In this episode, we discuss expectations vs reality and how this can show up when looking at social media.  We discussed how social media can affect how we feel about ourselves, how it affects our emotions in positive and negative ways, and how social media can affect relationships.

We have all been in a situation where we did not intend to hurt someone's feelings, but the other person was hurt by what we said.  This can be an uncomfortable and frustrating moment at times in relationships, and we talk about the difference between intention and impact, how to respond when you might hurt someone, and how to communicate the impact of hurt.

Do you notice that some of the men in your life struggle to talk about how they are feeling or stay engaged with you in conflict when your emotions come up?  Today we talk with Ashton's Partner Michael who will be discussing his journey of being more vulnerable in his relationship, some of the struggles he has with vulnerability, how men grow up, and the affect on their ability to be vulnerable from his perspective.

Do you struggle with anger reactions in your relationship?  Difficulty controlling outbursts when you are upset with your partner?  Today we talk about anger in relationships, and what you can do as a partner to understand your anger, along with talking to your partner about what you might be feeling outside of anger.

We discuss avoidant attachment in this episode, and how someone might feel or experience relationships if they have avoidance in relationships.  Many times those with avoidant attachment styles have a negative image, although we want to talk about the vulnerable side of an avoidantly attached partner to help others have more compassion for what they might be going through.

There was just too much to cover around Boundaries, so we wanted to talk more about it in part 2!  In this episode, we break down the healthy ways to set boundaries, how to communicate them, and also knowing what to do if someone does not respond well.

Boundaries! In this episode we talk about the different types of boundaries, how to identify what and when you might need to set a boundary, and the hard part about setting boundaries in any relationship.

Ashton Dunphy and Rachel Torry discuss what emotional safety means in a relationship.  To build trust and a deep connection, you must feel emotionally safe with your partner, to be honest and open about your needs.  We talk about what makes up an emotionally safe person, how you can practice this yourself, and assess how emotionally safe you are in your relationship.

People can have many attachment styles, and we discuss the anxious attachment, and how this can show up in a relationship.  Suppose you experience high anxiety within your relationship. In that case, you may have an anxious attachment, which can negatively affect your relationship if you don't understand what is happening or how to communicate your needs in your relationship.  In this episode, we discuss how to manage this attachment style and help you understand what you may be going through to better communicate in your relationship.

In this episode, we talk about the common belief that you have to love yourself before you can love someone else.  We don't totally believe this, and we discuss a different view on this common statement about love.