The M Word

In this episode, we talk about get togethers in gardens, the marriage petition, Hairspray and our time of reflection during lockdown about the M Word podcast…change is in the air!

Ep 33 – Today, we reflect on Marriage Week 2020, discussing podcasts, interviews, social media, spirituality, dancing, hair straighteners, the best chair, beatboxing and using the facilities!  It’s certainly a mixed bag and therefore, something for everyone!

Today is the first day of UK National Marriage Week and this year, couples (married or not) are invited to join in, to celebrate their relationship and have that all important ‘Forever Conversation’.  Since I’m coordinator (Michaela) of this campaign, this episode is a ‘Marriage Week Special’.  We delve into the campaign, find our what […]

Today’s episode is a shorter episode compared with the usual, since we are breaking with tradition and will be returning again next Monday (rather than the normal fortnight) for a special UK Marriage Week special!  So, in ‘Keep on Keeping on’, 6 weeks on from lockdown, we talk about the ways in which we are […]

Ep 30 – Following the news of a further 3 weeks of lockdown, we talk about how we’ve been getting on, we talk Easter egg hunts, coffee grinders and the UK National Marriage Week.  This week, Marriage Week is focussing on connection so we thought we’d look specifically at Psychosexual Nurse Therapist – Emma Warring’s […]

Episode 29: Today, we talk about the first toad-in-the-hole that Nick has ever cooked! This is all thanks to the lockdown of course!  We also talk about the UK National Marriage Week – a campaign that is for all couples (married or not) and the 2020 theme, The Forever Conversation.  This year, the campaign has […]

Episode 28: Our world has changed in ways that we could never had imagined.  We are in uncharted waters as a nation which is having a huge impact on every aspect of our lives, including our relationships.  Like everyone, we are feeling slightly dazed by all that’s gone on and so that’s why today, we […]

Episode 27: We are privileged to bring you Part 2 of The M Word interview with Neil & Trish.  Last time, they spoke to Michaela about the challenges and the excitement of the early years of marriage.  In this episode we hear the next instalment of the story of their 50 years of marriage and […]

Episode 26: Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be with the same person for 50 years? Today’s episode is part one of Michaela’s interview with Neil & Trish (her parents) who’ve just celebrated an impressive 50 years together. Theirs is a compelling story of the realties of a lifetime together, the good times […]

The most romantic day of the year apparently but for some, one of the most profitable days of the year!  Yes, today, we talk about whether Valentine’s day should be celebrated or not  & what to do if it’s important to one of you but not the other.  We’ll also look at a little of […]

Following on from our introduction two weeks ago, today we get stuck into the theme of ‘Dealing with Differences & Triggers’.  From the best to the most difficult relationship – no two people can always agree on absolutely everything – so how do we manage our differences and what can we do to minimise triggers? […]

There’s a whole lot of relationship news since our last podcast including, stuff about divorce day post the Christmas period as well as positive headlines about the UK’s fastest falling divorce rates across Europe, not to mention Meghan and Harry big statement!  So we introduce our theme and get stuck into topics like the forever […]

This close to the end of 2019, today’s podcast had to have a new year focus!  However, what this episode isn’t about is setting ourselves up to fail with unrealistic New Year Resolutions – that list of things that that we think we ought to do rather than realistic plans for real change!  What we […]

It’s beginning to look a lot like Stressmas! Will it be a ‘Merry Little Christmas’, will it be a ‘White Christmas’ or the ‘Nightmare before Christmas’?  According to the movies and songs, this should be the most wonderful time of the year, but it can in fact be one of the most stressful times of […]

Following Michaela’s interviews on several BBC Regional Radio stations, we thought we’d reflect on the tricky subject of infidelity and the findings of a morality survey conducted by the BBC which found that 3 in 5 adults (60%) who say they have been unfaithful to their partner also say it’s never acceptable to cheat.  So […]

Last time, we looked at this fairy tale phrase ‘Happily Ever After’ to understand what comes to mind when we think about the word marriage and if it is a Disney-like experience.  Today we delve into the specifics of happiness in the ‘happily ever after’ of real life.  Is constant happiness actually possible, can we […]

