Don't Let the Weight of the Past Crush Your Marriage | Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage Podcast

Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley are joined by Bob Lepine to discuss how guilt, shame, and past wounds affect marriage. If unresolved hurts are triggering conflict in your relationship, listen to this episode and then share it with your spouse. We also talk about building a healthy sexual relationship and adjusting unrealistic expectations shaped by culture. You'll learn how self-regulate when you go into fight/flight/freeze/fawn responses, too. Plus, we answer a listener question about how to move forward when someone's medical treatment has changed them. 💛 Helpful Resources: Free Marriage Assessment: https://bit.ly/4cncOKw Marriage Articles: https://bit.ly/3C60vEC Marriage Counselors: https://bit.ly/3Yz0eRQ Hope Restored Marriage Intensive: https://bit.ly/4mgAjtm Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage Podcast: https://bit.ly/4fvCl4r Send us your questions: http://bit.ly/42EYCcu 00:00 The natural drift of marriage 00:23 Meet Bob Lepine 00:59 Is happiness the goal of marriage? 01:25 What if marriage is about holiness? 02:03 The danger of a self-centered marriage 03:02 Does your marriage please God? 04:20 A powerful verse for couples 05:19 Why marriages drift apart 06:25 Family-of-origin baggage in marriage 08:10 When old wounds get triggered 09:53 How marriage becomes a place of healing 10:55 Shame, guilt, and God's grace 13:12 Confrontation with gentleness 15:17 Understanding anger beneath the surface 17:33 The difference between guilt and shame 19:20 Healing through repentance 23:12 Building a healthy sexual relationship 24:59 Unrealistic expectations in intimacy 26:23 The first step toward change 28:44 The biggest predictor of marital health 29:59 Why generous love matters 31:09 Be extravagant with your love #Marriage #ChristianMarriage #Relationships #Communication #Love #MarriageAdvice #FocusOnTheFamily #FocusOnTheFamilyMarriage #Faith #CrazyLittleThingCalledMarriage