You know that feeling when everything was fine ten minutes ago, but suddenly you’re in a cold, prickly standoff over something as small as the school pickup?

You’re not trying to be dramatic. You’re not trying to pick a fight. But suddenly, the air feels heavy, someone is quiet, and you’ve both retreated into your corners without even knowing how you got there.

If you’ve ever thought, Why does everything always spiral like this?, this episode is for you. It’s about understanding the "dance" that happens when your nervous systems start arguing before your brains can even catch up.

In this episode of The Connection Podcast, Lauren Dry, Master Marriage Coach and founder of Rise into Regulation™, unpacks the defensive resentment loop that high-achieving couples fall into. She explores why your partner’s defensiveness is rarely about your tone, and why your resentment is usually about the emotional baggage of carrying the load alone.

You’ll hear about:

1. Why normal conversations can suddenly feel like a personal attack on your identity.
2. The "spiral of doom" that happens when one person feels abandoned and the other feels like a failure.
3. How old childhood patterns make your body brace for impact and pull connection away when you make a mistake.
4. The difference between fighting about a topic and your nervous systems simply reacting to each other.
5. Three micro-tools to interrupt the cycle today so that connection starts to feel easier and less like "stepping on Lego."

Resources & Links:

1. 🌐 Learn more about Rise into Regulation™, the skillset for connection, communication, and Nervous System safety in modern marriage.
2. 📱 Follow Lauren on Instagram @lauren_dry

If something in this episode resonated, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or connect with me on Instagram. I love hearing what lands for you.

Big love,

Lauren X