In popular Disney stories and fairy tales, ‘Happily Ever After’ always comes at the end of the story, when the villains have been defeated and every time, it seems that the couple are finally married and enjoy a very ‘Instagrammable’ style of wedding!  So, what are the perceptions’ of modern culture regarding the ‘happily ever […]

Following on from an email we received from a listener, we are speaking very specifically today about the actual ‘M’ word (rather than referring to the name of our podcast).  The title of today’s podcast is a quote from her email – do you also share this view, that if you’ve moved in with your […]

Don’t panic, if you’re not a fan of Strictly, this isn’t actually an episode dedicated to the show!  It is however about hobbies, interests and how important is it for a couple to share them together.  Following our own personal experience of sharing an interest that just one of us has (this is the dancing […]

Since our last podcast, there’s been quite a lot of media attention given to ‘marriage’ following some new statistics and research that has been released.  So much so, that Michaela’s had two radio interviews and she was invited to join a debating panel on BBC Ones’ show, BBC Sunday Morning Live!  There’s never enough time […]

For us, rhythms of life are pretty much dictated by the school year, not just because we have children but because Nick is a teacher!  So, the new school year can be a time of reflection for us personally.  However, the idea of reflection at certain times of the year is a great idea for […]

Celebrities are often seen as successful, as though they’ve made it (whatever ‘making it’ really means anyway!).  Yet, when it comes to marriage and relationships, they don’t have the best reputation for doing a particularly good job.  Why is that the case and do you know how much greater the chance of divorce is for […]

It’s smack in the middle of the holiday season and so today’s ‘The M Word’, has a distinctly holiday feel about it as we reflect on our family holiday, how it impacts on our relationship and why we think having a break is important.  We’ll also be talking about Michaela’s recent radio interview on the […]

Are anniversaries and milestones in a relationship really that important?  If you’re still together and nothing has really changed, is there any point? Isn’t it just another marketing ploy of big card manufacturers, making us feel guilty if we don’t even buy a card to celebration our love?!  Or is the previous statement, simply the […]

Do public displays of affection melt your heart or do they make you think yuck?!  Do you and your partner think they are a good idea or a bad idea?  Do you have a difference of opinion on this matter and how do you manage that?  Do we really need to display our affection in […]

As couples, simply getting out of the house, away from chores, demands of family life and going on an actual date can seem unnecessary and perhaps tricky to organise.  However, we did just that recently and want to tell you why we think it’s so important for couples and why we plan to make sure […]

Too young, too old, does it really matter how old you are when you get married? We discuss a listener’s question on this very topic and we’ll be delving into communication in a relationship, looking at the clichés but knowing there’s a lot of truth in them!

Today, we talk about our Viennese experience and we don’t mean the whirly buttery biscuit treat, although food does feature! We’ll also be delving into the relationship ingredient – forgiveness and why it's important to both of us.

The UK National Marriage Week has come to an end and it’s been a very exciting week! Today we reflect on all of the activity and discuss two pieces of research that have been released to coincide with Marriage Week. One of them leads us on to the cheeky title of this podcast!

What has comedy, cocktails and Karmasutra curry got to do with the UK National Marriage Week? Find out on today’s episode and how you and your partner (married or not) can join in with this national celebration with an exclusive interview with the coordinator!

Is friendship an important ingredient in a healthy marriage or relationship? Can you be married to your best friend or is that just a bit cheesy and the sort of thing found in twee birthday cards?! Join us as we explore further the value of friendship in marriage.

Is being kind to your partner important to you or do you feel as though kindness is a sign of your weakness? Can kindness make a difference in your relationship? We consider these questions and reflect on how kind we are in our own marriage.

Have you had the forever conversation? What is it? Do you need to have it? We explore how it has made all the difference to our relationship and why especially during tough times, it’s one of the keys to a lifelong relationship.

Do you have aspirations for a lifelong relationship that really works? What does this look like in modern society? We explain why the M word can help everyone who wants to explore the answers to these questions.