Stronger Marriage Connection
It's often said that marriage takes work. The Stronger Marriage Connection podcast wants to help because a happy marriage is worth the effort. USU Family Life Professor Dr. Dave Schramm and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Liz Hale talk with experts about the principles and practices that will enhance your commitment, compassion, and emotional connection.
More than ever before, marriages face obstacles, from the busyness of work and daily hassles to disagreements and digital distractions. It's no wonder couples sometimes drift apart, growing resentful, lonely, and isolated.
The Utah Marriage Commission invites you to listen and discover new ways to strengthen and protect your marriage connection today!
Episodes
182 episodes
A Strong Relationship Can Outlive Death | C. Ryan Dunn | #181
We talk honestly about grief, loss, and why love can keep shaping us even after someone is gone. We share research and real stories that reframe mourning as both painful and meaningful, then land on practical ways to build a relationship that s...
Rebuilding Intimacy In Marriage | Nick and Amy McKinlay | #180
We talk with Nick and Amy about how their marriage nearly ended, and how rebuilding emotional safety brought back real connection and passionate sexual intimacy. They share the simple habits and tools that helped them stop drifting, communicate...
Protecting Your Marriage During The Transition To Parenthood | Sean Brotherson | #179
We welcome Dr. Sean Brotherson to talk about the joys and pressures of becoming parents and how that transition can strain or strengthen a marriage. We share concrete ways to stay connected through fatigue, changing roles, and shifting intimacy...
How Emotional Closeness Builds Better Sex In Marriage | Chelom Leavitt | #178
We sit down with Dr. Chelom Leavitt to unpack why emotional intimacy is the strongest predictor of sexual wellbeing and what “feeling seen” actually looks like in a real marriage. We share science, stories, and simple daily practices that help ...
How Our Counterfeit Emotions Undermine Connection and Intimacy | Curtis Morley | #177
We sit down with Curtis Morley to learn how “counterfeit emotions” quietly disconnect couples and how authentic emotions build peace, clarity, and real intimacy. We dig into practical shifts like choosing curiosity over anger, honoring pain wit...
Reviving Intimacy in A Sexless Marriage: A Path Back To Connection | Ralph Brewer | #176
We sit down with Ralph Brewer to unpack what really sits underneath dead bedrooms, infidelity, and the quiet insecurity that many men carry into marriage. We talk straight about anxious attachment, “Mr Nice Guy” patterns, and how secure, connec...
How To Help the Next Generation Break the Dating Recession | Alan Hawkins | #175
In this episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection podcast, Dr. Dave welcomes Dr. Alan Hawkins to explore the critical issues surrounding the current state of dating, its impact on marriage formation, and practical solutions to strengthen youn...
Marriage 2.0: How To Rebuild A Marriage in Crisis | Naomi Light | #174
We welcome UK marriage therapist Naomi Light, who shares how her relationship nearly ended and how couples therapy helped her and her husband rebuild a stronger “marriage 2.0.” We dig into the science and skills behind her Rewiring Love method ...
Five Research-Based Secrets To More Passionate Sex | Emily Jamea | #173
We explore how desire works over time and why many couples crave sex that feels effortless, absorbing, and deeply connected. Dr. Emily Jamea shares research on flow state in sexual intimacy and the five qualities that help couples sustain passi...
Why Dating is in Decline & How to Fix It | Brian Willoughby | #172
We explore why dating feels harder, how on-demand culture reshapes expectations, and what AI companions and pornography are doing to our ideas of love. Dr. Brian Willoughby shares research, skills, and hopeful strategies for parents, teens, and...
Daily Marriage Habits That Can Improve Your Relationship | Meygan & Casey Caston | #171
We explore a marriage operating system built on small, specific habits that strengthen trust, make time for connection, and turn differences into strengths. Casey and Meygan share tools like Love Lists, the KNOWN position, the 60‑Second Blessin...
Pageants, Parenting, And The Power Of Strong Family Connections | Kilie Tomadakis | #170
We share Kilie Tomadakis’s journey from early instability to adoption, entrepreneurship, and advocacy, and why strong families are the foundation for healthy communities. We explore her pageant platform, modern dating, communication skills, and...
