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Sometimes the most meaningful collaborations don’t start as collaborations at all.

Marnie and Patrick originally came to Staci as clients. Two passionate, creative humans who loved each other deeply, but could feel that love alone wasn’t going to carry them through blended family stress, real-life pressure, and the places where communication gets messy.

Fast forward, and they’re not only thriving, they’re living proof of what happens when people learn skills they were never taught.

In this conversation, we sit down with Marnie and Patrick to talk about the real work of building a relationship that lasts: emotional safety, voice, honest repair, and learning how to stay close even when life is loud.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How “magic” can be real and still not be enough on its own
• The moment you hit the bottom of your bag of tricks and realize you need skills
• The “gap” where assumptions grow and relationships drift (and how to close it)
• What changes when you learn to say the thing… kindly, clearly, and without exploding
• Why emotional safety is the foundation for blended families, grief, and big life transitions
• Novelty vs. grounding: how couples stop fighting their differences and start using them
• A simple but powerful truth: nobody completes you, but the right partnership can expand you
• Why so many people hit a crisis around 40, and what’s actually happening underneath it
• The difference between a “travel itinerary” and an experience that helps you remember you like each other

Want to join us in Tuscany? We’re co-creating a couples retreat in a thousand-year-old castle in Tuscany, Italy. It’s part romance, part relationship skills, part sensory reset. Slow mornings, incredible food, a space that helps you exhale, and daily relationship sessions designed to bring you back to each other.

Book/save your room (only 7 couples): https://stacibartley.com/couples-retreat

Want to taste what Marnie + Patrick create? You can order Solstice Savory Pies online (they ship nationwide) and bring a little “break bread together” energy to your own kitchen.

Order here: https://solsticesavorypies.com/

Want support choosing what’s next? If you’re not sure what you need right now, book a clarity call and we’ll help you find your best next step.

Clarity Call: https://stacibartley.com/apply

And if this episode moved you, share it with someone you care about. Human to human is how this work spreads.

Timestamps:

04:05 Navigating Blended Families
05:54 Transformative Relationship Skills
08:08 Balancing Individuality and Partnership
14:13 The Challenges of Modern Relationships
20:47 Generational Perspectives on Relationships
29:15 Gratitude for Supportive Partners
30:29 A Strong Partnership
30:52 Tuscany Retreats: A Journey Begins
32:18 The Magic of the Castle
33:50 Immersive Experiences
36:25 Slowing Down in Tuscany
38:12 Etruscan History and Exploration
42:48 Creating Forever Memories
54:46 Savory Pies and Final Thoughts