Thrive Again - Your relationship podcast

Michael & Amy
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  • Relationships
  • Updated Biweekly

Guiding a positive redesign in the relationship we have with our partner and ourselves. Offering tools, strategies and personal insights to bring your relationship from barely surviving to thriving.We are Michael and Amy, your couples connection coaches. Our mission is to help relationships to THRIVE again! A bit about us...We met in 2005 and married in 2009, welcomed two children in 2010 and 2012. Our relationship has had many ups and downs since we first met.-  Mental breakdowns from work overload- Massive stresses from a premature baby- Scare with ovarian cancer- Dealing with financial pressures- Not knowing ourselves!This led us to experiencing:- A communication breakdown- Arguments and not understanding each other- Living separately under one roof- Exhaustion! This podcast is for couples and singles who want to unlock their relationship potential using a conscious and holistic approach that brought us back to a state of beautiful harmony. One of the basic human needs is to feel LOVE and CONNECTION but our modern life has led us to feel disconnected and isolated more than ever before. This podcast is all about helping you to RECONNECT as a couple at a deeper, more meaningful, soul level.  Now, both working as coaches we share insights, client breakthroughs and personal stories to move your relationships from barely surviving to absolutely thriving!  www.michaelandamy.com.au

  1. 3d ago

    Low Libido Or Something Deeper?

    Low desire can look like a bedroom problem, but it often starts as a nervous system and connection problem. We’re Michael and Amy, couple’s connection coaches, and we keep seeing the same pattern: one partner reaches for sex to feel loved, the other feels pressured and shuts down, and suddenly both people feel ashamed, guilty, and miles apart. We pull apart the “low libido” label and talk about what sits underneath it, including stress and disconnection from the body, the mental load many women carry, and why responsive desire needs the right conditions. We also get real about emotional safety: unresolved resentments, feeling unseen, and the small daily moments that tell the body it’s safe enough to open. Along the way we share practical ideas like phone-free nights, self-nurture rituals, and learning to talk during sex instead of guessing. We also explore beliefs and shame around sex, how many adults never learn what genuinely turns them on, and where hormones, perimenopause, menopause, medication, and health concerns fit into the picture without becoming a blanket explanation. Finally, we speak directly to the partnership piece: how men can support by reducing pressure and increasing steadiness, and why rebuilding affection without it automatically leading to sex can be a powerful reset. If you want more closeness without blame, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a mate, and leave a review. What’s the biggest thing that blocks desire in your relationship right now? Thankyou for listening, if you liked it, please remember to subscribe. Join our Private "Thriving relationships - Deepening connection to self and others" community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107209283451758/ Website: https://michaelandamy.com.au/ Join our free 7 day relationship challenge: https://michaelandamy.com.au/free-relationship-challenge If you would like to book in a private discovery call with us, here is the link: https://michaelandamy.com.au/call

  2. Jul 29

    She Doesn't Trust Your Intentions. She Trusts Your Patterns

    If you’ve ever heard “I don’t feel safe with you” and felt completely lost because you’re genuinely trying, this conversation will land. We’re Michael and Amy, couples connection coaches, and we’re getting real about a relationship skill that isn’t glamorous but changes everything: consistency. Not perfection. Not big romantic gestures. The steady, visible follow-through that helps a woman’s nervous system relax and lets trust rebuild at a deep level. We talk about why the feminine often trusts patterns more than intentions, and how unpredictability (even when it’s not malicious) can trigger anxious attachment, control, micromanaging, and that “I’ll just do it myself” shutdown. We also name the other side of the loop: when a man feels repulsed by the intensity, withdraws or gets passive-aggressive, and accidentally creates more insecurity and resentment. If you’ve been stuck in this cycle, you’re not broken, you’re caught in a pattern that can be interrupted. We then get practical: what integrity looks like when words match actions, why a good week doesn’t equal real change, and how accountability softens conflict fast. We also share what the feminine can do that actually helps, including specific encouragement and clear examples of the behaviours that create safety, so it’s not a guessing game. We finish with how our 12-week programme, The Reconnected Union, supports couples to slow things down, uncover needs and values, and build consistency that lasts. If this resonates, subscribe, share it with your partner, and leave a review so more couples can find this work. What’s one small promise you can follow through on this week? Thankyou for listening, if you liked it, please remember to subscribe. Join our Private "Thriving relationships - Deepening connection to self and others" community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107209283451758/ Website: https://michaelandamy.com.au/ Join our free 7 day relationship challenge: https://michaelandamy.com.au/free-relationship-challenge If you would like to book in a private discovery call with us, here is the link: https://michaelandamy.com.au/call

