Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.

Ever wonder why your relationship felt solid before kids but now seems frayed at the edges? We open the new year by telling the honest truth about postpartum disconnection: it’s common, it’s fixable, and it rarely comes down to a lack of love. Using the case example of Trey and Rashida—we describe how communication patterns and relational connection can begin to falter postpartum.

We also announce new ways to go deeper: affordable coaching, a focused course on attachment and the nervous system, a postpartum group facilitated with care, and a book club starting with Too Tired to Fight. Ready for a good year—not necessarily easy, but deeply connected? Press play, follow the show, and leave a quick rating to help more parents find this conversation. Then tell us: what’s one small repair you’ll try this week?

Get your copy or audiobook of Too Tired to Fight today!: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059371427X

Want some personalized help (individual or couple). Schedule a free coaching consultation here: https://calendly.com/ccfp/meet-the-mitchells

Interested in one of Erin's postpartum groups? Let us know at info@couplescounselingforparents.com

Do you want to learn about the one thing we think every individual and couple needs to know for healthy communication and connection?https://couplescounselingforparents.mykajabi.com/offers/MGiJwHLf/checkout

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.

The holidays can fill a room with warmth, noise, and nostalgia—and still leave one partner quietly overwhelmed. We dig into the messy middle where alcohol meets family rituals, social anxiety, and the pressure to keep everything magical for kids. Through a candid case study of Heath and Bailey, we unpack why couples get stuck arguing over “how many drinks” while missing the deeper issue: presence and shared responsibility.

We explore the common reasons people drink at festive gatherings—soothing awkwardness, enhancing joy, numbing grief—and show how a quick pour can shift from choice to reflex. Instead of counting glasses, we focus on what actually protects connection: clarity, planning, and agreed signals. You’ll hear a practical set of questions to map your approach before events: whether to drink at all, who drives, what limits feel respectful, how to read each other’s signals, and what you want your kids to observe about adult decision-making. We also talk openly about family addiction history, genetic risk, and how to avoid shame while still taking risk seriously.

Our goal is simple: help you design holidays where you remain reachable to yourself and each other, even in crowded rooms. Expect straight talk about boundaries that don’t feel controlling, compassion for the partner who leans on a drink to get through, and concrete ways to replace reactivity with choice. If you’ve had the same argument on the drive home year after year, this conversation offers a path to alignment you can actually use at the next gathering.

If this resonates, follow the show and leave a rating. Share this episode with someone who needs a calmer holiday plan, and tell us: what’s one agreement you’ll try at your next celebration?

Get your copy or audiobook of Too Tired to Fight today!: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059371427X

Want some personalized help. Schedule a free coaching consultation here: https://calendly.com/ccfp/meet-the-mitchells

Got a question, comment, or just want to drop some encouragement? Send us a text.

December can be tender and overwhelming at the same time. Between school events, family expectations, travel, and the pressure to make it “special,” even strong couples can feel out of sync. We unpack four practical tools that help partners communicate clearly, share the load, and protect the moments that actually matter—without slipping into blame or burnout.

We start with the walkthrough: a simple, proactive plan for the season or a single event. Together we define what “good” looks like, name what could go sideways, and get specific about logistics like arrival, departure, childcare, and roles during transitions. The key is believing your partner’s perspective and designing around it, not debating it. From there, we introduce team meetings—short, scheduled check-ins you can run hourly during long gatherings or weekly across the month. These intentional sidebars prevent resentment, keep you aligned, and remind you you’re on the same team.

Next, we share how to create code words, a private language that communicates support in noisy reality of the holidays. Use them to ask for a break, trade duties, exit awkward chats, or celebrate small wins in real time. Finally, we normalize strategic split-ups. Not every moment needs both of you. Identify the few “musts,” then give each other permission to step out, reset, and return engaged. This protects energy, honors different social bandwidths, and builds trust.

If you want less tension and more togetherness, these four moves—walkthroughs, team meetings, code words, and planned split-ups—turn holiday chaos into a shared plan. Listen now to learn the scripts, questions, and micro-habits that make connection easier when the volume goes up. If the conversation helps, tap Follow, share it with a friend who needs a calmer December, and leave a quick rating or review so more parents can find it.

Get your copy or audiobook of Too Tired to Fight today!: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059371427X

Want some personalized help. Schedule a free coaching consultation here: https://calendly.com/ccfp/meet-the-mitchells