“Let this be your permission to go inwards and listen to the answers that are already within you.” — Allison Villa Hello dear friends - some bittersweet news to share… This will be the final episode of the Couplehood podcast. (I may return once again or re-direct my energy into other projects...we shall see!) After much reflection, I’ve decided to take a pause on many aspects of my work life. In this episode, I share why I’ve come to this decision, the passage t...

“The day to day moments are just as meaningful as the date nights you have.”— Allison VillaHow do we show love every day, when family life is so full-on?I get this question a lot.This is why I created the Love.Every.Day. series every Tuesday on Instagram...and now, also on the podcast!Love.Every.Day tips are simple yet powerful ways to show your love to each other.If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll know how much I advocate showing your kids what a loving relationship looks like, ...

“The best measure of your parenting is your child’s happiness.”— Allison VillaHave you ever stopped to think about what lessons you have learned in parenthood? Recently, I’ve celebrated a huge milestone in my life; 10 years of motherhood. In today’s episode of Couplehood, I took some time to reflect on what I’ve learned in my 10 years of parenting and what I would tell myself 10 years ago when I began my motherhood journey. As you listen, I encourage you to reflect on you...

“A Blessing Way is traditionally when multi-generations come together to celebrate & support the mother-to-be before baby’s arrival.”— Allison VillaToday’s episode of the Couplehood podcast is for those of you that are expecting, or have someone in your life that’s expecting. We’re going to cover the difference between a Baby Shower and a Blessing Way.If you’ve never heard of a Blessing Way - don’t worry - I’m going to fill you in!I recently hosted a Blessing Way that had a unique t...

“I want our kids to see the support we give each other. You can have differences, but still be loving and supportive of each other.”— SarahToday’s episode is part of my limited Sandbox Spotlight series, which features interviews with real-life couples talking about their real-life experiences navigating the 4 Relationship Seasons, developing better communication skills, and deepening their connection.If you haven’t listened to my episodes on the Relationship Seasons, I recommend you che...

“You don’t need to know how it’s going to unfold. You just need to take the first step.” — Allison Villa In this episode we are continuing the Couple’s Sandbox Spotlight Series, but for this special episode, I invited my husband Arjan to join me! We share some insight into where our relationship is today. If you’re a couple that has experienced a significant lifestyle change this year like a move to a new location, switching to homeschooling, or completing a reno, then this epi...

“I’m all about small steps that have a big impact.” — Allison If you’re a couple that’s in the Coping Season, this episode is for you! We’ll be exploring how couples deal with relationship stresses and learn how to communicate more effectively. This episode is part of my limited Sandbox Spotlight series, which features interviews with real-life couples talking about their real-life experiences moving through the 4 Relationship Seasons. It’s honest, raw, and a reminder that we a...

“How you love each other today lives on through your children and in generations to come.” — Allison Villa In this week’s episodes of the Couplehood podcast, we are bringing back the Sandbox Spotlight series, a limited series featuring interviews with real-life couples talking about their real-life experiences! In the series, we’re going to talk about their challenges, their joys, and how they successfully navigate The 4 Relationship Seasons. My guests for this episode are Britt and...

Please enjoy this replay episode of number 18!“Before the pandemic, I was a completely different person.”— CeciliaIf you’re a couple that’s had a major lifestyle change during the pandemic, this will be a useful episode for you!This is the second episode of my limited Sandbox Spotlight series, which features interviews with real-life couples talking about their real-life experiences moving through the relationship seasons with total honesty.If you haven’t listened to my episodes on the ...

Please enjoy this replay of episode 17!“It’s not easy to parent if you’re not on the same wavelength.”— JakeWelcome to the first episode of the Sandbox Spotlight series, a limited series featuring interviews with real-life couples talking about their real-life experiences! In the series, we’re going to talk about their challenges, their joys, and how they successfully navigate the four relationship seasons.If you haven’t listened to my episodes on the relationship seasons, I recommend y...

“You are the secure base for your children. If you’re not good, then it filters down to your kids.”— Allison VillaWhile the stigma against therapy has fallen quite a bit over the last few decades as more people are accepting its benefits in terms of mental and emotional health, many couples still hesitate to commit to working on their relationship with a professional, for a few different reasons.Throughout my time as a psychotherapist and relationship expert, I’ve noticed three question...

“What does emotional foreplay look like to you?”— Allison VillaIn any long-term relationship, there will be periods where sexual frequency shifts. This can be tied to medical issues, stress, changes in mental health, changes in workload, having young children, or life just getting in the way.While many couples worry that having less sex automatically means that their relationship is in trouble, that’s far from the truth! These ebbs and flows are a natural part of being in a long-term co...

“Words and actions are the ultimate way to build trust in your relationship.”— Allison VillaWhat’s the ultimate make-or-break when it comes to enjoying a healthy and successful relationship?Trust.Trust is absolutely essential for maintaining a strong and connected bond with your partner. It’s the foundation to every relationship, and small cracks in that foundation can add up over time... and eventually cause your couple to crumble.Trust isn’t only broken through major betrayals, such a...

“What do you need to feel good, and what does that look like in action?”— Allison VillaToday’s topic is something that comes up a lot in both individual and couples therapy. It’s an issue that affects all types of relationships, from romantic to familial to professional. And it’s one that a lot of people struggle with, and even feel guilty about.Today, I want to talk about boundaries and resentment.People set physical and emotional limits regarding how they want other people to behave a...

“It’s not so much about it being your idea. You want it to become their idea.”— Allison VillaHave you ever wanted to make a change in your lifestyle, relationship, or parenting style? Discovering a new parenting technique, sleep routine, or diet can be exciting — but often the challenge lies in getting your partner as excited about the shift as you are.This episode tackles the big question: how do you best get your partner onboard with making a change?(This is one of the most frequently...

“Your love lives on through your kids.”— Allison VillaIf you’re a regular listener of this podcast, I know that you prioritize your romantic relationship. But what you may not know is that love really IS eternal. (Or, at least, a lot more long-lasting than you may have thought). This bite-sized episode explores the science and research that has shown that the love that you and your partner share lives on through your kids. Potentially, the love that you show one another and t...

“How we shift our words impacts how we show up in that relationship.”— Allison VillaToday’s topic is something really simple… but also really powerful: this episode explores exactly why words matter. Being fluent in communication is definitely a relationship superpower! How you speak to and with your partner (and how you speak ABOUT your partner to others in your life) impacts your couple in significant ways. You’ve heard the statement “Thoughts become things...

“Resiliency doesn’t happen by accident.”— Allison Villa It’s pretty common to hear people reassure each other (or themselves) with the phrase “Don’t worry, kids are resilient.” This saying is used as a way to minimize the effects of trauma, hardship, or stress on growing minds. It implies that resilience, the ability to bounce back without too many lasting effects, is an innate trait that all children are born with. It assumes that going through hard things just makes kids st...

“When I’m being intentional… our relationship feels stronger.”— Lianne Kim Are you or your partner an entrepreneur? If so, this episode will be especially helpful for you! Building a business can take up a lot of room in our lives, in terms of both time and emotional space. But it’s important that we don’t forget to weave connection and intimacy into our lives — it’s vital that we nurture our couple just as we nurture our growing businesses! My special g...

“When you’re tired, there’s a lot of things that you’re unable to do.”— Allison VillaHow do we connect meaningfully with our partners when we are just so tired?While being a parent can be one of the most wonderful and fulfilling experiences, it can also be exhausting — physically, mentally, and emotionally. It can be very easy to put off reconnecting with your partner until you feel less tired, but you may find that days turn into weeks (or even months) before you realize it. And y...