Talk To Me: The Debra Fileta Podcast

Compatibility is key. Just because you're a Christian, and just because someone else is a Christian - doesn't mean you're going to be a good match when it comes to being in a relationship. Compatibility is a huge piece to the puzzle of relationships, and it's one that often get's ignored or overshadowed in the conversation of what makes a healthy relationships. When it comes to understanding compatibility in a relationship, there are certain things that have to "fit together" well, just like putting a puzzle together. This isn't about finding an exact replica of yourself, it's about finding someone who is going to be a good match for your life. In order to find a good match, you've got to know your shape, and your colors. Compatibility Looks Like... There are certain big picture topics where it's important to make sure you have compatibility when you're in a relationship. Today on the podcast, we're talking through those topics! Click the buttons below to subscribe and check out Episode 44 of the Love + Relationships Podcast! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER - SPOTIFY - GOOGLE PLAY - iHEART RADIO Love + Relationships Podcast Extras: For other great episodes of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: Healthy Dating Looks Like This: A Conversation With Ben Stuart Boundaries with the Opposite Sex: A Conversation with My Husband BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Love In Every Season: The Four Stages of Every Healthy Relationship, Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. (Debra's New Book: Love In Every Season Coming January 2020, Pre-Order Today!) And Check out Debra's Love + Relationships Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts! DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates, and Love In Every Season. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or book a session with her today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's question about obesity in dating comes from Will who asks: Q: Hi Debra. I'm feeling conflicted that a woman being overweight or obese has become a dealbreaker for a relationship. I do my best to eat well and exercise to keep a healthy weight for myself, especially since I'm at risk for Type II diabetes, and obesity is the number one risk factor. It seems that marrying someone who also has the discipline to maintain a healthy weight is the best way for us to live a long and healthy life together. But I feel guilty because I've been told since I was a child that "it's what's inside that counts", and yet I'm disqualifying women with one look at their body shape. Is it okay that a woman being overweight or obese has become a dealbreaker for me? Or am I being too superficial? Should Obesity Be A Deal Breaker? You guys, we're bringing it today on the podcast. I'll be honest, my first reaction was to avoid answering this question, because it's such a sensitive topic and one we don't bring up often. But if Will was bold enough to ask it with such thoughtfulness and sensitivity, then I thought it was important to be bold enough to answer it. Without further to say, let's dive into this candid question and discuss whether or not obesity should be a deal breaker when it comes to the things you're looking for in a dating relationship. Click the buttons below to subscribe and check out Episode 43 of the Love + Relationships Podcast! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER - SPOTIFY - GOOGLE PLAY - iHEART RADIO Love + Relationships Podcast Extras: For other great episodes of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: Healthy Dating Looks Like This: A Conversation With Ben Stuart Biblical Dating: Camels, Arranged Marriage, and Starbucks. 10 Girls You Shouldn't Date: How To Avoid Heartbreak 10 Guys You Shouldn't Date: How To Avoid The Bad Boys OTHER BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Love In Every Season: The Four Stages of Every Healthy Relationship, Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. (Debra's New Book: Love In Every Season Coming January 2020, Pre-Order Today!) And Check out Debra's Love + Relationships Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts! DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates, and Love In Every Season. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or book a session with her today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Q: What does healthy dating look like and what are the key ingredients to a healthy dating relationship? A: Today's question comes from Kim in Ohio, who is wondering what healthy dating actually looks like...is it even a thing? If you know anything about me and this ministry, you know that my main message is that healthy people make healthy relationships. But how do you know that your relationship is healthy? What are some things to be on the lookout for when it comes to your interactions with the opposite sex? Healthy Dating Is A Thing On today's episode, we're talking through this question and the belief that healthy dating is a real thing!! It IS POSSIBLE to date in a way that leaves you with no regrets - even in today's chaotic culture of relationships. Joining me to answer this question today, is Pastor Ben Stuart from Passion City Church in DC and formerly served as the director of BreakAway Ministries. Ben's work with young adults and his heart for this topic made him a perfect candidate to tag-team this question with me today. In this episode, we talk through: Why is dating such a struggle for Christians? How to look at dating in a way that takes the pressure off. The THEME verse that should define the way we do dating. What are some of the key ingredients that make healthy dating a possibility. The three Cs of dating. Why mutual interest and initiation is SO important. Why charm is deceptive... And so much more!!! Don't miss this great conversation! Click the buttons below to subscribe and check out Episode 42 of the Love + Relationships Podcast! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER - SPOTIFY - GOOGLE PLAY - iHEART RADIO Love + Relationships Podcast Extras: For other great episodes of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: Biblical Dating: Camels, Arranged Marriage, and Starbucks. 10 Girls You Shouldn't Date: How To Avoid Heartbreak 10 Guys You Shouldn't Date: How To Avoid The Bad Boys Connect with Ben Stuart on Instagram or check out his book: Single, Dating, Engaged, Married. For more information check out Passion City Church, DC. Don't Miss our LAST Online Singles Event of 2019 this FRIDAY!!! Check it out by clicking the photo below: OTHER BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Love In Every Season: The Four Stages of Every Healthy Relationship, Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. (Debra's New Book: Love In Every Season Coming January 2020, Pre-Order Today!) And Check out Debra's Love + Relationships Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts! DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates, and Love In Every Season. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or book a session with her today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Time is everything. In fact, it's one of the most valuable things you have to give to the people around you...because it's the only thing you can never get back. The past two episodes, we've been talking about how we protect our marriage. We started with talking about our emotions in episode 39, our interactions in episode 40, and today we're talking about our time. Time is your most valuable commodity. But with the lures of social media, iPhones in every pocket, a dozen texts and emails to answer, and a stream of Netflix at your fingertips, it's easy for your time to get away from you. But if you're not careful, you can find that your time is going to the inanimate - instead of the intimate. TIME MATTERS One of the survey results I write about in Choosing Marriage, has to do with the amount of married people who report spending their time on separate hobbies and interests. There's a lot of time getting lost on things that don't really matter, and it's having serious impact on our marriages. In this episode, we talk through some of the things we do in our marriage and how we prioritize our time for one another, because if you're not intentional - it just won't happen. Tune into the last part of the Protecting Your Marriage Series of Conversations With My Husband. Click the buttons below to subscribe and check out Episode 41 of the Love + Relationships Podcast! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER - SPOTIFY - GOOGLE PLAY - iHEART RADIO Love + Relationships Podcast Extras: For another great episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: 5 Differences That Cause Stress in Marriage OTHER BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Love In Every Season: The Four Stages of Every Healthy Relationship, Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. (Debra's New Book: Love In Every Season Coming January 2020, Pre-Order Today!) And Check out Debra's Love + Relationships Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts! DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates, and Love In Every Season. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or book a session with her today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Boundaries with the opposite sex may not be something we're comfortable talking about, but it's a necessary conversation. It's easy to say we should have boundaries in a marriage, but then actually talking through the specifics of what those boundaries look like is something most couples don't actually sit down to do. A few years ago in the media, a political leader who talked about his boundaries with the opposite sex sparked a fury of heated conversations around the country. In fact, an article about this very topic on my blog sparked some additional controversy as well. It's clear this is a topic people don't always agree on. So what's too much when it comes to boundaries, and what is not enough? Boundaries With the Opposite Sex What does it practically look like to protect your marriage by setting boundaries, specifically with your interactions with the opposite sex? Last week on the Love + Relationships Podcast we talked through the boundaries we set with our emotions, and today on the podcast we're talking through the boundaries we set up with our interactions on Part 2 of this three part series with my husband. The conversation you're about to hear is about the things WE have chosen to do for our marriage. You may agree with some of it, and you may not...but let's start by having the conversation, and getting comfortable talking through it. Click the buttons below to subscribe and check out Episode 40 of the Love + Relationships Podcast! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER - SPOTIFY - GOOGLE PLAY - iHEART RADIO Love + Relationships Podcast Extras: For another great episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: 5 Differences That Cause Stress in Marriage BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Love In Every Season: The Four Stages of Every Healthy Relationship, Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. (Debra's New Book: Love In Every Season Coming January 2020, Pre-Order Today!) And Check out Debra's Love + Relationships Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts! DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates, and Love In Every Season. