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
Marriage, Motherhood & the Messy Middle; What happens when the therapist gets real
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 trigger fight, flight, and, if unmanaged, the slide into shutdown—and how to use simple, compassionate practices to climb back toward safety. This is practical, lived psychology: choosing the next true step, protecting capacity, and honoring the grief that comes with letting go of the life you planned.
We walk through the ripple effects of moving a parent in, selling a home, and redistributing family roles. Carrie shares the strategy that kept overwhelm from taking the wheel—bite-sized actions, clear boundaries around what matters today, and permission to delay non-urgent decisions. You’ll hear how complementary stress responses inside a marriage can become a superpower: when one partner surges into anxiety, the other holds ground, and both learn to trade roles without keeping score. Along the way, we talk about rebuilding a home rhythm—more time with friends, slower dinners, fresh air, and deeper conversations that return a sense of control and connection.
We also name the grief no one talks about: mourning canceled plans, lost ease, and changing identities, while still allowing a hopeful future to take shape. Expect concrete nervous system tools, caregiver insights, and relationship strategies that help you meet sudden change with steadiness and care. If you’re navigating caregiving, anxiety, or abrupt life transitions, you’ll leave with language for what you’re feeling and steps you can actually take today.
If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs it, and leave a quick review—your words help others find the show and feel less alone.
Thank you for listening to Marriage Motherhood & The Messy Middle; When the therapist gets real!
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