Most days, you’re faced with decisions in your relationships that don’t have a clear right or wrong answer. From privacy to family dynamics to self-compassion, the path forward is paved with complex human layers.
This month, Reimagining Love is a blend of solo and guest episodes designed to invite you to sit alongside me in those complicated spaces. These conversations invite you to step out of black-and-white thinking and into the nuanced (and messy) middle.
As you listen, use the related reflection questions to check in with yourself, and if you’re up for it, bring them to your partner as a conversation starter. The goal isn’t to “fix” anything — it’s to create space for curiosity, understanding, and connection.
💓 In Conversation with Dr. Alexandra
What does location sharing reveal about your relationship?
🎧 Listen to "Should You Share Your Location With Your Partner?"
Couples make innumerable decisions that affect the core of their relationship. Some seem tiny, others monumental, but all are influenced by the different “whys” behind our preferences. In this episode, I unpack the question of whether to share your location with your partner. It’s a decision that touches on central relationship values like closeness, privacy, trust, safety, and mystery. There's no single "right" answer. What matters most is approaching the conversation with curiosity and collaboration, knowing each person’s stance is shaped by past experiences and cultural socialization.
Reflect: Reflect on a decision you and your partner are struggling to make. Explore how your past, particularly your Family of Origin history, has shaped your views on privacy, control, and trust around this decision.
Navigating Difficult Sibling Relationships
🎧 Listen to “My Family is a Mess. Will The Dynamic Ever Change?”
Family relationships bring up complicated emotions — resentment, disappointment, grief — and for many of us, they’re what lead us to therapy. When you begin to grow and change, the entire family system feels it. This shift can be unsettling, causing discomfort or resistance from others who may, without realizing it, try to maintain the old way of doing things.
In this episode, I explore a listener's question about navigating complex sibling dynamics. We’ll explore feelings that often surface in these relationships, like resentment and loneliness. I’ll offer specific strategies for communication and connection, even if one person is more open to change than the other. This journey is a marathon, and understanding frameworks like Family of Origin roles can be a helpful conversation starter rather than a rigid label.
Reflection: Think about a challenging family relationship where communication feels stuck. How might approaching the conversation differently potentially shift the dynamic? What internal shifts (like managing your own resentment or expectations) might be necessary for you to try this approach?
💓 In Conversation with Guests
Thought-provoking conversations with special guests
Practical Ways to Unlock Deeper Connections
🎧 Listen to “The Four Types of Connection: Unlocking What Really Matters in Life”
Feeling disconnected even when you’re not alone? Dr. Adam Dorsay helps us understand why and how tuning into what's going on inside you can shift everything. We explore the power of self-compassion over self-criticism, why success doesn't always equal inner happiness, and how aligning with your values can bring new meaning to your work and relationships. It's all about being intentional and finding what truly brings you alive in your connections.
Reflect: Think about the different facets of connection in your life, which of these feels most vibrant in your life right now, and which could use more attention? Practice the "AWE" formula (Aware, Wait, Exhale) during a simple daily moment, like making a cup of tea or looking out a window.
Approaching Differences with Empathy
🎧 Listen to “How To Disagree With People and Still Love Them: Embracing Nuance in Polarized Times”
Holding deep love for someone while also feeling profound disappointment in them can feel disingenuous and impossible, especially across ideological divides. In this episode with author Brit Barron, we explore the crucial skill of holding "both/and" tensions, recognizing that conflicting truths can coexist in your most important relationships. Engagement doesn’t equal endorsement, and staying engaged doesn’t mean abandoning yourself.
Reflection: Think about a relationship where the tension in the dynamic makes you second-guess yourself. What feels true for you about how to move forward? What level of connection feels honest and manageable right now? Practice tuning into that inner sense and trusting it.
Here’s to our continued efforts to turn toward the tender feeling, the difficult conversation, the imperfect decision in the service of individual growth and relational connection.
No matter where you are in your relationship journey, I hope these episodes offer new insights and space for connection. Until next time!
xo,
Dr. Alexandra
