Why Relationships Change Over Time episode artwork

EPISODE · May 4, 2026 · 37 MIN

Why Relationships Change Over Time

from ShrinkChicks

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen break down the phases of relationships and how couples evolve over time, from the honeymoon stage to deeper intimacy. Using a developmental model from couples therapy, they explain why conflict often comes from partners being in different stages at the same time.They walk through each phase and explain why the shift out of the honeymoon stage can feel so jarring. Listener questions cover when to seek couples therapy, what premarital counseling actually looks like, and how to navigate major life transitions like job loss or having kids.They also get into how to have more meaningful and authentic conversations, why relationship skills aren’t innate, and how to move through each stage with more awareness and connection.Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 4:30 to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content.Book mentioned: How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group!⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!!Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners:Boll & Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/shrinkchicks with code shrinkchicks.Skims: Shop Everyday Cotton, and all of our favorite bras and underwear athttp://www.skims.com/shrinkchicks #skimspartnerShopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at Shopify.com/shrinkchicksPerelel: New customers can use code SHRINKCHICKS to get 20% off their first order at perelelhealth.com/shrinkchicks.Zenni: Go to Zenni.com/podcast and use code PODCAST15 for 15% off your first order.Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next orderGreenChef: Head to Greenchef.com/50shrinkchicks and use code 50shrinkchicks to get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months with free shippingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen break down the phases of relationships and how couples evolve over time, from the honeymoon stage to deeper intimacy. Using a developmental model from couples therapy, they explain why conflict often comes from partners being in different stages at the same time. They walk through each phase and explain why the shift out of the honeymoon stage can feel so jarring. Listener questions cover when to seek couples therapy, what premarital counseling actually looks like, and how to navigate major life transitions like job loss or having kids. They also get into how to have more meaningful and authentic conversations, why relationship skills aren’t innate, and how to move through each stage with more awareness and connection. Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 4:30 to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content. Book mentioned: How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids ⁠Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠ at The Therapy Group! ⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠ Our ⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠!! Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠ A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners: Boll & Branch: Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/shrinkchicks with code shrinkchicks. Skims: Shop Everyday Cotton, and all of our favorite bras and underwear at http://www.skims.com/shrinkchicks #skimspartner Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at Shopify.com/shrinkchicks Perelel: New customers can use code SHRINKCHICKS to get 20% off their first order at perelelhealth.com/shrinkchicks. Zenni: Go to Zenni.com/podcast and use code PODCAST15 for 15% off your first order. Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next order GreenChef: Head to Greenchef.com/50shrinkchicks and use code 50shrinkchicks to get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months with free shipping See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NOW PLAYING

Why Relationships Change Over Time

0:00 37:44

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of ShrinkChicks?

This episode is 37 minutes long.

When was this ShrinkChicks episode published?

This episode was published on May 4, 2026.

What is this episode about?

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen break down the phases of relationships and how couples evolve over time, from the honeymoon stage to deeper intimacy. Using a developmental model from couples therapy, they explain why conflict often comes from...

Can I download this ShrinkChicks episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!