive into the fascinating world of communication differences between men and women, focusing on how wives can better understand and connect with their husbands. As a psychotherapist with 25 years of experience, I've developed...
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18:32