S4 E23: Roommate Syndrome, Bad Marriage Advice, and the Tool That Tells You Whether to Stay or Leave

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Most couples don't fall out of love dramatically. They just slowly stop paying attention to each other — until one day they look up and realize they're running a household with a stranger.

In this episode, Alex and Amanda sit down with marriage coach Monica Tanner to talk about why the advice you've been given — don't sweat the small stuff, compromise, just let it go — might actually be accelerating the drift. Monica introduces the idea of skillful communication over lazy communication, explains why there's always a desire underneath every complaint, and walks through her relational reckoning tool for couples who aren't sure if there's still enough to save.

They also get into roommate syndrome, how to talk about sex without it becoming a battleground, the difference between compromise and collaboration, and why getting what you asked for from your partner can sometimes feel worse than not getting it at all.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by our podcast guest are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the hosts or the podcast. We value diverse perspectives and aim to provide a platform for thoughtful discussion and exploration of different ideas.

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