  3. Jul 7

    When Criticism Is Really A Cry For Softness

    A throwaway comment can turn into daggers in seconds and then you are both standing there thinking, how did we get here? We’re Michael and Amy, couples connection coaches, and we’re pulling back the curtain on a pattern we see all the time: one partner (often during PMS, perimenopause, or a low-capacity week) snaps or criticises, the other partner braces, defends, or shuts down, and suddenly you’re miles apart. We talk through a real client-style scenario and our own lived experience of hormonal fog, emotional outbursts, and that deep need to feel supported, safe, and protected. We unpack what’s really happening under the criticism, why men often default to logic and “fixing”, and how the nervous system drives the speed of defensiveness. You’ll hear why softness can be genuinely hard for men, especially when they were raised with “man up” messaging that pushed the lover and nurturer into the shadows. Then we get practical. We share language that helps you name the moment before it explodes, ways to come alongside instead of going head-on, and a simple question that can change the whole conversation: do you want to be heard, do you want a hug, or do you want help? We also explain how couples slide into coexisting and logistics-only chats, and why a fast reset is possible when you change a few communication patterns, including through our one-day Couples Connection Retreats (Agnes Water, Sunshine Coast, and more). If this dynamic feels familiar, hit play, try one tool this week, and tell us what shifted. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next conversation, share this with a mate or your partner, and leave a review to help more couples find their way back to connection. Our Couples Connection Retreats: https://michaelandamy.com.au/retreats Thankyou for listening, if you liked it, please remember to subscribe. Join our Private "Thriving relationships - Deepening connection to self and others" community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107209283451758/ Website: https://michaelandamy.com.au/ Join our free 7 day relationship challenge: https://michaelandamy.com.au/free-relationship-challenge If you would like to book in a private discovery call with us, here is the link: https://michaelandamy.com.au/call

  4. Jun 25

    Our Story: How We Found Our Way Back to Each Other | Interviewed by Aaron & Greer

    A relationship can look “fine” while you’re quietly falling apart inside it. We sit down with Aaron and Greer Christos in Tasmania and tell the real backstory behind our work as couples connection coaches: two little kids, shift work, resentment, and that heavy loneliness that creeps in when you stop feeling like lovers and start functioning like housemates. We unpack the moment things changed: Amy wrote a letter that named her truth without blame, and it cracked open Michael’s provider-only program and the masks he didn’t even realise he wore. From there we talk about what actually helped, not just in theory but in lived experience: women’s circles, men’s circles, therapy-style self-reflection, meditation, and learning emotional literacy so hard conversations don’t turn into shutdown or explosion. You’ll also hear the frameworks we now use with couples: why emotional safety is the foundation, how trust is rebuilt through consistent behaviour and clear communication, and why nervous system regulation matters as much as the right words. If you’re stuck in the roommates-to-lovers gap, navigating a trust breach, or trying to grow when your partner feels miles behind, this chat offers grounded hope and practical next steps.  If this resonates, subscribe, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more couples can find the support they’ve been missing. Check out Aaron and Greer's podcast and access to their incredible work in the intimacy space: https://www.intimacyforcouples.com/ Thankyou for listening, if you liked it, please remember to subscribe. Join our Private "Thriving relationships - Deepening connection to self and others" community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107209283451758/ Website: https://michaelandamy.com.au/ Join our free 7 day relationship challenge: https://michaelandamy.com.au/free-relationship-challenge If you would like to book in a private discovery call with us, here is the link: https://michaelandamy.com.au/call

  5. Jun 10

    Attachment, Resentment & Narcissism: Understanding the Patterns Behind Relationship Pain with Clare Rosoman

