Guests: Couples Therapist - Baya Voce, Austin-Based Dating Coach - Kate Durocher, and Hot Takes Hot Dates Host - Joel Monteleone
This episode charts the full journey of modern relationships—from building unshakable self-worth to navigating long-term connection with depth and clarity. Kate Durocher shares how embracing solitude and doing the internal work laid the foundation for finding a healthy, aligned partnership. Joel Monteleone, Founder of Austin’s “Hot and Sober” and Host of “Hot Takes Hot Dates” events, highlights the power of in-person connection and why play, presence, and risk are essential antidotes to dating app fatigue.
Baya Voce delivers a masterclass in conflict and repair, breaking down her five-step framework that turns rupture into reconnection. She explains why most relationships don’t fall apart because of conflict—but because of the lack of meaningful repair. This conversation is an invitation to reimagine what love looks like when it’s rooted in accountability, emotional attunement, and the courage to stay in the mud together.
Together, we challenge outdated ideas of what dating and relationships “should” look like. We explore how to build resilience in a culture that avoids discomfort, how to spot the patterns we inherit from our caregivers, and how to step into relational maturity by taking ownership of our emotional experiences.
Links:
Baya Voce:
Kate Durocher:
Joel Monteleone:
Zach Stiffler:
