Finding Balance in Chaos: Who Gets to Hurt Worse?

In this week's episode of the Secure Love Podcast, Melissa and Drew dive into a common household challenge that many parents face: the chaos that greets them at the end of a long workday. Drew comes home from a demanding day at work, only to find his kids throwing toys across the patio and being a bit more rowdy than he anticipated. In these situations, Drew wishes he could ease into his evening, but is frustrated by the commotion, leading him to irritation and a tendency to shut down.

Melissa shares her side, explaining how in tune she is with her emotions and how challenging it is when she can't understand what's going on with Drew. Despite being empathetic to his long day, she also feels like, "well I’ve had a long day too.”

Julie guides them to understand that both their feelings are valid, but timing and mutual support are key. They discuss the importance of holding space for each other, even when both are hurting. It’s about finding a balance and sometimes literally just going one person at a time and working together as a team through the everyday chaos.

How do you handle these stressful moments in your relationship? Do you find it challenging to support each other when both of you are exhausted?

Click here to see this episode’s transcript

 
Julie Menanno MA, LMFT, LCPC

Julie Menanno, MA is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and Relationship Coach. She earned her Master’s degree in Psychology from Phillips Graduate Institute in Los Angeles, CA. Julie operates a clinical therapy practice in Bozeman, Montana, and leads a global relationship coaching practice with a team of trained coaches. She is an expert in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for Couples and specializes in attachment issues within relationships.

Julie is the author of the best-selling book Secure Love, published by Simon and Schuster in January 2024. She provides relationship insights to nearly 1 million Instagram followers and hosts The Secure Love Podcast, where she shares real-time couples coaching sessions to help listeners navigate relational challenges. Julie also hosts a bi-weekly discussion group on relationship and self-help topics. A sought-after public speaker and podcast guest, Julie is dedicated to helping individuals and couples foster secure, fulfilling relationships.

Julie lives in Bozeman, Montana, with her husband of 22 years, their six children, and their beloved dog. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, Pilates, reading psychology books, and studying Italian.

https://www.thesecurerelationship.com/
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Unraveling the Roots of the Negative Cycle Pt. 1

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Handling Crisis: The Anxious-Avoidant Clash