Sherley's Show

Sherley Troutman

Sherley's Show provides guidance and encouragement for women from all walks of life who are reclaiming their power and rebuilding their relationships after crisis. Talking about everything dealing with relationships such as infidelity, forgiveness, sex, marriage, dating, defining turning points in our relationships for better or worse and so much more. Take time out of your day to allow me to make you laugh and cry, have the space to be sad or angry, and give you room to voice your opinion. Helping you on this journey called life.

  1. 3d ago

    Choosing Peace: Why Separation or Divorce Doesn't Mean You Failed

    We celebrate engagements, weddings and anniversaries. But when a relationship ends, the celebration often turns into whispers. What happened? Who did what? Did they try hard enough? Divorce is often treated like failure, while staying—sometimes even when two people are deeply unhappy—is viewed as commitment. But what if leaving can require just as much strength as staying? When Staying Isn't the Healthiest Choice There are countless reasons people remain in relationships that no longer make them happy: children, finances, family expectations, religion, fear of starting over and simply being comfortable with the life they know. For generations, especially for women, leaving wasn't always financially possible. Today, more people have the independence to ask a different question: Is staying actually what's best for me? Choosing to leave doesn't necessarily mean you didn't fight hard enough. Sometimes it means you've finally acknowledged that the relationship is no longer healthy. Separation Can Create Clarity I know firsthand that separation doesn't always mean the end. Kaleef and I separated twice during difficult periods in our relationship. I needed distance—not necessarily because I knew I wanted to leave, but because I needed enough space to figure out whether I wanted to stay. That time apart allowed me to ask myself difficult questions: Did I miss him? Did I still want this relationship? Could we rebuild what had been damaged? Ultimately, we came back together because both of us were willing to do the work.

    Choosing Peace: Why Separation or Divorce Doesn't Mean You Failed
  2. Oct 14

    Betrayal, Trust & the Truth About Relationships: You Never Really Know What's Happening Behind Closed Doors

    Relationships can be beautiful. They can be fulfilling. They can teach us about love, forgiveness, growth, and ourselves. But relationships can also expose us to some of the deepest forms of betrayal. On this episode of Sherley's Show, Kira and I sat down to discuss the Hulu series Betrayal—and this conversation went far beyond the show itself. We talked about infidelity, deception, marriage, protecting our children, the unrealistic expectations we sometimes place on relationships, and one uncomfortable reality: You can do everything "right" and still experience something you never saw coming. Trigger Warning: This post discusses infidelity, grooming, child sexual abuse, and sexual assault. Please read with care. Social Media Is Not Real Life Before we even got into Betrayal, our conversation naturally turned to relationships we see online. Social media gives us a front-row seat to other people's lives—but only to the parts they choose to show us. We see the beautiful homes. The vacations. The funny videos. The anniversaries. The perfectly edited family moments. What we don't see is what happens after the camera turns off. That's something I've always tried to be conscious of with my own platform. I don't want anyone looking at my relationship and thinking I have everything figured out. I don't. I am not a relationship coach. I am not a counselor or psychiatrist. I'm Sherley. I sit behind this microphone and talk about what I have experienced, what I have learned, what has worked, and what hasn't. Because none of us should idolize someone else's relationship based on what we see online. A relationship can look perfect publicly while two people are privately struggling. And sometimes, the truth doesn't come out until months or even years after the problems began.

    Betrayal, Trust & the Truth About Relationships: You Never Really Know What's Happening Behind Closed Doors
  3. Aug 19

    What Does a Healthy Relationship Really Look Like

    One of the biggest takeaways from this week's podcast was realizing how differently people define a healthy relationship. If you ask ten couples what love, intimacy, or even a "50/50 relationship" looks like, you'll probably get ten different answers. That's because every relationship has its own rhythm, its own strengths, and its own challenges. There isn't a one-size-fits-all formula. For the longest time, I honestly believed that 50/50 meant exactly that. I thought both people were supposed to contribute equally every single day. The older I've gotten, and the longer Khalif and I have been together, the more I've realized that's simply not realistic. Life doesn't work that way. There are days when one person is carrying more because the other person is exhausted, overwhelmed, traveling for work, or simply going through something mentally or emotionally. A healthy relationship isn't about making sure everything is perfectly even. It's about continuing to show up for one another with whatever you have to give that day. Intimacy Is More Than Physical When people hear the word intimacy, most immediately think about sex. While physical intimacy is certainly important, it's only one part of building a strong relationship. During this episode, we talked about the four different types of intimacy: emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual. Each one plays a role in creating connection. Emotional intimacy comes from feeling safe enough to be vulnerable. Mental intimacy is built by sharing your dreams, goals, and the future you're creating together. Spiritual intimacy can look different for every couple, whether that's praying together, reading scripture, or simply sharing the same values. When one area begins to suffer, the relationship often starts to feel disconnected, even if everything else seems fine on the surface.

    What Does a Healthy Relationship Really Look Like
  4. Aug 5

    11 Years Later: What Marriage Looks Like Now

    When people hear our story, they usually want to know one thing... How are we doing now? This year marks 11 years since one of the hardest seasons of our relationship. It's still hard to believe it's been that long. Time really does fly. If you've followed me for a while, you know Khalif and I have always tried to be transparent about what we've been through. We don't share everything, but we do share enough to hopefully encourage someone else who might be walking through a difficult season. The biggest thing I can say today is this, we're doing well. Not because life is perfect. Not because we never disagree. And definitely not because we've arrived. We're doing well because we've never stopped doing the work. One of the biggest reasons for that is counseling. Even after all these years, we're still meeting with our counselors. Some people think therapy is only for relationships that are falling apart, but I couldn't disagree more. For us, it's maintenance. It's a chance to check in, work through unhealthy patterns, and make sure we're staying intentional instead of simply going through the motions. Recently our counselor challenged us with something that really stuck with me. He said sometimes we're either living in the past or worrying about the future instead of truly being present. That hit home. Even after healing, there are still moments where it's easy to protect yourself instead of fully showing up. Healing doesn't mean you forget what happened. It means you stop allowing it to control every decision you make.

    11 Years Later: What Marriage Looks Like Now
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About

Sherley's Show provides guidance and encouragement for women from all walks of life who are reclaiming their power and rebuilding their relationships after crisis. Talking about everything dealing with relationships such as infidelity, forgiveness, sex, marriage, dating, defining turning points in our relationships for better or worse and so much more. Take time out of your day to allow me to make you laugh and cry, have the space to be sad or angry, and give you room to voice your opinion. Helping you on this journey called life.