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or book a session with her today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you protect your marriage? What do you and your husband do to keep your marriage strong? What's your secret sauce to marriage? Are there things you do to keep connected in your marriage? These are some of the questions that came in over the past few months, and I am so glad say that I can finally answer them, because Season 3 of the Love + Relationships Podcast is officially here!!!! And you guys are going to be so excited about this highly anticipated guest on the podcast... I can't believe it's taken until Season 3 to get him on, but life...and kids...and schedules...have gotten in the way. But he's finally here!!! And I'm so excited to have him! Today we're talking about a subject that's so close to our heart: How to PROTECT your marriage. PROTECT YOUR MARRIAGE Specifically, we're talking about the three intruders that are known to get in the way of a healthy marriage. These intruders are quiet, and sly, and sneaky - but if you aren't careful, you'll find them starting to creep in and separate your hearts and your lives from one another. Join John and me, and get a front row look into our relationship and the things we do to be DELIBERATE and INTENTIONAL about protecting our love and drawing closer to one another. I love this episode so much, and I know you will to. Tune in to Part 1 of this 3 part series with my husband, John Fileta! Click the buttons below to subscribe and check out Episode 39 of the Love + Relationships Podcast to learn about causal dating! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER - SPOTIFY - GOOGLE PLAY - iHEART RADIO Love + Relationships Podcast Extras: For another great episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: 5 Differences That Cause Stress in Marriage BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. (Debra's New Book: Love In Every Season Coming January 2020, Pre-Order Today!) And Check out Debra's Love + Relationships Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts! DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates, and Love In Every Season. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or book a session with her today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a lot of casual dating going on these days...and it's starting to get confusing. Is it okay to date casually? And if so, is there a limit to how casual you should be when interacting with the opposite sex. Today's question comes from a young woman who is struggling with the latest trend of casual dating where a guy can hang out with as many girls as he wants (or vice versa) in the name of "casual dating". Casual Dating Can't Stay Casual The problem is that people tend to think in two extremes. Either they are way too casual and keep the relationship ambiguous and commitment free for FAR too long, or they're on the other end of the spectrum in which they see dating as a near marriage commitment. They're unwilling to consider anything casual and they expect a relationship to start seriously from the get-go. But BOTH of these mentalities can be harmful, and in this episode of the podcast we talk through the ins and outs of how to do "casual dating" in a healthy way, and the red flags you need to be aware of along the way. I'm going to bring up a few important questions you need to ask yourself if you want to know how to do causal dating well. So click the buttons below to subscribe and check out Episode 37 of the Love + Relationships Podcast to learn about causal dating! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Love + Relationships Podcast Extras: For another great episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: 5 Differences That Cause Stress in Marriage BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or book a session with her today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spiritual warfare isn't something we discuss too often in the context of our day- to-day lives, much less in the context of our relationships. But by not having this conversation, what if we're missing something? Because what if there are forces unseen at work, waging war against our hearts and against our relationships? Spiritual Warfare in Relationships According to scripture, "our battle is not simply against flesh and blood...but against the powers of this dark world...and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm" (Ephesians 6:12). According to God's word - the struggles we face in our lives and in our relationships are often more "unseen" than we realize. Today on the podcast, our question comes from a young man who is wondering exactly if and how spiritual warfare is something that impacts our ability to have healthy relationships. Spiritual Warfare vs. Relationship Problems How do you know if the problem is in the relationship, or if it's a spiritual attack? What are some things you can do to defend yourself from spiritual warfare? What's the proper balance of looking at something spiritually, but not seeing everything as a spiritual attack? What's the role of the armor of God against spiritual warfare? To tag-team this important topic, I invited my friend Dr. Tim Muehlhoff, Director of Resources Biola University's Center for Marriage and Relationships, and author of Defending Your Marriage: The Reality of Spiritual Battle. His latest book is an eye-opening look into the implications of spiritual warfare and how it plays out in marriage and relationships. This episode was such a challenging and convicting look into the health of our spiritual life and our spiritual lens. I hope it encourages you as much as it encouraged me. So click the buttons below to subscribe and check out Episode 37 of the Love + Relationships Podcast to learn about spiritual warfare and relationships! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Love + Relationships Podcast Extras: We talked about the importance of praying as a weapon against spiritual attack. Take some time to PRAY OVER YOUR FUTURE LOVE LIFE by enrolling in the 21 Days to Pray For Your Love Life Program. Learn more about Biola University's Center for Marriage and Relationships! For another great episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: 5 Differences That Cause Stress in Marriage BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or book a session with her today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Guard your heart". That's pretty much sums up the relationship advice you get when you ask someone within the Christian culture for dating advice. But what does it mean to guard your heart, and how do you guard your heart without appearing too guarded? How To Guard Your Heart Guarding your heart really comes down to protecting your heart...because your heart is the most important part of who you are, and so it's worth protecting. We've got to learn to protect our heart by setting spiritual, physical, and emotional boundaries. Today we're talking through some of those steps, and what it looks like to practically guard your heart from getting attached to someone prematurely. So click the buttons below to subscribe and check out Episode 36 of the Love + Relationships Podcast to find out how to guard your heart! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: For another great episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: Oversharing in Relationships - 10 Things Not To Talk About Too Soon BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you the type of person who has a hard time saying no? Because if so, the inability to say no is likely going to start impacting your health, as well as the health of your relationships. If you're anything like the average American, you're probably feeling burned-out and spread thin. We live in a society that has absolutely no margin. We're so caught up in the rat race of life that we've lost our ability to rest, to breathe, to think, to pray, and to have space in our life to do the only thing God has called us to do: love Him and love others well. Today's caller is feeling just that. He's having a hard time learning to say no, and his guilt has caused him to over-commit and over-schedule, and now he's feeling like he's got nothing left to give to those around him. Just Say No Learning the power of no is something we don't talk about enough as Christians. We wrongly believe that showing love automatically means saying yes all the time. But not only is that untrue, it's also unhealthy. Learning to say no has the power to change our lives and our relationships. To talk through today's question, I invited my good friend, author and spoken-word-artist Jefferson Bethke, to join me on the Love + Relationships Podcast. One thing I appreciate about Jeff and his wife Alyssa, is their laser-focus and their ability to set boundaries that protect their schedules, their calling, and their family. Today's conversation is SO SO good, and even if you THINK you are good at saying no and setting boundaries and limits, this podcast episode will likely give you another perspective. Click the buttons below to subscribe and check out episode 35 of the Love + Relationships Podcast! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Recommended Reading - Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, and Financial Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives. Connect with Jeff and Alyssa Bethke! For another great episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: Oversharing in Relationships - 10 Things Not To Talk About Too Soon BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever found yourself attracted to a non Christian? Someone who is living out a different belief system, or isn't spiritually in tune with where you're at with your faith? What do you do when you find yourself drawn to someone with whom you are spiritually out of sync? How much does faith matter in the context of a healthy relationship? Attracted To a Non Christian Today's episode answers a question from Sarah from Boston who is wondering what to do when you're attracted to someone who is not a Christian. How do you proceed with the friendship, or the relationship, without compromising your own faith? As a professional counselor who also happens to be a Christian, I've seen the role that faith plays in my personal relationship with my husband. But more so, the research backs it up....so let's have this conversation about faith and romance! Click the buttons below to subscribe and check out episode 34 of the Love + Relationships Podcast! