#082 Transforming Your Marriage with John Eklund

Welcome to Part 2 of the Love Actually Relationship Series on The Turn Your Life Around Podcast with your host, Sarah Coates, aka “The One80 Lady.” In this episode, Sarah sits down again with John Eklund, LCSW, founder of Recovery Alive and author of the book Recovering Marriage: Transforming Your Marriage Through the 12 Commitments.In this insightful, honest, and often hilarious conversation, John shares practical tools for building a stronger marriage using the principles of recovery. Together, he and Sarah discuss how couples can navigate issues like control, codependency, communication, forgiveness, and submission, all while growing closer through trust and vulnerability.Whether you’re just starting your marriage journey or have been in it for decades, this episode offers powerful guidance to help you transform your relationship.Timestamps:00:00:00 – Welcome back: Love Actually Part 2 with John Eklund00:02:00 – The inspiration behind Recovering Marriage00:04:00 – Commitment 1: Love you, not control you00:07:00 – Submission, autonomy, and respect in faith-based marriages00:10:00 – LUV: Listen, Understand, Validate (a tool for connection)00:13:00 – Why selfishness breaks down new marriages00:16:00 – Unexpressed expectations = premeditated resentments00:20:00 – The marriage makes the decisions: Finances & unity00:28:00 – Real apologies and amends in relationships00:30:00 – Cultivating mercy and believing the best in your spouse00:33:00 – Group-based marriage work and community transformation00:39:00 – How to join or start a Recovering Marriage group00:42:00 – Marriage as legacy: What we model, we multiplyDon’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful conversations on faith, recovery, and relationships.Follow Us:Website: www.one-eightycounseling.comPodcast Website: www.theturnyourlifearoundpodcast.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@turnyourlifearoundpodcastInstagram: www.instagram.com/turnyourlifearoundpodcastFollow the Guest:Website: www.recoveryalive.comBook: Recovering Marriage: Transforming Your Marriage Through the 12 Commitments https://www.amazon.com/Recovering-Marriage-Transforming-through-Commitments/dp/B0DTP61SVR#MarriageHelp #RecoveringMarriage #LoveActuallySeries #FaithBasedMarriage #RelationshipAdvice #JohnEklund #RecoveryAlive #TurnYourLifeAroundPodcast #SarahCoates #TheOne80Lady