    When you’re stuck in the same fight, it’s tempting to believe you just need better communication skills. We’ve learned the hard way that the real lever is often deeper: the bond, the emotional safety, and the attachment needs neither of you is saying out loud. We’re joined by Claire Rosoman, a psychologist and EFT trainer who helped shape our own work, to break down what emotionally focused therapy looks like in real relationships. We talk about why secure attachment creates flexibility, how self-protection shows up as “armour”, and why slowing the moment down is the fastest way to find what’s actually happening underneath. Claire shares practical language and memorable metaphors to help couples move from defensive cycles into clearer reaching and responding. We also go into resentment as a cold protest that can drain goodwill over time, plus the tough truth that some “relationship problems” are tangled up with individual issues like addiction and coping strategies. Then we tackle one of the most searched and most misused topics online: narcissism. Claire clarifies narcissistic traits vs narcissistic personality disorder, explains grandiosity, entitlement and gaslighting, and describes the “fog” many empathic partners experience when their reality has been governed for years. We explore what can happen when you finally set a boundary, including the crucial difference between narcissistic patterns and simple misunderstanding or neurodivergence. If you want a grounded, compassionate conversation about EFT for couples, attachment theory, relationship resentment, and navigating narcissistic dynamics with clearer eyes, press play. Subscribe, share with someone who needs support, and leave a review letting us know what landed most for you. Check out https://bceft.com.au/ for resources and courses on this topic. Grab Clare's book here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Emotionally-Focused-Guide-Relationship-Loss/dp/103220561X Thankyou for listening, if you liked it, please remember to subscribe. Join our Private "Thriving relationships - Deepening connection to self and others" community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107209283451758/ Website: https://michaelandamy.com.au/ Join our free 7 day relationship challenge: https://michaelandamy.com.au/free-relationship-challenge If you would like to book in a private discovery call with us, here is the link: https://michaelandamy.com.au/call

  6. May 27

    A Conscious Relationship Starts With Choosing Yourself: With Sara Fiordi & Mark Mack

    The fastest way to reveal your unhealed patterns isn’t another self-help book, it’s getting close to someone you love. We’re Michael and Amy, and we’re joined by somatic and identity coach Sarah Fiordi and her partner Mark, a somatic coach for men, to pull apart the idea of the relationship being a mirror and make it real for everyday couples. We talk about what a conscious relationship actually is: two individuals committing to themselves first, not as a selfish move, but as the foundation for a safer, more intimate partnership. Sarah shares how she began noticing the link between nervous system regulation, relationship dynamics, and even success and visibility in business. Mark adds the other side of the coin: freeze, shutdown, disconnection, and how conscious leadership starts with returning to the body. You’ll hear practical tools for when the spark disappears and the triggers take over, including “the pause” (space to regulate, not a break-up), the SEW method (Sensation, Emotion, Want), and why creating a “void window” can help rewire old evidence of danger into new evidence of safety. We also get honest about the messy part: what happens when one partner grows faster, how criticism can be a nervous system response, and how trust and surrender become the next layer of healing. If you’re searching for conscious relating, somatic coaching, nervous system healing, and real strategies for conflict repair, this one will meet you where you are. Subscribe, share this with your partner, and leave a review so more people can build relationships that help them thrive. Find Mark & Sara here: https://teamunfiltered.com/ Instagram:  Sara: https://www.instagram.com/_sarafiordi?igsh=M2c0ZWwwa2ppMWM5 Mark: https://www.instagram.com/markmack_?igsh=MXh5dW9wenZ0d3I5 Thankyou for listening, if you liked it, please remember to subscribe. Join our Private "Thriving relationships - Deepening connection to self and others" community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107209283451758/ Website: https://michaelandamy.com.au/ Join our free 7 day relationship challenge: https://michaelandamy.com.au/free-relationship-challenge If you would like to book in a private discovery call with us, here is the link: https://michaelandamy.com.au/call

