
EPISODE 10 · SEASON 1
Rebuilding Closeness When Life Feels Busy and Heavy
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SHOW NOTES
What We Cover in This Episode
Stress does not always arrive with a warning. Sometimes it is obvious, like a job loss, illness or a major family change. Other times it is a slow build: too much work, not enough sleep, children needing more, finances feeling tight and both people trying to keep going.
In this episode, Jim Patrick and Summer talk about why stress distorts the way spouses read one another, and share a simple daily practice for staying close when life feels heavy — without needing to solve everything at once.
Key Topics:
- Why stress can turn a tired response into evidence that someone does not care.
- How to ask "What do you need from me tonight?" instead of assuming.
- How to use the Stress Relief Ritual to check in for ten minutes without trying to fix everything.
Free Resource:
Download the Stress Relief Ritual at MarriageWorks.TODAY/resources
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