The Loving Truth

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The Loving Truth

Sharon Pope

162 episodes

1 day ago

Sometimes the ache in a marriage isn’t about the big betrayals or blowout fights. It’s about not feeling emotionally comforted by your partner. In this coaching conversation, I explore how our upbringing shapes what we expect from comfort and why our partner may not naturally offer it in the way we long for. I walk through how to express those needs clearly, without criticism, so they can be heard and received. I also share why it’s okay to build a “board of directors” of trusted people who c...

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Society & Culture,

Self-Improvement

All content for The Loving Truth is the property of Sharon Pope and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Sometimes the ache in a marriage isn’t about the big betrayals or blowout fights. It’s about not feeling emotionally comforted by your partner. In this coaching conversation, I explore how our upbringing shapes what we expect from comfort and why our partner may not naturally offer it in the way we long for. I walk through how to express those needs clearly, without criticism, so they can be heard and received. I also share why it’s okay to build a “board of directors” of trusted people who c...

Show more...

Society & Culture,

Self-Improvement

Episodes (20/162)

The Loving Truth

Why AI Can’t Fix What’s Broken in Your Marriage

“If I can’t communicate with my partner without asking a computer what I should say, I’m in trouble.” - Sharon Pope AI is changing every part of our lives, including our relationships. That might sound helpful, but I believe it comes with serious risks. Relationships aren’t about getting the right answer or saying the perfect thing. They’re about learning how to connect, how to repair after conflict, and how to grow alongside another person. If we turn to AI to do that work for us, we stop bu...

22 hours ago

16 minutes

The Loving Truth

Ask Sharon: When What You Wanted Still Isn’t Enough

In this session, I coached two women who were in very different places but wrestling with the same kind of emotional weight. One had left an abusive marriage and found herself in a new relationship with someone who shows up for her in all the ways she used to crave. And yet, the rage is still there. The grief is still there. The other is still in her marriage with a good man, but the spark is gone. She’s trying to force herself to feel something that just isn’t there anymore. What I shared wi...

5 days ago

25 minutes

The Loving Truth

Healing a Marriage After an Affair (When They Don’t Know)

Healing your marriage after an affair is possible, even when your partner doesn't know. But pretending nothing happened isn't the answer. The guilt you feel may push you to come clean, but sharing the truth can shatter your partner’s world, leaving you with even more guilt. Instead, start by getting honest with yourself. Why did you cheat? What were you running from or seeking? Once you understand your motivations, invest in your marriage in real ways. Be intentional, use relationship tools, ...

1 week ago

16 minutes

The Loving Truth

Ask Sharon: I’ve changed, but something still isn’t working

Sometimes our partner can’t see that we’ve changed, and keeps bracing for the backlash that used to come. One woman shared how her husband still expects to be punished when he goes out with friends, even though she’s no longer upset about it. Another is doing all the work to reconnect, but still feels no desire for her partner. And she’s wondering if that’s a sign. But desire isn’t just emotional—it’s hormonal. And it doesn’t magically reappear. It needs care. It needs attention. It needs to ...

1 week ago

20 minutes

The Loving Truth

The Impact of Financial Strain on Relationships

Financial stress can add a lot of tension in relationships. If you're already struggling with communication issues, resentment, or emotional distance, money problems can make everything feel worse. Whether you're staying for financial reasons or struggling to see a way forward, there are always options available to you. You don’t have to suffer. With the right tools and support, you can take action, no matter whether you decide to stay or leave. Struggling to decide whether to stay or go in y...

2 weeks ago

12 minutes

The Loving Truth

Ask Sharon: Planning your separation

In this episode, I walk through how to navigate a trial separation from the emotional prep to the practical logistics. Whether you’re considering physical separation or an in-house one, this is about more than just space, it’s about clarity. I talk about how to communicate the decision, how to set clear ground rules around kids, money, and how you’ll interact, and why this kind of shift—while hard—can be a catalyst for growth. I also cover why most in-house separations don’t work long-term, a...

2 weeks ago

13 minutes

The Loving Truth

Am I Letting Him Off the Hook?

In this episode, I’m answering a big question I hear often: “If I change how I think about my partner’s hurtful behavior… am I just letting him off the hook?” We unpack that idea starting with how our thoughts create our feelings, and how learning to shift those thoughts is not about pretending things are okay. It’s about reclaiming your emotional power. Whether it’s something small, like not replacing the Q-tip jar lid, or something big, like lying and broken trust, I’ll show you how curiosi...

3 weeks ago

18 minutes

The Loving Truth

Ask Sharon: How Hormones Shape Our Relationships

"If you don’t know how to manage your mind, all you have is the ancient instinctual wiring from centuries ago. It’s playing out in your life in a modern world." - Sharon Pope Our hormones shape so much of how we react to each other. Women, driven by estrogen, are wired for connection and emotional harmony, while men, influenced by testosterone, tend to react to conflict with more aggression or defensiveness. I’m diving into the biological differences between men and women and how those differ...

3 weeks ago

24 minutes

The Loving Truth

In this episode, I unpack the subtle but powerful ways resistance shows up in our relationships, both in our partner and in ourselves. Whether it’s denial, blame, or even sarcasm, these are just avoidance tactics we’ve learned to protect ourselves from feeling hurt or rejected. But when every hard conversation is met with pushback, we stop having them. And when we stop having them, we stop repairing the relationship. I’ll walk you through the 12 most common forms of resistance. You’ll know ho...

