The Vibrant Marriage Podcast

Rachel Engels, LMFT
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Relationships
  • Weekly

The Vibrant Marriage Podcast is your weekly breath of fresh air for honest, authentic conversations about building a healthy, joy-filled marriage that lasts. Hosted by marriage and family therapist Rachel Engels, this podcast helps couples grow closer emotionally, spiritually, and relationally—while becoming fully alive as the unique people God created them to be. If you’re looking for solid marriage advice, ways to keep the spark alive, or practical support for overcoming life’s challenges together, you’re in the right place. Each episode feels like a warm chat over coffee with a trusted friend—full of relatable stories, expert guidance, and grounded encouragement. Inside the show, you’ll discover: - Expert relationship advice rooted in clinical wisdom  - Inspiring interviews with couples who’ve navigated challenges and learned to thrive - Practical tools for growing your marriage, nurturing emotional intimacy, and supporting your spouse (without losing yourself) - Encouragement for tough days—and actionable steps for reconnecting, reigniting passion, and repairing after conflict Whether you want help with communication, emotional connection, navigating stress, or growing your marriage, this podcast gives you the tools and encouragement to cultivate a vibrant, authentic, lasting relationship. Subscribe to The Vibrant Marriage Podcast and let’s overcome life’s challenges together while building a marriage that’s deeply connected, meaningful, and built to sustain you for the life and calling you were meant to live. Hosted by Rachel Engels, a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of California (#120068).  Please note, however, that this podcast is not therapy. The information shared is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling, diagnosis, or personalized mental health treatment.

  1. 1d ago

    Changing How You Think About Your Marriage

    You think you're arguing about schedules, chores, or whose idea is better. But underneath, a quieter conversation is running: Why are you like this? Why can't you be more like me? In this episode, I share how my own critical thoughts about my husband made our first few years of marriage miserable, and what began to change when I changed the way I thought about him, myself, and our marriage. We talk about why the real danger for most of us isn't missing our spouse's flaws, it's scrutinizing them too closely. We look at the two ways we tend to cope (control and escape), and I walk you through the shift that moves a marriage forward: trading criticism for curiosity. In this episode: The decision that changes things: "This is the person I committed to, and I'm growing into someone who keeps my vows" How criticism, condescension, correction, and confrontation show up (including in your tone and body language) Why "giving them a pass" and "being a doormat" aren't the same thing Three questions to ask yourself before you react: Why might this make sense for them? Why am I reacting this way? What is my contribution to this dynamic? What to do when a conversation isn't productive in the moment A note: this episode is not about overlooking violence, threats, coercive control, or other unsafe behavior. If that's your situation, listen to Episode 18, The Five Situations a Couples Therapist Can't Really Help. This podcast is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy. Subscribe wherever you listen, and find more at vibrantmarriage.co.

  2. Jun 19

    How Echoes of Your Childhood Affect Your Marriage

    What do your earliest childhood experiences of attachment have to do with the way you interact with and relate to your spouse?  A whole lot, turns out.  In this episode we'll cover the 3 different types of attachment styles and how yours affects your marriage, as well as 3 common types of parental dynamics I've observed in my practice that can have an outsized impact on the way kids relate to their future spouses, communicate, and cope with relational tension. If anything in this episode strikes a chord for you and you're interested in finding an EMDR therapist who can help you work through past trauma, so you can show up more as the person you want to be in your current marriage, you can learn more about what EMDR therapy is or find a certified EMDR therapist in your area at emdria.org.

  3. Jun 12

    Being Goofballs Together & The Art of Using Humor in Marriage

    Maintaining a sense of playfulness in marriage is so important, and the skillful use of humor can be a superpower that helps keep your relationship healthy and vibrant.  In this episode, Rachel talks about three kinds of humor that can pop up in marriage, what function they each have, and how to incorporate more of the the right kinds of humor that bring you closer and keep your friendship going strong.

  4. Jun 5

    A Couple's Guide to Surviving the World Cup

    The World Cup is coming — and if one of you is a die-hard fan and the other is just trying to get through the month, this episode is for you. Rachel brought in her husband Stephen (a former college soccer coach and certified soccer obsessive) to talk through what it actually looks like to navigate a big sports season — or any major time commitment — without resentment building up on either side. Whether you're the one counting down the days until kickoff or the one quietly wondering how long this whole thing lasts, you'll walk away with practical tools, honest conversation starters, and a game plan you can both feel good about. In this episode: Why the World Cup is genuinely different from other sports events — and why that matters to your spouse What the sports-loving partner actually needs (hint: it's not just permission to watch) How to renegotiate household rhythms so one person isn't carrying the full load The role of symbolic reciprocity — and why it matters more than perfect division of labor How to handle the emotional fallout when your spouse's team loses