  7. May 15

    3 Things That Feel Like Love...But Aren't

    Love can look calm on the outside while quietly falling apart underneath. If you’ve ever felt like you’re “doing the right thing” in your relationship but somehow ending up more distant, we’re putting words to why. We unpack three patterns that often get mistaken for love: walking on eggshells, overgiving, and staying quiet about what you feel. We talk about how tiptoeing becomes suppression, why overgiving can come from anxious attachment and a fear of not being chosen, and how unspoken truth doesn’t disappear, it turns into frustration and resentment. Along the way we share what we see in couples every day: when defensiveness becomes the norm, partners stop feeling heard, and connection starts to harden into roommate energy. We also get practical about what actually helps: emotional safety, nervous system regulation, and the ability to sit in discomfort without making it all about you. If two of these three patterns show up on repeat, there’s nothing “wrong” with you, but there is work to do, and it can change faster than you think with the right communication strategy and support. If this resonates, come and say hi, subscribe for more, and share this with someone who needs it. What’s the one pattern you want to break first? Thankyou for listening, if you liked it, please remember to subscribe. Join our Private "Thriving relationships - Deepening connection to self and others" community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107209283451758/ Website: https://michaelandamy.com.au/ Join our free 7 day relationship challenge: https://michaelandamy.com.au/free-relationship-challenge If you would like to book in a private discovery call with us, here is the link: https://michaelandamy.com.au/call

  8. Apr 28

    How To Rebuild Desire & Sexual Intimacy In Long-Term Relationships: With Sexologist Isiah McKimmie

    If your relationship looks great on paper but your physical connection has quietly faded, you’re not broken and you’re definitely not alone. We sit down with Australia’s leading relationship therapist and sexologist Isiah McKimmie to name the real reason intimacy disappears in long-term relationships: it drifts, slowly, until touch feels risky and sex turns into the unspoken tension sitting between you. We unpack why “quick fixes” rarely work and why sexual intimacy can’t be treated like a separate problem to solve. Isiah walks us through the order that actually rebuilds a thriving relationship: get clear on a shared vision, rebuild daily connection, learn to communicate needs without criticism or defensiveness, then bring that safety into the bedroom. Along the way we talk about rejection, guilt, fear, and the stories couples tell themselves when desire doesn’t match. We also go deep on pleasure, tantra, and the nervous system, translating spiritual tools into practical, evidence-based strategies. You’ll hear why relaxation is essential for arousal, what “foreplay” really means, and why many couples benefit from redefining sex beyond penetration and orgasm. Michael and Amy share a 30-day intimacy experiment that became an “embodiment practice”, plus a simple appreciation game you can start tonight to soften resentment and bring warmth back fast. If you want better couples communication, stronger emotional safety, and a sex life that feels connected instead of pressured, press play. After you listen, share this with your partner or a friend, then subscribe and leave a review so more couples can find the support they need. To find Isiah and her amazing work: https://isiah-mckimmie.com/ https://www.instagram.com/isiahmckimmie.sexologist/ Thankyou for listening, if you liked it, please remember to subscribe. Join our Private "Thriving relationships - Deepening connection to self and others" community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1107209283451758/ Website: https://michaelandamy.com.au/ Join our free 7 day relationship challenge: https://michaelandamy.com.au/free-relationship-challenge If you would like to book in a private discovery call with us, here is the link: https://michaelandamy.com.au/call

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About

Guiding a positive redesign in the relationship we have with our partner and ourselves. Offering tools, strategies and personal insights to bring your relationship from barely surviving to thriving.We are Michael and Amy, your couples connection coaches. Our mission is to help relationships to THRIVE again! A bit about us...We met in 2005 and married in 2009, welcomed two children in 2010 and 2012. Our relationship has had many ups and downs since we first met.-  Mental breakdowns from work overload- Massive stresses from a premature baby- Scare with ovarian cancer- Dealing with financial pressures- Not knowing ourselves!This led us to experiencing:- A communication breakdown- Arguments and not understanding each other- Living separately under one roof- Exhaustion! This podcast is for couples and singles who want to unlock their relationship potential using a conscious and holistic approach that brought us back to a state of beautiful harmony. One of the basic human needs is to feel LOVE and CONNECTION but our modern life has led us to feel disconnected and isolated more than ever before. This podcast is all about helping you to RECONNECT as a couple at a deeper, more meaningful, soul level.  Now, both working as coaches we share insights, client breakthroughs and personal stories to move your relationships from barely surviving to absolutely thriving!  www.michaelandamy.com.au

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