Relationships keep changing because people keep changing. These later conversations explore vulnerability, listening, agreements, family patterns, grief, conflict, appreciation, and the boundaries that make real closeness possible.
This continuation was led primarily by Dave and Simone, with Jean recurring as a co-facilitator. Rick and Cathy remained part of the larger Thriving Now context and joined some conversations. Community members brought what was emotionally alive, and the group explored it through inquiry, coaching, and tapping.
Start with what fits your life now, or browse the original sessions by date. Some conversations became focused articles. Others remain here because the listening itself has value even when another article was not needed.
Begin with the original Love & Relationships Study Group collection
Explore the Guides
Vulnerability, trust, and being seen
- Authentic Does Not Mean Unprotected: Let Vulnerability Be Earned
- Being Seen Without Being Put on a Pedestal
- Boundaries Are What Make Vulnerability Possible
- Gratitude Does Not Buy Unlimited Access
- Trust a Body No Without Turning It Into a Lifetime No
- When Disapproval Changes Your Personality, Come Back to Yourself
Listening, appreciation, and communication
- Advice Is Not Listening: Stay With the Person Before Fixing
- Appreciation Works Better When It Is Specific
- Give Space and Make Generous Assumptions Without Abandoning Yourself
Conflict, agreements, and repair
- Agreements Can Be Renegotiated
- Expectations Are Resentments Waiting to Happen
- Rock the Relationship Boat Without Turning It Into War
Family patterns, resentment, and responsibility
- Anger and Gratitude Can Both Be True
- Lopsided Relationships: Adjust Your Giving Before Resentment Does It for You
- Resentment Is Familiar, Change Is Unknown
- Step Out of the Family Triangle
Grief, change, and relational resilience
- Grief Can Rest Without Betraying Love
- Holiday Resilience: Plan for Triggers Without Rehearsing Disaster
Explore the Original Sessions
The sessions below are arranged chronologically. Each transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.
2015
January 18, 2015
Frustration when an agenda is not honored; The awkwardness of initiating a difficult discussion; Being authentic and personal without disclosing what still feels too vulnerable.
Guides drawn from this session:
February 15, 2015
Giving and receiving appreciation; Fear that others will see our inner mess; Letting vulnerability happen in layers while the inner critic tries to keep us safe.
Guides drawn from this session:
March 22, 2015
Acknowledging what matters without turning it into a demand; Belongings, space, and non-negotiables; Checking whether an old yes is still a yes.
Guides drawn from this session:
May 24, 2015
Working through pain without making it an identity; Listening fully as the heart of connection; The intensity and gifts of emotional sensitivity.
Guides drawn from this session:
June 21, 2015
Love that did not always include safety; Emotional conversation when closeness feels risky; Grief, guidance, and choosing self-care for today.
Guides drawn from this session:
July 19, 2015
Seeking inner guidance rather than advice; Guilt and discomfort around a family relationship; Gratitude, longing, and accepting the love someone can actually offer.
Guides drawn from this session:
August 23, 2015
Compassion when we do not know the whole truth; Helping without enabling; Entitlement, family memory, and limits with people we care about.
Guides drawn from this session:
October 18, 2015
New learning and shared experiences; Revisiting younger parts through imagery; Caring for family while adult children and partners have their own capacities.
November 27, 2015
The emotional experience of Thanksgiving; Choosing what is genuinely nourishing; Regret, history, and accepting what cannot be changed.
December 18, 2015
Separating holiday meaning from retail pressure; Agreements that protect generosity; Masculinity, weakness, and the expectations young people absorb.
2016
January 29, 2016
Giving grief and transition enough time; Painting and creativity as a baby step; Relearning breath, voice, and expression without force.
February 19, 2016
The fear of looking beneath self-hatred; Letting joy provide energy for difficult work; Shame, self-worth, and agreements that need room to change.
Guides drawn from this session:
May 20, 2016
Accessing emotion in a genuinely safe environment; Starting with what the body is doing; Another person’s words, constriction, and misplaced responsibility.
June 17, 2016
How exposure and memory activate the nervous system; Expectations that quietly become resentment; Craving connection without forcing a familiar solution.
