# 16 What Does Marriage Even Mean? Gottman Principle #7-Shared Meaning

Episode #19 We Almost Divorced at Disneyland: Maximizing Your Vacations This Summer

What is it about vacations that can turn loving couples into exhausted enemies in matching T-shirts? In this episode of Marriage is a Joke, we unpack why travel can bring out the BEST… and WORST… in marriage. From airport stress and different vacation expectations to overstimulation, spending tension, and “vacation versions” of ourselves showing up, we’re talking about the real reasons couples fight on trips. We also share one of OUR vacation fights at Disneyland. 😅 In this episode: ✈️ Why vacations amplify stress and attachment needs 🎢 Planner vs spontaneous spouse dynamics 🧠 The “parts” of us that show up while traveling (IFS style) ❤️ How a reset tool can save a trip ☀️ Questions couples SHOULD ask before vacation 😂 And why sometimes all your marriage really needs is snacks and electrolytes Because honestly… A vacation doesn’t create problems. It reveals and amplifies them. The goal isn’t a perfect trip. It’s learning how to stay connected inside the stress. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-is-a-joke--5661497/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-is-a-joke--5661497/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. 🎧 Marriage is a Joke Podcast Real talk. Real marriage. No filters. Where humor meets hard truths—and love shows up even when life gets messy. If this episode resonated with you, don't just listen… be part of it. 💙 Join our Supporters Club Get exclusive content, behind-the-scenes moments, deeper conversations, and help us keep this podcast going strong. 👉 Join now and support real conversations about real marriage. 📲 Stay connected with us: Instagram: @marriage.isajoke Instagram (Therapy & Counseling): @shcounseling Facebook: facebook.com/shcounseling ❤️ Because marriage isn't always perfect… …but it's always worth showing up for.

#18 When Life Falls Apart... What Happens to Your Marriage?

❤️💙Life hit us hard. We almost lost a parent and everything else just paused. The podcast. Our routines. Even parts of how we normally show up for each other. And it made us ask something real: What actually happens to a marriage when life falls apart? Do you pull away… Keep score… Feel disconnected… Or do you lean in…even when you’re exhausted? In this episode, we talk about: ❤️ 💙What this season looked like for us ❤️ 💙How we supported each other when things felt uneven ❤️ 💙The difference between codependence, independence, and healthy interdependence  ❤️ 💙Why strong marriages aren’t always 50/50 Because the truth is… the strength of your marriage shows up most when life is the hardest. 🎧 Episode #18 is live 👉 Link in bio Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-is-a-joke--5661497/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-is-a-joke--5661497/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. 🎧 Marriage is a Joke Podcast Real talk. Real marriage. No filters. Where humor meets hard truths—and love shows up even when life gets messy. If this episode resonated with you, don't just listen… be part of it. 💙 Join our Supporters Club Get exclusive content, behind-the-scenes moments, deeper conversations, and help us keep this podcast going strong. 👉 Join now and support real conversations about real marriage. 📲 Stay connected with us: Instagram: @marriage.isajoke Instagram (Therapy & Counseling): @shcounseling Facebook: facebook.com/shcounseling ❤️ Because marriage isn't always perfect… …but it's always worth showing up for.

#17 Mistletoe Marriage!

Join Abe and Elaine this Christmas as we give mistletoe a deeper meaning than just holiday décor. Historically, mistletoe stayed green when everything around it died back in winter, which made it a symbol of hope, renewal, and connection. Over time it became a reminder to pause, soften, share a kiss, and come close. This year we’re practicing mistletoe moments! ❤️ Tiny Pauses throughout the season where we stop long enough to really see each other. Not long talks. Not perfectly curated dates. Just intentional connection that quietly says: 💚 You matter 💚 I still choose you 💚 I see you 💚 I’m here Some moments will be sugar …soft compliments, gratitude pauses, a quiet hold by the glow of the tree, a prayer before bed. Some moments will be spice…..a sprig hung over the bed, a slow kiss, playful flirtation, a little warmth that reminds us we’re not just teammates but lovers too. Because marriage isn’t only strengthened by huge gestures, it flourishes in the gentle, repeated moments of closeness. This season, let mistletoe prompt you to slow down, kiss, laugh, pray, flirt, breathe, and come close again.❤️🎄 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-is-a-joke--5661497/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-is-a-joke--5661497/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. 🎧 Marriage is a Joke Podcast Real talk. Real marriage. No filters. Where humor meets hard truths—and love shows up even when life gets messy. If this episode resonated with you, don't just listen… be part of it. 💙 Join our Supporters Club Get exclusive content, behind-the-scenes moments, deeper conversations, and help us keep this podcast going strong. 👉 Join now and support real conversations about real marriage. 📲 Stay connected with us: Instagram: @marriage.isajoke Instagram (Therapy & Counseling): @shcounseling Facebook: facebook.com/shcounseling ❤️ Because marriage isn't always perfect… …but it's always worth showing up for.

# 16 What Does Marriage Even Mean? Gottman Principle #7-Shared Meaning

Join Abe and Elaine as they dive into Gottman’s final principle for making marriage work: Shared Meaning. This episode explores what your marriage stands for ….beyond chores, communication, or conflict. They’ll talk about how every couple needs to define the philosophy of their marriage:  • What do we value?  • What traditions matter to us?  • How do we see parenting, politics, faith, or family roles?  • What are the small daily rituals that make us “us”? From tiny moments like Sunday morning routines to the big beliefs that guide your life, shared meaning is what turns a relationship into a legacy. Tune in as Abe and Elaine unpack how couples can discover, define, and intentionally build their shared story…together. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-is-a-joke--5661497/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-is-a-joke--5661497/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. 🎧 Marriage is a Joke Podcast Real talk. Real marriage. No filters. Where humor meets hard truths—and love shows up even when life gets messy. If this episode resonated with you, don't just listen… be part of it. 💙 Join our Supporters Club Get exclusive content, behind-the-scenes moments, deeper conversations, and help us keep this podcast going strong. 👉 Join now and support real conversations about real marriage. 📲 Stay connected with us: Instagram: @marriage.isajoke Instagram (Therapy & Counseling): @shcounseling Facebook: facebook.com/shcounseling ❤️ Because marriage isn't always perfect… …but it's always worth showing up for.

#15 HERE WE GO AGAIN!! Gottman Principle #6: Overcoming Gridlock

💙❤️Tired of having the SAME fight over and over again?? Tune in as Abe and Elaine discuss gridlock issues. This episode covers:  🎯 Why 69% of conflicts in marriage are perpetual 🎯 How to uncover the dreams hiding under the drama 🎯 The 4 Gottman steps to get unstuck (without selling your soul to the thermostat war) 🎯 A real-life example from one couple  Whether it’s in-laws, money, chores, or Christmas plans, you can move from stuck to connected and compromise… even if you never totally agree. 🎧 Listen now and find out how to turn “we’ll never agree” into “we actually understand each other.” Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-is-a-joke--5661497/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/marriage-is-a-joke--5661497/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss]. 🎧 Marriage is a Joke Podcast Real talk. Real marriage. No filters. Where humor meets hard truths—and love shows up even when life gets messy. If this episode resonated with you, don't just listen… be part of it. 💙 Join our Supporters Club Get exclusive content, behind-the-scenes moments, deeper conversations, and help us keep this podcast going strong. 👉 Join now and support real conversations about real marriage. 📲 Stay connected with us: Instagram: @marriage.isajoke Instagram (Therapy & Counseling): @shcounseling Facebook: facebook.com/shcounseling ❤️ Because marriage isn't always perfect… …but it's always worth showing up for.