I love listening to podcasts when I'm doing everyday tasks like showering or cooking dinner. The first podcast I discovered was the Bad Christian Podcast and a few years ago they began promoting the Anatomy of Marriage Podcast. I ended up subscribing and I'm so glad I did because now it's one of my favorite shows.
The hosts are Seth and Melanie Studley, a fun couple who talk about real issues in marriage. They are making the podcast they wish they had when they almost divorced several years ago. They are honest, vulnerable, and not afraid to discuss hard topics. Sometimes they have experts or real couples on the show to talk about specific issues.
Seth is a licensed marriage and family therapist, so he has a clinical perspective, while Melanie is an audio engineer and hard working mom of 3. They share practical tools like "the clearing structure" and "the fight map" which help with communication.
They also focus a lot on "family of origin". It was extremely eye opening to realize how you grew up impacts almost everything about how you live and interact with your spouse and kids. It can be difficult when a couple comes together with completely different backgrounds. Intentionally and lovingly discussing the things you like and dislike about each family is a great way to navigate your relationship. That way, you can keep good things and ditch the things that don't foster a healthy lifestyle.
One of the topics that stands out to me is when they discussed the concept of "flooding'". They explained when you're in a fight, you can become so angry your brain can't handle it and you become flooded. When you're in this state, what your loved one says is not received and you'll lash out and say things you don't mean. Learning about this concept has been particularly helpful to my husband and I because if we recognize one or both of us is flooded, we take a break and continue talking once we've calmed down.
Recently, Seth and Melanie have been doing "100 days of Q&A's" where they answer viewer questions live on Instagram and Facebook. This version of the show is unique and very helpful because real couples write in with questions that are answered right away.
I'm very excited to see what they produce in the future. They have a pre-marital series and an app in the works that I'll definitely be checking out. Whether you're single, dating, engaged, newlyweds, or have been married for years, this show will be beneficial to you!
Check out their website: https://anatomyofmarriage.com/ and subscribe to the podcast!