Guides drawn from this session:
August 26, 2016
When someone needs help but does not want it; Guilt about acting behind a loved one’s back; Care, consent, and the limits of responsibility.
September 16, 2016
Letting body guidance join conscious thought; Permission to leave when an experience is not a fit; Loving an adult child without taking over their path.
Guides drawn from this session:
October 17, 2016
Ups and downs while staying connected with family; Old roles returning when someone disapproves; Shyness, identity, and accepting the self who is here.
Guides drawn from this session:
November 21, 2016
A clear vision for holiday gatherings; Boundaries, perfection, and the urge to fix everything; Preparing support without rehearsing disaster.
Guides drawn from this session:
December 21, 2016
Safety as more than the absence of abuse; Room for self-care in healthy connection; Who we become when struggle is no longer the organizing identity.
2017
January 25, 2017
The body freezing around family language; The critical primitive-brain voice; Staying connected to personal truth when old triggers are shared by many people.
February 27, 2017
Making our own choice without demanding advice; Calming panic enough to hear guidance; Body language, safety, respect, and relationship support under uncertainty.
March 22, 2017
Finding the next yes step in a difficult relationship; Self-worth under intense activation; Preparing for a hard conversation without needing the whole future solved.
Guides drawn from this session:
April 19, 2017
Vulnerability when a family member is not truthful; Loving someone without abandoning what we know; Staying in integrity with a newer, kinder way of being.
May 29, 2017
Wanting to be seen without being judged; Safety, respect, and freedom as visibility boundaries; How the fearful mind studies perceived flaws.
Guides drawn from this session:
June 13, 2017
Building a daily habit of specific appreciation; Primitive-brain resistance to new relational habits; Curiosity, renegotiation, and receiving what is genuine.
Guides drawn from this session:
August 21, 2017
The heart of friendship; Safety that allows vulnerability and honest ignorance; Anger, accusation, and speaking from the heart instead of the alarm.
September 18, 2017
Enthusiasm in relationships and creative work; Loving ourselves when what we make is not universally liked; Releasing a project without abandoning it or ourselves.
October 16, 2017
Blocks to life-force energy in relationships; Miscommunication and primitive-brain activation; Changing personality when someone does not like us.
November 29, 2017
Gratitude and appreciation in relationships; Taking care of ourselves before gratitude becomes obligation; Anger, humor, and the feelings that can coexist.
Guides drawn from this session:
December 11, 2017
Holiday relating with more ease and resilience; Family information and shifting alliances; Receiving a major insight while still handling practical demands.
Guides drawn from this session:
2018
January 22, 2018
Breathing fresh and grounded; Using imagery and the breath to settle primitive-brain activation; Emotional clutter and what is ready to move.
February 26, 2018
Giving one another physical and emotional space; Making generous assumptions without ignoring patterns; The hope that generosity will be returned.
Guides drawn from this session:
March 19, 2018
Asking whether we are worthy of love; Staying connected across physical and emotional distance; Moving from mental comparison back toward groundedness.
April 16, 2018
Daring to rock the relationship boat; Speaking about what a family has avoided; Shame, defensiveness, and the freedom that can follow honest cleanup.
Guides drawn from this session:
May 25, 2018
Lopsided relationships and the honor of feeling safe with someone; Giving, receiving, and noticing where a pattern no longer feels mutual.
Guides drawn from this session:
June 11, 2018
Spaciousness in relationships; Slow breathing during emotional overload; Support, spiritual growth, and allowing room around what is difficult.
August 17, 2018
Hosts: Dave & Simone.
Guides drawn from this session:
September 18, 2018
Hosts: Simone & Dave.
Guides drawn from this session:
October 30, 2018
Hosts: Simone & Dave.
November 15, 2018
Hosts: Simone & Dave.
Guides drawn from this session:
December 14, 2018
Hosts: Dave & Simone.
Guides drawn from this session:
These recordings include personal experiences and reflect the understanding available at the time. Emotional regulation and tapping can support clearer choices, but they are not substitutes for qualified medical, mental health, legal, or safety support.