  5. May 29

    I Just Caught My Husband Using Porn. Now What? (with Cori L. Page, IMFT, CSAT)

    You didn't expect to find it. And now you can't stop thinking about it. If you've just discovered your husband is using porn, you're probably feeling betrayed, confused, and unsure what to do next. In this episode, I sit down with Cori Page, licensed Independent Marriage and Family Therapist (IMFT) and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), to bring you the clarity and compassion you need right now. We talk about why this hits so hard, how to tell the difference between occasional use and something compulsive or addictive, what you actually need to know, and the next steps for rebuilding trust. We also cover something important: this is not your fault — and his porn use may not even be about what you think it's about. If you're trying to find your footing after a painful discovery, this episode is for you.

  6. May 22

    The 5 Situations that a Couples Therapist Can’t Really Help

    Some marriage problems aren't fixed by better communication skills or a good therapist — they require something else entirely first. In this episode, Rachel gets honest about the five situations where couples therapy either won't work or isn't the right first step: domestic violence, unresolved infidelity, active addiction, personality disorders, and complex trauma. You'll learn why jumping straight into couples work in these situations can actually make things worse — and what needs to happen instead. Whether you're in the thick of one of these situations yourself or watching someone you love struggle, this episode will help you name what you're dealing with and find the right kind of help. Resources and hotlines mentioned in this episode are listed at vibrantmarriage.co/podcast - look for Episode 18.

  7. May 15

    The Real Reason Marriage is So Hard: A Biblical Look at Brokenness, Redemption & What Marriage Can Really Be

    Have you ever wondered why marriage is so much harder than you expected — even when you love your person? In Episode 17, Rachel puts on her armchair theologian hat to explore the real reason marriage is hard: not compatibility issues or unmet expectations, but the comprehensive brokenness that touches every corner of life and every human relationship. She walks through the four key themes of the biblical story — Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation — and unpacks what they mean for the day-to-day realities of married life. Why did intimacy become so scary? Why do we wound the people we love most? Why does marriage feel lonely when it was supposed to feel like home? But this episode doesn't stop at the hard stuff. Rachel also shares the hopeful, redemptive vision for what marriage can be — drawing on Paul David Tripp's What Did You Expect? and a stunning passage from Tim Keller's The Meaning of Marriage that just might give you goosebumps. Books mentioned: The True Story of the Whole World (Bartholomew & Goheen), What Did You Expect? (Paul David Tripp), The Meaning of Marriage (Tim Keller).

  8. May 8

    When Your Marriage Feels More Like a Roommate Situation

    Does your marriage feel more like a roommate situation than a real friendship lately? You're not alone — and it doesn't have to stay that way. In Episode 16, therapist and relationship coach Rachel Engels unpacks the four most common reasons couples drift toward the "roommate dynamic," including the neuroscience behind why the butterflies fade, the survival-mode trap, the imbalance of who's actually doing the relationship work, and the fear of being real with your spouse. But here's the good news: you don't have to overhaul everything at once. Rachel shares four simple, practical ways to start putting some fun and friendship back into your relationship — starting this week.

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5
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About

The Vibrant Marriage Podcast is your weekly breath of fresh air for honest, authentic conversations about building a healthy, joy-filled marriage that lasts. Hosted by marriage and family therapist Rachel Engels, this podcast helps couples grow closer emotionally, spiritually, and relationally—while becoming fully alive as the unique people God created them to be. If you’re looking for solid marriage advice, ways to keep the spark alive, or practical support for overcoming life’s challenges together, you’re in the right place. Each episode feels like a warm chat over coffee with a trusted friend—full of relatable stories, expert guidance, and grounded encouragement. Inside the show, you’ll discover: - Expert relationship advice rooted in clinical wisdom  - Inspiring interviews with couples who’ve navigated challenges and learned to thrive - Practical tools for growing your marriage, nurturing emotional intimacy, and supporting your spouse (without losing yourself) - Encouragement for tough days—and actionable steps for reconnecting, reigniting passion, and repairing after conflict Whether you want help with communication, emotional connection, navigating stress, or growing your marriage, this podcast gives you the tools and encouragement to cultivate a vibrant, authentic, lasting relationship. Subscribe to The Vibrant Marriage Podcast and let’s overcome life’s challenges together while building a marriage that’s deeply connected, meaningful, and built to sustain you for the life and calling you were meant to live. Hosted by Rachel Engels, a licensed marriage and family therapist in the state of California (#120068).  Please note, however, that this podcast is not therapy. The information shared is for educational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional counseling, diagnosis, or personalized mental health treatment.

Information

  • Creator
    Rachel Engels, LMFT
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    23
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Vibrant Marriage Podcast