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: For another great episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: Oversharing in Relationships - 10 Things Not To Talk About Too Soon BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Personality differences, age differences, cultural differences. We often come to relationships with a set of differences; things that set us apart and give us a unique role in the relationship we're in. We come from different families, different experiences, and different lifestyles. And each of those differences can be an asset to our romantic lives. Differences add spice to a relationship. But let's be honest, they also add stress. From Age Differences to Faith Differences In today's episode, our caller wrote in specifically asking the question of age differences in a relationship. Is it okay for their to be an age difference? Does it have a negative impact on the relationship? What age range is okay and what is too far apart? There are so many "differences" that can add stress to a relationship, and age difference is certainly one of them. But differences aren't necessarily something we should avoid - instead, they are something we need to be aware of. So in answering her question today, I decided to tackle a list of a few of the differences that tend to make marriage harder as well as what you need to know about managing those differences. Check out this episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast to hear the 5 differences that can add stress to a relationship. Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: For another great episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: Oversharing in Relationships - 10 Things Not To Talk About Too Soon BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it look like to pursue biblical dating? You might be surprised to know. Being a Christian who also happens to be a Licensed Professional Counselor, I'm often asked to speak about the topic of biblical dating. How does a person date in a biblical way? What does the bible actually say about dating? How can a Christian manage the world of dating with a God-honoring perspective? Which concepts of dating can you take from the "world" and which should you take from the bible? I wrote my book, True Love Dates, because I wanted to tackle some of these important questions and bring to light how we can apply the concepts from the bible to approach toward dating, in a way that's spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically healthy. But this week on the podcast, the question came up yet again: How do you pursue biblical dating? Interestingly enough, the answer might surprise you. BIBLICAL DATING ISN'T WHAT YOU THINK Interestingly enough, if we look through the pages of the bible, biblical dating is non-existent. People didn't "date" in the Middle East, and in fact, dating is still a brand new concept even today. In today's episode of the podcast, I talk through why biblical dating isn't actually what we think - and probably not what we want. Yet with the reminder that God's word is filled with concepts and principles that we can apply to dating right here and right now. Check out Episode 32 of the Love + Relationships Podcast to find out all about biblical dating. Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: For another great episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: Oversharing in Relationships - 10 Things Not To Talk About Too Soon BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when you think you're ready to wed - but your parents want you to wait? That's the dilemma faced on this week's episode of the podcast. "We're ready to get married, but our parents want us to wait." It can be really tricky learning how to manage the expectations of what you feel called to in your love live, versus what other trusted friends and family believe. But it's all important and it's all part of the equation. So when do you take into consideration when you feel ready to wed vs. what others think? How do you honor your parents in the process yet still move forward in your relationship? When do you trust what they're saying over what you're feeling? Ready to Wed On today's episode, our couple is torn between feeling ready to wed, but wanting to respect and honor their parents in the process as well. Catch up on Episode 31 of the Love + Relationships Podcast to hear me talk through the answer to this question! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: For another fun episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: Oversharing in Relationships - 10 Things Not To Talk About Too Soon BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I just want to have a Christ centered relationship." In the Christian dating culture, the term "Christ centered relationship" is a familiar one....one that I've heard time and time again. Any Christian couple will tell you they want to keep Jesus at the center of their relationship, but what on earth does that actually mean? Does it mean you pray together and do devotions? Does it mean you go to church together on Sundays? Or could there be more than that? Are there ways you can cultivate your relationship with God as a couple? In this episode I talk about a young man that came up to me after a speaking engagement and told me he believed for sure he had a Christ centered relationship because...drum-roll please....he and his girlfriend read a devotion together every day. I just have to be honest - I think having a Christ centered relationship takes a lot more than that. I want to take some time to unpack that a little bit today. Here's why: Being Christ-centered is not just something you do - it's something you ARE. Me, You, and Jesus: A Christ Centered Relationship Today's question comes from a young man who is wondering just that. He comes to the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS podcast asking: What are some practical ways to grow in your relationship with God as a couple? Tune into Episode 29 of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST by subscribing and clicking the links below. Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources and Additional Show Notes: Today's podcast was taped in front of a LIVE audience at Lancaster Bible College, be sure to check out this amazing college and be a part of the wonderful things they are doing in the lives of students and staff! Liked this episode? Check out: Single in my 30s: How To Hold On To Hope BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's talk about sex drive in marriage. Because there are a lot of false expectations out there about what sex in marriage is going to look like. I know this to be true, because I surveyed over 1,000 singles, and 1,000 married people to get their views on sex and sex drive in marriage. And the EXPECTATIONS of what sex people thought would be like, compared to the REALITY of what sex actually looked like in marriage, were drastically different. (Check out the full survey with the interesting results in my book, Choosing Marriage.) Our expectations of sex are often so far from reality. And truth be told, struggling with a low or no sex drive in marriage is not something people expect, yet something many are dealing with. As a single, you can barely control your raging sex drive (check out the Sex Drive and The Single Life: Controlling Your Sex Drive Before it Controls You Podcast Episode Here!), so it's hard to imagine a day when you might be struggling to "feel it". But low sex drive is something that too many people are struggling with in silence. And today, we're talking about it. Because today's question comes from a caller who is more than satisfied in her marriage, yet still struggling to desire sex. Her low sex drive is starting to cause stress in their marriage, and she's not sure what to do. In today's episode, I'm joined by my friend, and author of The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex, Sheila Gregoire. Together, we tackle this important question and talk you through what you can do when you find that you're dealing with a low sex drive in marriage. Let's Talk About Sex Drive in Marriage Whether you're single, or married, male or female, this episode is an important one to be aware of! Tune into Episode 29 of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST by subscribing and clicking the links below. Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Connect with Sheila Gregoire and all her resources at her blog: To Love, Honor and Vacuum. BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you do when you find yourself single in your 30s - your mid 30s, in fact - with no prospect of love in sight? "I never imagined I'd be single in my 30s". Today's caller is looking for some encouragement and trying to assess whether or not she should continue to hold on to hope when she finds herself single at an age she never imagined. I'm not gonna lie, there are so many times when our life turns out different than we expected. Whether it's with singleness, marriage, fertility issues, illness, jobs, or so many other ways that life can dissapoint. And in this world, there aren't always answers as to why that is, but there are certainly truths we can hold on to, promises we can cling to, and lies we can make sure we're demolishing as we move toward the desires God has placed in our heart. Single in my 30s If you find yourself single in your 30s, I hope and pray this episode offers you some practical encouragement and needed affirmation to keep moving forward. Tune into Episode 28 of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST by subscribing and clicking the links below. Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Check out the Breaking Free From the Lies of Singleness Course, and receive 25% off at checkout using code: PODCAST. For another fun episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out the entire episode listing: LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oneness in marriage. What does it look like for two people to practically become one? When we talk about oneness in marriage, we often focus on the deep spiritual and physical connection of two becoming one. But what about the practical stuff? The house? The decorations? The furniture? The bed? The closet? We often forget that there's actually sacrifice and selflessness involved in the practical, day-to-day aspects of becoming one that people overlook. Oneness in Marriage Today's caller is wondering how to make her future husband feel at home as he prepares to move into her house due to a long distance relationship. He's leaving his world and uprooting miles away to join hers - her home, her friends, her life, her things. Because of this, she's calling to as a really important question: what does oneness looks like in a practical sense? Tune into Episode 27 of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST by subscribing and clicking the links below. Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: For another fun episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out the entire episode listing: LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heart break doesn't have to be the norm...if you know what to avoid, that is. In this episode of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST, we turn the tables on last weeks popular episode, 10 Guys You Shouldn't Date by introducing you to the 10 Women You Shouldn't Date. Avoiding Heart Break These 10 ladies will string you on...drag you down...and break your heart. But it doesn't have to be that way, because you can learn what to look for. Each of them possesses certain traits that we're going to throw in the red flag category, and teach you exactly what to be on the lookout for. Learn how to recognize these types of women and quickly move on. Tune into Episode 26 of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST by subscribing and clicking the links below. Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: For another fun episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out the entire episode listing: LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Q: Hey Debra! I have a pattern of dating the bad boys. How do I recognize the type of guy I should date, from the type of guy I shouldn't date? When it comes to dating relationships, there is definitely such a thing as red flags in a relationship. The problem is, depending on our level of health and awareness - we can often either ignore the red flags or make excuses for them all together. The reasons so many people find themselves drawn to toxic relationships is complex, and one that I would encourage you to read about more in this article called "Why You Always Date Jerks". But make no mistake about it - these bad boys can be recognized from a distance - and the healthier you are, the more quickly and easily you'll be able to recognize a bad boy when he comes along. Dating The Bad Boys: What To Look For But in this episode - we're not talking about the WHY....we're talking about the WHAT. What are the traits that help us recognize when a guy is not good for us? In this 25th of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST, I'm talking you through a list of 10 guys that you need to avoid like the plague if you start noticing these qualities in your relationship. Because what you see in dating, you'll see multiplied times 100 in marriage....the good, the bad, and the ugly. Tune in and subscribe by clicking below! And be sure to tune in next week when we talk about the 10 Girls You Shouldn't Date! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: For another fun episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out the entire episode listing: LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Q: "Hey Debra, I'd love to hear your thoughts about if and how birth order impacts a relationship". A: Are you the oldest child, middle child, or the baby of your family? Believe it or not, how you answer that question will actually have a significant impact on the type of person you turn out to be - as well as how you do relationships. Your birth order can have a significant impact on your love life, so it's important to understand the dynamics that are at play. In this episode of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST, I'm joined by two of my friends and leading marriage voices in the country, Dave and Ashley Willis from Marriage Today. Together, Dave, Ashley and I talk through what we know about birth order - why it's an actual thing, and how we've seen it impact relationships. In this episode, we talk through: Birth Order Episode: We cover the characteristics of a first born child (or only child), including strengths and weaknesses. The three of us talk through characteristics of a middle child, including strengths and weaknesses. We discuss characteristics of a the baby of the family, including strengths and weaknesses. What it's like to be a first born married to a first born (Interesting to note, everyone on this episode is a first born!) A hilarious story of how the Willis' totally played into the middle child stereotype with their middle child. Some interesting look at an informal survey I took revealing the birth order we tend to be attracted to in relationships. How to deal with opposite characteristics of birth order in relationships, because this is an issue that often comes up. The caveats that need to be addressed when discussing birth order. It's a super fun and informative episode, so I hope you'll take the time to tune in to our conversation and find out the strengths and weaknesses of YOUR specific birth order - and how it might be impacting your closest relationships. So subscribe and click below to tune in to episode 23 of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST. Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Dave and Ashley Willis have become some of America's most trusted teachers on marriage. Their books, blogs, videos and speaking events reach millions of couples worldwide. They are part of the team at XO Marriage and MarriageToday, which is the largest marriage-focused ministry in the USA. Dave and Ashley have four young sons and live near Dallas, Texas. Check out their latest book, The Naked Marriage, available for pre-order today! For another incredible resource check out Dr. Lehman's book: The Birth Order Book, and get an in-depth look at the intricacies of birth order. For another fun episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast check out: Oversharing in Relationships - 10 Things Not To Talk About Too Soon BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You just got out of a relationship that you thought was going somewhere - and you're looking for some break up advice. Trust me, I know...your heart feels like it's never going to heal. They say breaking up is hard to do. And they're right. Maybe you are the one that ended the relationship. Maybe things were going well and you got blind-sided. Or maybe, you were slowly starting to drift apart...and this was the inevitable next step. Whatever it is, breaking up is hard to do. Dealing with a break up isn't as cut and dry as it seems, and if you're not careful, you can find yourself getting sucked back in - sometimes time and time again - to a relationship that's neither good for you nor good for the other person. Break Up Advice: 10 Steps To Healing So how do you deal with a break up? How do you get to the point where your heart can begin to heal and move forward? In today's episode of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST, we're talking through that very thing. Because the choices you make today can either propel you toward healing and hope - or keep you back. There are 10 things that you need to be doing after a break up to make sure your heart is heading toward healing. Take a few minutes to listen to this quick episode by subscribing to the podcast and clicking below. Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: If you'd prefer to read along, you can find a summary of this episode at this link: How To Get Over a Break Up If you're struggling to set physical boundaries in a dating relationship, here's the podcast I recommended: How Far Is Too Far? Physical Boundaries Before Marriage BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you think about communication in marriage, what comes to mind? When I was gathering data for my book, Choosing Marriage, I asked singles to tell me how much time they thought married couples spend in quality communication each week. Then, I surveyed married couples asking them how much time they spend in quality communication each week...and the different answers that came in were almost laughable (I tell you all about the stats it in this episode and why married couples aren't actually talking!) There was such a drastic difference between what singles thought communication in marriage looked like, vs. what married people actually reported communication in marriage to be. But there are so many things that get in the way of communication in marriage. Life. Jobs. Kids. If we're not constantly trying to move together in marriage, we'll find ourselves moving apart. MARRIAGE COUNSELORS TALKING REAL COMMUNICATION IN MARRIAGE In today's episode, I'm joined by my dear friend and marriage counselor, Dr. Kim Kimberling. We cover some of these issues that can come up with communication and connection in marriage. We talk about our own respective marriages, some of the challenges and successes we face when it comes to communication in marriage. We talk about child-centric homes, why they're dangerous to marriage, and what to do about it. How to set some boundaries with your kids so you can enrich your marriage. We talk about some steps you can take to build your marriage or restore it when you're feeling off-track. Why most married couples aren't spending enough time together, and how to make it happen. We talk about the importance of the first 10-minutes of contact with your spouse. We talk about who should initiate communication and why it matters. We also share some ways we stay connected to our spouses and some practices that you can apply to your marriage to stay connected....and so much more! This episode is so full of amazing conversation and insight. You're going to love it! Whether you're single, or married, or somewhere in between - take the time to tune into Episode 22 of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS PODCAST. Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Be sure to connect with today's guest, Dr. Kim Kimberling and all his encouraging marriage resources at AwesomeMarriage.com. And be sure to check out his new book, 14 Keys To Lasting Love: How To Have The Marriage You've Always Wanted Learn more about communication by checking out this article: You Have Walls, And They're Keeping People Out. The Truth About Communication in Marriage. BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you build trust in a relationship? Do you give trust right away, or do you hesitate to trust? How does your past influence how you trust in the present? And what if you've been burned in your past? We are back with the first episode of season 2 of the Love + Relationships Podcast, answering this important question! To Trust, or Not To Trust: Three Types of Trust Personalities In today's episode, I'm answering an important question from Danny from St. Louis who finds himself feeling burned from trusting too quickly in relationship because of his tendency to trust too quickly. I talk him through the three different types of trust-personalities: the walls, the free, and the fences...and the trust-temperaments that each one of them brings to relationships. 5 Ways To Build Trust in a Relationship At the end of the episode, I explain 5 important ways to develop trust. Trust in a relationship is such an important thing, but it's not something that happens automatically, because trust has to be earned. These five things can be used to develop trust for the first time, or even rebuild trust after it's been broken. This episode is important for anyone who has ever struggled with the topic of trust in a relationship. Click below to tune in to Episode 21 of the LOVE + RELATIONSHIPS Podcast! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? Check out this episode about Junk Food Relationships: Healthy Relationships Aren't Convenient Or check out this episode and find out what I think about the concept of "Finding The One". BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does God want me to be single forever? How do I know whether or not I have the "gift" of singleness? How do I hold on to hope when the future seems so unknown and so unclear? So many people are struggling with these questions as they look ahead at an unknown future and wonder whether or not God has marriage in their horizon. Am I Going To Be Single Forever? There are so many things in life where we just don't know what God has planned. But there are some truths and promises that can keep you grounded and hopeful while you wait. This final episode of Season 1 of the Love + Relationships Podcast is an important one, and one that is really close to my heart with all the waiting I have done in my life - and the waiting I continue to do in so many other ares of my life. I hope and pray that this episode will leave you encouraged as we collectively learn to trust God with the unknowns in life. We're going to be back with the Love + Relationships Podcast, with brand new guests, topics, and episodes starting January 1st! I look forward to reconnecting with you again in the new year....but in the meantime, catch up on all the episodes, and send in all your relationship questions as we're gearing up to record Season 2! Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Ready to make some changes in your love life? Check out this 21 Day Course - 21 Days To Jump Start Your Love Life! Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? Check out the episode about Junk Food Relationships: Healthy Relationships Aren't Convenient Or check out this mini episode and find out what I think about the concept of "Finding The One". BOOKS BY DEBRA Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dating rules and advice can change with the passing of time. (Hence, I Kissed Dating Goodbye in 1990 vs True Love Dates in 2018- which is $1.99 on Kindle right now for all you bargain hunters out there ) But there are a few concepts about dating and relationships that won't change no matter what's going on in our culture. Today's caller is looking for some dating advice. She's wondering how to know if she's giving a relationship enough time to play out, or if she's ending the relationships too early. THE THREE DATING RULES YOU NEED In today's episode, I'm going to talk her through some basic dating rules using the red, green, and yellow flag concept. The greens are the things you need in a a relationship - things you're on the lookout for. The yellows are your preferences, or even the unknowns - things that will probably end up either in the red, or the green category with time. And the reds are the things you'll never, ever, settle for - things that signify it's time to STOP this relationship. You've got to understand and know your reds, greens, and yellows in order to have a chance at a successful dating relationship. You need to get good at recognizing what works, from what doesn't. Because you've have to know when to keep moving forward in a relationship, and when to walk away. Tune in to Episode 019 of the Love + Relationships Podcast today, and let's talk through your red, green, and yellow list! SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? Check out the episode about Junk Food Relationships: Healthy Relationships Aren't Convenient Or check out this mini episode and find out what I think about the concept of "Finding The One". Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can a woman make the first move in a relationship? This is a question that's always on my radar, because I know it's going to come in about every single Q&A session I have - and let's be honest, it's a rather controversial topic. Truth be told, the answer to this question has changed over the years with the changing of culture and opinions and norms. But it's a topic that's holding a lot of women back and it's about time we had this conversation on the podcast. Who Should Make The First Move? For many years, the majority of people would have answered no to this question, saying that a woman shouldn't make the first move in a relationship. Some people said it wasn't their preference for a woman to initiate a relationship. Others said it wasn't biblical. Still today, 35% of readers that I polled on the blog believe that it's not okay for a woman to initiate a relationship. But I respectfully disagree. There are four reasons why I think it's totally okay for a woman to make the first move in a relationship, and today on this episode of the podcast, I'm going to break it down with why I think it's perfectly okay for a woman to take initiative and make a move. With a few exceptions that I'm going to cover, as well as a few things to be on the lookout for that signify a healthy relationship. Whether you're a male or female, you don't want to miss Episode 018 of the Love + Relationships Podcast! SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Click here to read an outline of the Top 10 Relationship Killers. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? Check out the episode about Junk Food Relationships: Healthy Relationships Aren't Convenient Or check out this mini episode and find out what I think about the concept of "Finding The One". Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's not usually the big things that cause relationship problems...it's the small things. It's the little things that go unaddressed and add up with time that end up causing more damage in a relationship than anyone ever expects. So how do you avoid them? You start by recognizing them. Top 10 Relationship Problems There's a few big picture things that can really mess with your relationship and with your marriage. The problem is, most people don't know about these things. They aren't on the lookout. And then they come into counseling years later when their marriage is practically on life support. This is why I believe the more we know, the better we will do. And that's exactly why I want to take the time to talk through these relationship problems on this episode of the podcast. So tune in to Episode 017 of the Love + Relationships Podcast to listen to this important conversation addressing 10 major relationship problems that you need to know about! SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Click here to read an outline of the Top 10 Relationship Killers. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? Check out this episode about Junk Food Relationships: Healthy Relationships Aren't Convenient Or check out this mini episode and find out what I think about the concept of "Finding The One". Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever found yourself oversharing in a relationship? You know what I mean, right? I'm talking about those conversations where you find yourself saying WAY too much, WAY too soon? Have you ever walked away from a conversation thinking, why on earth did I say all that? Or maybe you know someone, someone who you're in a relationship with, who tends to overshare. What is it about oversharing, and why do we do it? How can we draw the line between being authentic, but also not saying way more than we need to? How do we apply this to the world of dating and relationships? Oversharing in Relationships Today's caller is a Melissa - a woman who is struggling with oversharing. She's wondering why she overshares, and how to know when she's shared too much. Specifically, she's dealing with oversharing about her sexual history - finding herself always leading the way with that conversation. On today's episode, she's calling in today to talk through some of the issues this has brought up in her relationships. "Because your sexual history may shape you, but it doesn't define you." 10 Things NOT TO SHARE early on There are a few reasons why people overshare, and specifically when it comes to our past, we need to understand why we overshare, what's important to share, and where we need to tone it down. I talk through some reasons we overshare in this episode, because just like I tell Melissa: "It's not healthy to dive into the deep end of a relationship, before you've walked through the shallow end." So after my conversation with Melissa, I'm talking you through some practicals: 10 things NOT to talk about too soon in a relationship - especially when you're first getting to know someone in a dating relationship (or even in the early stages of a friendship). Who Should I Share With? And lastly, on this episode I'm talking through the three groups of people in your life, how to categorize them, and understand how much to share with each group. Whether you're dating, single, or navigating friendships, tune in to Episode 016 of the Love + Relationships Podcast, to listen to this important conversation about oversharing! Episode Highlights: What does oversharing look like? Why do we overshare in relationships? What are some subjects we should stay away from? When do we share mental health issues? Sexual history? 10 things NOT to talk about early on in a relationship. How to recognize who to share with, and who not to. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? Check out this episode about Junk Food Relationships: Healthy Relationships Aren't Convenient Or check out this mini episode and find out what I think about the concept of "Finding The One". Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there such a thing as "the one"? Do you believe that there's only one person out there for you to marry? And if so, how does that impact your relationship choices? Today I'm talking through this issue, and telling you all about how my husband and I had completely different experiences when we first met. At the end of the day, whether you take my side, or my husband's side on the issue - it doesn't really matter, because no matter what you believe about the one, you've still got to do the work of getting yourself in a healthy relationship. 3 Things You Need To Know About Finding The One No matter what your views about the one, you need to check out this mini-episode and find out three key things to remember when it comes to "finding the one". Tune in to Episode 015 of the Love + Relationships Podcast, to find out what they are! SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: If you liked this episode, check out this article: You Don't Find the One, You Choose The One Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? Check out this episode about Sex Drive and The Single Life: Controlling Your Desires Before They Control You Dig Deeper with some scripture for healthy relationships: Proverbs 31:10-31, 18:22, 14:1, 12:4; 1 Timothy 5:14; 1 Peter 3:1-6). Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. And check out this awesome feature article about TrueLoveDates.com and Choosing Marriage at DatingNews.com DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How far is too far when it comes to physical touch before marriage? I'm sure you're not shocked to hear that it's one of the most frequently asked questions I receive at my relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com. How far is too far? On today's mini-episode (18 minutes!) I'm answering just that! In this quick episode, I'm offering some practical, bite-sized advice for anyone who has ever wondered where to draw the line with physical touch before marriage. I'm going to talk you through the 12 stages of physical touch and explain to you when I believe physical touch goes from the green zone, to the yellow zone, to the red zone. If you've ever wondered how far is too far to go physically in a dating relationship, you're going to want to tune in to Episode 014 of the Love + Relationships Podcast, where we talk candidly about all things love, sex, dating, singleness and marriage. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER or SPOTIFY Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? Check out this episode about Sex Drive and The Single Life: Controlling Your Desires Before They Control You Dig Deeper: Check out the Sex and The Single Life Audio Lesson Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You don't have to like being single. Yes, even you, Christian person. It's okay to struggle with being single! It really is. I'm giving you - reading this post - permission to go ahead and feel those feelings. And in this episode, I'm going to tell you exactly why. On this episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast, I'm talking to a young woman who is struggling with singleness. She's just not feeling content. How can you survive singleness in a world that seems to revolve around marriage? How can you keep from getting discouraged when you're not in a relationship but want to be? What do you do when you find yourself living in a season of waiting...and waiting...and waiting? What do you do when it seems like the people who AREN'T doing it God's way are being "blessed", and you feel like you're trying to follow God's leading and you're feeling like life just isn't working out for you? What can you do while you're waiting? Let's have this conversation, friends. Being Single Doesn't Have To Be Time To Kill After our chat, I'm going to talk you through some of the TOP 10 ways to use this time of singleness in your life as a time of preparation, rather than just a time you're wishing away. Being single doesn't have to ruin your life...in fact, it shouldn't. So we're going to discuss the things my married friends WISHED they would have done during their time of singleness, and I think it's important to talk through some of this stuff. Because it's so easy to look at what God is NOT doing, instead of what He IS doing (CLICK TO TWEET IT!). We've got to learn to adjust our perspective on being single. You don't have to like being single - but you do have to learn how to NOT LET SINGLENESS hold you back!! Singleness might be a struggle for you, but don't let it be a stronghold that paralyzes you from living! We're talking through this delicate topic today, and I hope you'll stick around and join us, because you're going to love this candid conversation so get ready to for Episode 013 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? Check out this episode about Sex Drive and The Single Life: Controlling Your Desires Before They Control You Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Check out these articles: 7 LIES THAT ARE KEEPING YOU SINGLE or 3 THINGS MARRIED PEOPLE SHOULD STOP SAYING TO SINGLES Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are some fun date ideas and practical suggestions for a successful first date? On the other end of the spectrum, what are some practical suggestions for married couples who want to carve out some special time each week to date? Dating looks different today than it did 20 years ago. Scratch that, dating looks different today than it did LAST YEAR. In this episode, we are talking through ins and outs of a date in 2018. My caller today wants to know some practical suggestions to making the first date a success. So I turn the tables on her and ask her some important questions! Where is the best place to go on a first date? What do you talk about? Who pays the bill? Who should initiate? When should you follow up after the date? If you've ever wondered how to pull of a fantastic first date, I'm revealing some fascinating survey results about what people expect a first date to look like. FIRST DATE IDEAS TO MARRIED DATE IDEAS Then at the end of the episode, we talk to the married friends out there. Because God knows a "date night out" every single week is not the norm, I'm going to give you our top 10 date night IN ideas!! These date ideas are things John and I have done from the comfort of our own home to make some time to connect and enjoy each other's company. They're cheap, convenient, easy, and most of them don't require much planning ahead. So whether you're single, or married - get ready to talk about the ultimate date and get some really practical date ideas to get you motivated! You're going to love this fun conversation so get ready to for Episode 012 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? If so, check out this popular episode called HOW IMPORTANT IS PHYSICAL ATTRACTION. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Ready to Jump Start Your Love Life? CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED! Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do I do with my raging sex drive while I'm single? I get that question a lot. But the problem is: not too many Christians are teaching about this subject. I can't recall when I heard a sermon about sexual struggles on a Sunday morning, can you? But dealing with your sex drive is a problem that singles have to face on a regular basis....one that will ultimately have an impact on their future marriages as well, because learning to "tame the drive" is something you're going to deal with after you're married as well. So I thought it was about time to do an episode about sex drive and singleness. LET'S TALK ABOUT...THE SEX DRIVE When we talk about sex on the podcast, everyone gets excited...no pun intended. So, without further to do, click the links below to listen this insightful (and at times, awkward) conversation, as I answer today's caller who is wondering how on earth can he deal with "the sex drive" - as he puts it - while he waits for marriage. In this episode I cover: Why your sex drive (annoying as it may be at times while you're single) is actually a good thing. Why the sex for marriage sentiment is actually backed up by psychology. The dangerous power of premarital sex. Why your sex drive is actually a symptom of something ELSE going on. The #1 way to stop having shame about your sex drive. How to fuel the spirit and starve the flesh, and what that means for your sex life. Some practical ways to control your sex drive while you're single. Identifying things you are doing that might be growing your sex drive instead of controlling your sex drive. Why learning to control your sex drive is something you'll need after you're married as well. And a whole...lot...more! You're going to love this candid conversation so get ready to for this necessary, honest, and insightful Episode 011 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Enjoyed this episode of the podcast? Check out this episode about JUNK FOOD RELATIONSHIPS Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Go deeper with this audio lesson: Sex and the Single Life: What To Do with Sexual Desires While You Wait Get busy learning what you need to know about healthy singleness, dating, and marriage. Check out Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me or True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life. DEBRA FILETA is a Licensed Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of Choosing Marriage and True Love Dates. She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message of healthy relationships. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's easy to pretend we've got it all together. Especially in the Church. It's easy to put our best face forward, to post our best photos on Instagram, and to tell our best stories for the world to hear. But none of that really matters if we're pretending to be something we're not. None of that matters if we're actually hurting on the inside....if we're not taking care of ourselves from the inside-out... if we're isolated and alone with our struggles. It's okay to not be okay. After the heart-breaking and tragic suicide of 30-year-old, Pastor Andrew Stoecklein a couple weeks ago, the conversation of what's happening on the inside-out is one that the church is starting to open up to. I intend to bring this important conversation regarding our mental health to the surface with all I've got. As a professional counselor, I've both seen and experienced the darkness of depression...and journeyed the road of coming to terms with how much power I give it my life. There's so much about this I'm talking about today with a very special guest. Because my guest today has also walked this journey. Jarrid Wilson is a pastor who has been so outspoken about his own journey with depression and suicidal thoughts. Not only that, but an incredible ministry was birthed out of his own personal journey of pain called Anthem of Hope, reminding people that... "It's okay to not be okay" (CLICK TO TWEET!) Our conversation today is one that you CAN'T miss in light of what's going on in the world today. Here you have it....a professional counselor and a pastor talking to you - not at you - from their own personal wounds and struggles. Saying, it's okay not to be okay. We've been there, too. If you're struggling with depression or anxiety in any way, take the time to listen. Maybe you've never struggled with mental health issues but know someone who has, take some time to listen. Maybe you're a leader or pastor or teacher in ministry, take the time to listen. No More Pretending In this episode we cover some personal and important issues including: Why Christians aren't exempt from depression, and the two main factors that cause depression to make it's entry into people's lives. Jarrid and I both share stories about our individual journeys with depression and what was helpful for each of us in finding relief. We talk about how depression has impacted our respective marriages. Why Jesus, prayer, medication and counseling all go hand-in-hand. We talk about our reaction to those people who ignorantly tell us to "just have faith" in light of mental and physical health issues. I share that depression is a 3-part illness, and how we can navigate each part to achieve relief and even healing. Some signs and symptoms that you might be struggling with depression and don't recognize it. You're going to love this candid conversation so get ready to for this raw, honest, and challenging Episode 010 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Click HERE to find a counselor near you TODAY. Additional Articles About Depression: 4 Myths Christians Need To Stop Believing About Depression The Darkness of Depression and The Christian Response Depression Can Look Like This: 3 Truths For Christians Battling Depression Connect with Jarrid Wilson and Anthem of Hope, an incredible ministry aimed at helping people understand that it's okay to not be okay. Check out their resources and get started on your journey of healing. If you're struggling in your marriage today, and looking for hope, I invite you to journey through the process of Choosing Marriage: Why...