4 weeks ago

26 minutes

The Loving Truth

When Change is Too Little, Too Late

You did the best you could to love one another, and you made some mistakes along the way, and that’s what brought us here. It doesn’t mean you’re bad people. What happens when one partner finally makes changes after years of disconnection and neglect, only for the other partner to feel too far gone to trust those changes? We often wait for our partner to change, but the reality is, change comes too late for some relationships. When you're finally ready to make your decision, whether to stay o...

1 month ago

24 minutes

The Loving Truth

Ask Sharon: Choosing Yourself Through Financial Betrayal

In this conversation, I talk about navigating the emotional turmoil of financial betrayal in a marriage and how to maintain your integrity while making tough decisions. It’s important to choose how you feel in any situation, especially when faced with emotions like grief, anger, and betrayal. Setting boundaries, standing up for yourself, and letting go of the “shoulds” that don’t serve you are key to healing. I also highlight the power of compassion—not only for yourself but eventually for th...

1 month ago

20 minutes

The Loving Truth

Embracing Differences in Marriage

Your husband isn’t like you. I’m sharing insights on how differences in a marriage can actually enhance the relationship, rather than cause friction. I dive into the dynamics of one partner always reaching for more while the other stays steady and how these contrasting approaches can balance each other. We also explore how understanding and appreciating these differences can lead to greater connection and intimacy. In this episode, I use real examples from my own marriage to show how embracin...

1 month ago

18 minutes

The Loving Truth

Ask Sharon: The emotional rollercoaster of divorce

I want to share with you what I’ve learned about the emotional ups and downs of navigating divorce. It’s normal to think that once you’ve made the decision to leave, the journey will feel easier. In reality, it’s often filled with doubt, fear, and uncertainty. The journey can often mirror the stages of grief and you might bounce between these stages, even within the same day. As you process these emotions, you’ll need the right support to help guide you through the tough times and to move tow...

1 month ago

27 minutes

The Loving Truth

Healing After an Affair: The 3 Essential Phases

In this episode I break down the three essential phases of healing after an affair: Stop the Bleeding, Rehabilitation, and Healing. These stages are crucial for rebuilding trust and healing the pain of betrayal. The first phase is about managing the initial shock and emotional impact. In phase two, you’ll do the deeper work of understanding what led to the affair and healing both individually and together. Phase three is where you begin to envision and create a new future, even if it looks di...

1 month ago

22 minutes

The Loving Truth

Ask Sharon: The Words You Most Need to Hear (From Yourself)

"The person who most needs to hear your words is you." Have you ever wished you could just see your situation clearly and finally hear exactly what you most need to know? I’m sharing one of my favorite self-coaching exercises, inspired by Martha Beck, to help you do just that. We begin by exploring someone else’s stuck patterns and hidden courage — because sometimes it feels safer to look outward first. Then, step by step, I guide you to turn those insights inward, revealing the truths and gu...

1 month ago

16 minutes

The Loving Truth

How to Talk Again When There’s Nothing to Talk About

What do you do when you and your partner feel like you’ve run out of things to say? You’ll hear the story of my client Patty, who sat through an awkward, silent dinner with her husband and went home feeling deeply alone. If you relate, know this: you haven’t lost your connection… you’ve just forgotten how to talk to each other. I walk you through practical, open-ended questions you can use to spark deeper, more meaningful conversations. Questions like “What are you working toward right now?” ...

1 month ago

15 minutes

The Loving Truth

Ask Sharon: Boundaries That Build Trust (and Keep the Peace)

You can have a hard no and a beautiful yes, and when you know the difference, you’ll stop abandoning yourself just to keep the peace. One of the things I teach women inside my membership is how to hold healthy, loving boundaries, especially when emotions are running high. We talk through six types of boundaries (physical, emotional, sexual, intellectual, time, and material) and how to honor them without guilt or resentment. You’ll also hear some powerful boundary-setting phrases you can borro...

1 month ago

18 minutes

The Loving Truth

What Are You Really Focused On?

Whatever you're looking for, you're going to find. So the real question is: what are you choosing to look for? So many of the women I work with can rattle off what’s not working in their marriage. But when I ask what is working, they have to pause. Not because there’s nothing good, but because they haven’t been focused on it. In this episode, I explore the quiet but powerful truth that whatever you’re looking for, you will find. And whatever you focus on becomes bigger in your experienc...

2 months ago

15 minutes

The Loving Truth

Ask Sharon: Is Life Happening To You… or Through You?

I’ve had so many women come to me feeling powerless in their lives, like everything is happening to them, and they’re stuck just reacting. But what if there’s another way to see it? In this episode, I unpack what it really means to believe that life is happening through you, not to you. We’ll explore the difference between victim mindset and empowered thinking, how your perspective shapes your experience, and why reclaiming your role in how life unfolds is the key to freedom. This isn’t about...

2 months ago

15 minutes

The Loving Truth

Key Questions After an Affair

When you discover that your partner has had an affair, it’s common to be overwhelmed by a rush of emotions… fear, anger, confusion, and shame. The questions you ask in the heat of the moment, like "Did you love her?" or "Did you have sex with him?" reflect deep pain, but some questions can only make things worse by creating images that are impossible to unsee. Healing after an affair requires more than just support from friends and family. You need a structured approach with someone who can h...

2 months ago

21 minutes