Understanding Neurodivergent Needs To Deepen Connection | Matt Zakreski | #169
We explore how understanding neurodiversity can strengthen love, reduce conflict, and turn differences into design features rather than deficits. Dr. Matthew Zakresky shares science, stories, and practical tools to navigate communication, senso...
How Attachment Shapes Desire, Arousal, And Closeness In Marriage | Marc Cameron | #168
We trace how childhood attachment styles shape sexual desire, arousal, and closeness in marriage, and why couples get stuck in the sex standoff. Mark Cameron shares practical steps to earn secure attachment and turn emotional safety into better...
Unpause Your Marriage To Go From Me to We | Lee Baucom | #167
We sit down with Dr. Lee Baucom to unpack the “pause button marriage,” why most couples misdiagnose communication issues, and how small, steady habits and a team mindset rebuild connection. One partner can start the change with curiosity, empow...
Is Ai the New Partner? Ai vs Real Romance | Wendy Wang | #166
We sit down with researcher Wendy Wang to unpack how AI companionship, porn, and endless scrolling are reshaping dating, marriage, and mental health. We share data-backed risks and simple house rules that protect attention, intimacy, and commit...
Untangling Codependency in Relationships: How To Heal and Reconnect | Payton Holt | #165
We unpack how codependency hides inside “helping,” why rescuing backfires, and how to build self-compassion, boundaries, and interdependence. Therapist Peyton Holt shares concrete tools for couples and parents to trade control for empathy and c...
Premarriage Prep That Actually Works | Les and Leslie Parrott | #164
We welcome Les and Leslie Parrott to unpack how preparation, empathy, and practical tools create stronger marriages, from the origins of SYMBIS to the launch of the four-minute Heart Chart. We explore healthy conflict, invisible rule books, and...
How Emotional Safety Transforms Your Marriage | Shane Birkel | #163
We explore how emotional safety fuels connection and why consent, validation, and nervous system awareness transform tough talks. Shane Burkle shares RLT’s “truth with love,” a six-hour intensive model, and a simple exercise couples can use tod...
Why Relationships Feel Hard And How To Make Them Safe | Dr. Stan Tatkin | #162
We explore how to design a fair, secure-functioning relationship that protects both partners, repairs fast, and prevents repeated harm. Dr. Stan Tatkin explains why instinct fights intimacy and how governance, PEPPER, and daily presence keep lo...
Growing Our Unity: Practical Science For Stronger Marriages | Susanne Alexander | #161
We sit down with Susanne Alexander to explore unity as a daily practice and walk through research-based tools that help couples merge hearts and minds. Small habits, virtue-based praise, and playful rituals turn conflict into clarity and make f...
Sex, Joy, and The Power of Self-Honesty in Marriage | Jennifer Finlayson-Fife | #160
We explore how sexual intimacy becomes joyful and life-giving when anchored in self-honesty, personal responsibility and spiritual growth. Jennifer Finlayson-Fife shares practical ways to move beyond rigid roles, foster freedom and desire, and ...
Building The Five Habits Of Hope For Stronger Relationships | Julia Garcia | #159
Dr. Dave Schramm and Dr. Liz Hale sit down with Dr. Julia Garcia to explore how hope becomes a daily habit that strengthens love, repairs conflict, and restores self-worth. We map the five habits of hope and show how one small word—maybe—can in...
Understanding Your Attachment Style Can Change Every Relationship | Marc Cameron | #158
We talk with therapist and author Marc Cameron about how childhood bonds shape adult love and how anyone can “earn” secure attachment through story, skills, and practice. Practical tools like boundaries that invite connection and the Comfort Ci...
Choose Intention Over Impulse For A Happier Holiday Budget | Amanda Christensen | #157
We dig into holiday spending habits with Amanda Christensen and show how couples can protect peace and pocketbooks. From impulse triggers to simple tools and a revolving savings plan, we share practical steps to keep joy high and stress low.