How much does physical attraction matter in a relationship? What if you know someone is really good for you, but you don't find yourself attracted to them at all? What if there's strong attraction, but qualities and traits missing from what you're looking for? What if you're married, and start struggling with physical attraction in your marriage? Questions about physical attraction are some of the most frequently asked questions I get on my blog. Because physical attraction is, without a doubt, an important part of a relationship. But have we gotten to a point where our expectations of physical attraction in a relationship are unrealistic? My Mind Says Yes - My Body Says No? In today's episode, I'm having a candid chat about physical attraction with two different guys. First, I'm talking with a young man who is trying to understand how important physical attraction should be in his search for love. I find out that his relationship history has a big part to do with his expectations, and you'll find out why when you tune in. After our conversation, I bring on my good friend and prolific relationship author, Gary Thomas. Gary and I dive into some really hot topics about attraction in ways that not many people are talking about, and you're going to love this candid conversation. Physical Attraction 101 In this hot-topic episode, we cover: 2 IMPORTANT Questions you need to ask yourself to know whether or not you've got a healthy understanding of physical attraction. The actual definition of attraction and why it matters that you know it. We discuss the many different levels of attraction and how attraction is multi-faceted. How to prioritize the importance of physical attraction. Understanding your typical "type" and when to be open to other options. Exploring the things that are influencing your perspective of beauty and physical attraction, and how to control those things. Learning whether or not you're living in "the extremes" and whether or not you have healthy expectations. Making sure you have a realistic understanding of who YOU are and your own level of "physical attraction" in the equation of what you're looking for (yep, I said it). The percentage of people who are struggling with attraction in marriage and what to do about it! Three things you can do to increase your attraction to your spouse. I reveal the one thing I was MOST AFRAID to talk about regarding physical attraction in my book Choosing Marriage. The one prayer Gary Thomas prayed in order to continue growing in life long physical attraction toward his wife! Single, dating, or married this show has something for you. You're going to love these candid conversations, so grab your notebook, and get ready to write down the nuggets of truth from this fun, honest, and challenging Episode 009 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to submit your question and learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Connect with Gary Thomas, and find all the info about his latest books, at his blog. And be sure to check out my two favorite marriage books he's written: Sacred Marriage, and Cherish. Find out more about the understanding your attraction template and your sexual pallet, and learn ways to rekindle attraction in marriage in my book, Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever been through a hard time in your life where you thought to yourself, "This is not what I wanted my life to look like. This is NOT what I expected." What happens when life doesn't turn out how you planned? How do you navigate those hard times of hopelessness and discouragement, when you feel stuck in a life that you never expected. Maybe your hard time is that you just went through the heartbreaking loss of a failed or broken relationship. Maybe you're single, and your hard time is that you thought FOR SURE you'd be married by now, but find that instead, you're struggling with loneliness and discouragement. Maybe your hard time right now is walking through grief, or loss, or illness...and you find yourself asking why. Today's guests went through their own difficult journey of asking why. After the tragic untimely deaths of their respective spouses, Brittany Price and Daniel Brooker each found themselves as a young widow/widower - dealing with their own individual journey's of grief, and pain, and heartache, and loss...a loss that ultimately brought them together in remarriage. This is an incredible story of two broken hearts, who never let go of Hope. Their story encouraged me during one of my darkest times and I know it will encourage you. When Life Doesn't Turn Out How You Planned In this special episode we cover: The details of their journey of grief and loss and the heartbreaking experience of losing their first loves. (I about lost it, hearing their stories you guys!) Their honest and candid truths about the hardest part of remarriage and blending families. Their best advice for anyone who is considering remarriage. Some incredible encouragement for ANYONE who is dealing with a hard time in life. How the past can be paralyzing, and the importance of taking steps to move forward in healing. Learning to shift your perspective from WHY to WHAT as a way to deal with grief and loss. The importance of gratitude in the midst of suffering. Why mentorship is a critical part of the healthy life. Learning to trust God and cling to His Word in the midst of hard times. Remembering God's faithfulness and goodness through it all - and how he can redeem every story and every situation. Single, dating, or married this show has something for you. Bring the tissues. Grab your notebook, and get ready to write down the nuggets of truth from this inspiring and challenging episode 008 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Connect with Brittany and Daniel on Instagram @BrittanyPriceBrooker and @DanielOBrooker. Brittany was so sweet to give a shout out to my book, Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me. I'm so grateful to hear how it's encouraged her on this journey of marriage, and I pray it will encourage your heart as well as you learn to give out of your overflow. Pick up a copy for you or someone you know who needs some perspective and encouragement on what it looks like to choose marriage on a daily basis, and why it's worth it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Good communication isn't something you're born with. It's not even a gender thing. It's something you have to learn (CLICK TO Tweet it!) I was on a talkshow where I was talking about the importance of good communication in relationships. The host of the show stopped me to ask, "Debra, do you mean to tell me you expect men to be good communicators?" Why, yes. That is absolutely what I am saying. To be honest, I was really frustrated with that question. Because I rebel against the stereotype that men can't be good communicators. I think it's insulting, and unfair, and sets us up for less than God's best in our relationships. We need to expect more, and teach both our sons and our daughters the importance of healthy communication... It has to be practiced. And even when you're married and in love...you'll still have communication issues to work through. Take me for example: a wife of 11 years, licensed counselor and relationship expert. But just recently my husband and I had one of those "communication mishaps" that we had to work through....(don't worry, I'll tell you aaaaaallllll about it!) because communication is something you have to practice. On this episode, I talk to a young man who is struggling to communicate well, and wants some suggestions on how to get to the next level with expressing himself, especially with his emotions. Because in order to express our feelings, we have to first acknowledge them. Good Communication Skills Are Up For Grabs In this podcast, we talk through some practical steps to good communication, and cover these important topics: Why communicating and expressing emotions isn't a male/female thing. The four levels of communication and why they matter. How our family background and culture can influence our ability to communicate. Some suggestions in learning to acknowledge our emotions and feelings. Why it takes practice to get to a better place with our communication. How to learn good communication even long before you're in a romantic relationship. Learning to recognize the WALLS (barriers to good communication) that you have whether or not you realize it - because they're keeping you from healthy communication. This concept has really changed my life and I write all about it in Choosing Marriage, but today I'm sharing it with you on the show! And of course, a few candid conversations about my relationship with John and some of our most recent communication mishaps! If you want some practical advice to mastering the art of communication, then episode is SO SO SO SO important for you to listen to! Because good communication isn't something you're born with. It's something you have to learn. (TWEET IT!) Single, dating, or married this show has something for you. Tune in to today's episode to hear licensed counselor, Debra Fileta, as she answers her caller through this unscripted conversation in Episode 007 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Today's caller shared that the 21 Days to Jump Start Your Love Life Program was a huge step in helping him learn the importance of communication and take steps in that direction. Check it our for yourself and sign up to start the program today! As a special offer just for listening, use code PODCAST50 at checkout to get 50% off the program. Get a deeper look into the WALLS of Communcation, the Speaker-Listener Technique, The Four Levels of communication, some incredible statistics about communication, and so much more in my book: Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a reason junk-food is so popular. It makes you feel good for a little while, it's quick, and most of all - it's convenient. But at the end of the day, it destroys your health and expands your waist-line. And we ultimately end up regretting it. The same thing kind of goes for "junk food relationships". We all say we want healthy relationships, but in reality, most of us tend to go for what's easy and convenient rather than what's good for us. Today I'm chatting with a woman who has a tendency to go for the convenience of dating the guy next door...whether or not he's good for her. And this pattern is starting to have a negative impact on her life. Maybe for you it's not the guy or girl next door, but it's important to ask yourself if you tend to do what's convenient, rather than what's best for your life and relationships. Part of the problem is that so many people today confuse their needs with their preferences. We end up making majors out of minors, and minors out of majors. If we're not careful, what's OKAY ends up taking the place of what's BEST in our lives (TWEET IT!) Healthy Relationships Look Like This: Today's conversation is so, so, so good. On this episode, we're talking through: Learning to choose healthy relationships vs. convenient relationships. Understanding the difference between your needs and your preferences. Exploring how loneliness can drive us to make bad relationship choices, and how to deal with that loneliness. Learning to deal with uncomfortable emotions rather than try to sedate them. Understanding how to set boundaries in relationships that aren't good for us. Finding the courage to say no to the people and situations that are going to bring us down. Practical steps to making a red, green, yellow list of the things you're looking for in a relationship even before you're in a relationship. Why marrying a believer is NOT optional. Single, dating, or married this show has something for you. Tune in to today's episode to hear licensed counselor, Debra Fileta, as she answers her caller through this unscripted conversation in Episode 006 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Additional Ways To Listen: STITCHER Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Learn the difference between what you WANT vs. what you NEED in a relationship. Check out my book, True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life Ready to have some brave conversations about marriage? Single, dating, or married, this book is for you. Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're single, I know you're looking for online dating tips. Because, ugh, online dating? It's a love-hate relationship for sure...especially when it comes to being a Christian and trying to date online. From the Christian singles I've interacted with: they are online because there seems to be no other way to meet other Christian singles. So you give it a try, but like today's caller - you aren't loving it. On today's episode, I talk to a 36-year-old woman who comes from small town in the middle of nowhere, so online dating seems to be her only hope. But she's feeling fed up with it, and she's looking for online dating tips. Somehow, she seems to be attracting the wrong kind of guys. So the question is...is it her? Is it her profile? Is there anything she can do to maximize her chances of finding a good match online. Online Dating Tips You're going to want to tune in because I'm going to give you THREE TIPS to navigating online dating in a way that's productive and will up your chances of finding a good match - and weeding out all the rest. Because like I said on today's episode: It's just as important to learn to attract the right people, as it is to learn to repel the wrong people. (TWEET IT!!) After our conversation, I'm going to introduce you to a married couple who actually met online - and it's working for them! They're going to share their online dating tips and tricks and how they knew it was a right match. You're going to love their online dating advice so make sure you listen to the very end! I just adore this episode, and I know you will to. Get ready to take some notes! Single, dating, or married this show has something for you. Tune in to today's episode to hear licensed counselor, Debra Fileta, as she answers her caller through this unscripted conversation in Episode 005 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Learn to date in a healthy way. Check out my book, True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life Ready to have some brave conversations about marriage? Single, dating, or married, this book is for you. Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me Check out this info graphic with online dating tips! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever found yourself in one sided relationship where you are doing ALL the work? Where you are giving, and giving, and giving - and getting little to nothing in return? Why do you find yourself one way relationships again, and again, and again? The simple answer is this: You attract the type of relationship you think you deserve. (Tweet it!) So how do you change that narrative? How do you start believing that you're worth more? How do you block out the lies that tell you you're not capable, able, deserving, or worthy? Why am I always in a one sided relationship? On today's episode, I talk to a woman who is struggling with one way relationships in every aspect of her life: from dating, to friendship. She finds that she is in a pattern of putting in all the effort, but getting nothing back in return. I also talk through the three types of relationships you need to have in your life, because learning to recognize which type of relationship you are in will let you know whether or not it's time to WALK AWAY from a one sided relationship. Friends - this episode is SO JAM PACKED WITH AMAZING INFORMATION!!! Give this episode a quick listen, and then leave your 5-star rating and review on iTunes! It helps to get the word out and challenge others to move toward God's best for relationships...because you always attract the type of relationship you believe you deserve! (Tweet it) Single, dating, or married this show has something for you. Tune in to today's show to hear licensed counselor, Debra Fileta, as she answers her caller through this unscripted conversation in Episode 004 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to learn more. Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Learn to let go of the labels in Section 1 of, True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life Read some more about How To Deal With One Way Relationships in this TLD Article! Let go of the labels and cling to God's truth about who you are in Christ. Ready to have a brave conversation about marriage? Check out my latest book, Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that conflict can break your relationship, but it can also make it? You can't avoid conflict, but the way you handle it is key. "Conflict is the price we pay for a deeper level of intimacy." (Tweet it!) That was the seriously-best-ever nugget of wisdom that Dr. Les Parrott (my good friend, and psychologist + New York Times Bestselling relationship author) had to say on this episode of the podcast. After answering my listener question about how she should deal with conflict in her brand-new-marriage, I knew there would be no one better to chat with than Dr. Parrot, leading expert in the area of conflict. Because how you handle conflict tells me a lot about your relationships. In fact, in this episode, I tell you about an out-of-this-world research study that was able to prove with 90% ACCURACY, which couples would stay together and which couples would get divorced based on how they fought. That's no joke. But the good news is that we also talk about what it takes to be successful in this important area of your life. Your fight style is key to the success of your relationships...so you better learn how to fight well. Because conflict can also lead to greater intimacy, if you know how to manage it in a healthy way. Give this episode (31 minutes) a quick listen, and then leave your 5-star rating and review on iTunes! It helps to get the word out and challenge others to move toward God's best for relationships...because conflict is the price you pay for a deeper level of intimacy (Tweet it!) Single, dating, or married this show has something for you. Tune in to today's show to hear licensed counselor, Debra Fileta, as she answers her caller through this unscripted conversation in Episode 003 of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: You heard us mention the importance of knowing yourself on today's show. There are so many aspects to your personality and your fight style is one of those things. Take the YADA assessment and learn more about your personality, your relationships style, your approach to conflict, and so much more: CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE YADA ASSESSMENT NOW! Learn more about your communication patterns, as well as strategies to navigate conflict in a healthy way, including the Speaker-Listener technique mentioned on the show in Chapters 2 & 3 of Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me Learn how to attract and keep a healthy dating relationships in True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you know if someone is just not that into you? "You should never have to convince someone that you're worth loving." (Tweet it!) That's exactly what I told the caller on today's episode of the show. After getting burned by a lady he's been getting to know, he finds himself wondering how on earth is a person supposed to read the opposite sex and find out whether or not someone is interested? Are there signs to be on the lookout for? Why, yes...yes there are. 10 different signs to be exact. But here's the key: you have to be willing to recognize them, and then accept them. And I'm going to talk through all this and more in today's interesting show!! If you've ever been in a relationship where you wondered whether or not they felt the same way about you as you felt about them (whether dating or even in marriage) - then this episode is for you. Give this short episode (25 minutes) a quick listen, and then leave your 5-star rating and review on iTunes! It helps to get the word out and challenge others to move toward God's best for relationships...because you should never have to convince someone that you're worth investing in (tweet it). [Single, dating, or married, this episode has something for you! Tune in to today's show to hear licensed counselor, Debra Fileta, as she answers her caller through this unscripted conversation in Episode 002 of the Love + Relationships Podcast.] SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: 10 Signs He/She Is Not That Into You Does He Like Me? 7 Clues He's Interested Does She Like Me? 7 Clues She's Interested Learn how to attract and keep a healthy dating relationships in True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life Find out choices you can make today, to build a better marriage for tomorrow in Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've all got demons that we carry into relationships; experiences from our past that can impact the way we do relationships in the present. Our past doesn't define us, but it can certainly have an impact on the kind of relationships we find ourselves drawn to. It can have an impact on who we choose to open up to, and trust. "But absolutely nothing in your life is beyond God's redemption" (TWEET IT!) If you find yourself struggling with trust issues in a relationship, you might find yourself asking: How do you determine if the problem is in your relationship, or if the problem is in you? How can you deal with trust issues when they seem to come up again and again? What can you do to bring healing into your past experiences, and hope into your present relationships? In today's show, I talk to Latoya, who finds herself struggling with trust issues with her soon-to-be-husband. Little by little, we find out how her past is influencing the feelings she's having, and I give her practical steps to help her overcome the grip that the past is having on her life. If you've ever struggled with issues from your past having an impact on your present relationships - then this episode is for you. Because like I said to today's caller: "Absolutely nothing in your life is beyond God's redemption" (TWEET IT!) Do you believe that healing can happen in your life? Will you receive that healing? Single, dating, or married, this episode has something for you! Tune in to today's show to hear licensed counselor, Debra Fileta, as she answers her caller through this unscripted conversation in the first Episode of the Love + Relationships Podcast. SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON iTUNES BY CLICKING HERE Resources Mentioned on the Love + Relationships Podcast and Additional Show Notes: Are you protecting your relationship? Learn more about setting boundaries in your relationship in Choosing Marriage: Why It Has To Start With We > Me (Chapter 8: Always use protection) How is your past impacting your relationships? Learn to recognize and deal with your past issues in True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life (Section 1: Dating Inward) Want to be on the Love + Relationships Podcast? Go to truelovedates.com/loveandrelationships/ to learn more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices