Oxygen by Stronger Families

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I Do Again with Jeff & Cheryl Scruggs Oct 12, 2016

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Jeff & Cheryl Scruggs were married for ten years, divorced for seven, and then remarried. This is their story of hope, redemption, and restoration.

Financial Infidelity with Dr. Bonnie Oct 11, 2016

Show notes

Dr. Bonnie Eaker Weil, well-known therapist and author of Financial Infidelity: Seven Steps to Conquering the #1 Relationship Wrecker, investigates what she considers the number one way to destroy any marriage: cheat with money. Shockingly, 40% of people lie about their purchases, and another 82% hide their purchases from their spouses. In fact, financial infidelity is so subtle and subversive that, in many cases, it can be as damaging and destructive as sexual infidelity. Dr. Bonnie offers seven enlightening steps every couple should take to move past infidelity and get on the same page about finances. By making your financial relationship with your spouse a priority, you can walk together towards peace with money.

Falling in Love for All the Right Reasons with Dr. Neil Clark Warren Dec 05, 2015

Show notes

In this episode, Dr. Neil Clark Warren—co-founder and CEO of eHarmony.com and author of Falling in Love for All the Right Reasons: How to Find Your Soul Mate—discusses the key to a strong and lasting marriage: compatibility. Through eHarmony.com, Dr. Warren has helped foster nearly two million marriages, among which the divorce rate is only 3.86%, well below the national average of 40%. After years of research and countless case studies of real-life married couples, he has identified 29 areas of compatibility, of which the following are vitally important: (1) emotional health, (2) intelligence level, (3) shared values, (4) sense of humor, (5) energy level, (6) level of industry, and (7) shared interests.

For the single person, the most important thing to do is find someone who is similar to you in the most basic areas, such as the way you were raised, your values, your interests, and your spiritual life. Also, look for someone to whom you are deeply attracted. Attraction is not the most important factor in a healthy relationship, but it is crucial nonetheless. Do not despair in finding a good match; be patient and hold out for the person you know in your heart is right for you. As Dr. Warren states, "It is hard to find the love of your life, but it is worth the wait."

10 Lessons to Transform Your Marriage with Drs. John & Julie Gottman Nov 17, 2015

Show notes

In this episode, Drs. John and Julie Gottman—co-founders of the Gottman Institute and authors of 10 Lessons to Transform Your Marriage—unpack the two types of problems every couple faces: perpetual problems and solvable problems. Sixty-nine percent of married couples suffer from perpetual problems, which vary based on personality differences or lifestyle preference differences. These types of differences can create friction in a marriage, but smart couples, know how to avoid a gridlock and seek to have healthy conflict conversations by approaching these types of discussions with kindness, understanding, and compassion.

For military couples, conflict resolution can be particularly tricky. During deployment, military couples should talk on the phone as often as they can and have stress-reducing conversations—allow your spouse to talk about the stress while you simply listen and empathize. This will help your spouse feel less alone in dealing with the stress. Military members should avoid creating emotional distance by refusing to talk about what they have gone through and experienced. Instead, they should allow their spouses to enter into the pain. Only then can their marriage be intimate and life-giving.

Become Debt-Free with Nick Clements Oct 28, 2015

Show notes

Nick Clements—financial guru; co-founder of MagnifyMoney, an online resource for making smart financial decisions; and author of Debt-Free Forever—teaches married couples about the #1 financial priority for a healthy marriage: Get on the same page about today’s finances and decide together about the future. He asks questions like, “Do you know how much you spend each month?” and “Where do you want to be tomorrow, financially?” to uncover the key to every couples’ financial success. With step-by-step guidance and principles that make sense, he gives couples the tools they need to be well on their way to financial harmony in just a few short weeks.

Helping Military Kids Overcome Challenges Oct 07, 2015

Show notes

Trevor Romain—motivational speaker for children and supporting member of Comfort Crew, an organization that aims to care for military kids—delves deep into the greatest challenges every military child faces today. A parent’s deployment, frequent moves, the complexities of reintegration—all of these things can lead an otherwise resilient child to withdraw or act out. As a parent, it is important to surround your child with a support group of peers, adults, and authority figures who are dedicated to providing comfort and guidance when your child feels depressed or lost. Do not assume that your child can handle things on his own; instead, shore him up so he can head confidently into the world.

The 5 Money Personalities with Scott & Bethany Palmer Oct 02, 2015

Show notes

Scott and Bethany Palmer—financial coaches and authors of founders of The 5 Money Personalities—discuss what it takes for every marriage to find financial harmony. Over 70% of divorced couples cite financial issues as the #1 cause of arguments, and financial discord spills over into every other area of a couples’ relationship. Every person has two distinct money personalities—one primary and one secondary—that inform and direct their habits with money. They are: (1) the Spender, (2), the Saver, (3) the Risk Taker, (4) the Security Seeker, and (5) the Flyer. Finding common ground and understanding each other’s unique spending/saving habits can be just what a marriage needs to make it grow and flourish.

Parent Effectiveness Training with Steve Emmons Sep 26, 2015

Show notes

In this episode, Parent Effectiveness Training master trainer Steve Emmons talk with podcast host, Noel Meador, about all things parenting. With over 40 years of training under his belt, Steve offers a fresh perspective on parenting in today’s society. In the past, parents essentially had two options for parenting: Exercise power and authority (i.e., you the parent are in charge) or be permissive (i.e., let your kids do whatever they want). But there is a third—and better!—way to get the job done: Parents and kids alike can get their needs met by adopting the innovative no-lose problem-solving method.

This method is both simple and practical; it operates under the philosophy that most conflict and problems are really fights over solutions. In response to this revelation, you will learn how to use “active listening” with your child, how to communicate in a way that is both bold and respectful, how to resolve conflict in a healthy manner, how to combat negative peer pressure, and much more. Whether your child is having behavioral issues or is the most well-behaved child on earth, there’s something in this episode for every parent.

Restored & Remarried: Insider's Look at Blended Families Sep 21, 2015

Show notes

In this episode, Gil and Brenda Stuart—founders of the Restored and Remarried seminars and authors of Restored and Remarried—take an insider’s look at the difficulties every blended family faces. In spite of the happiness and hope a second-marriage couple feels at the start of their new marriage, blending two families together is often the biggest challenge the couple will face. According to Gil and Brenda Stuart, over 58% of divorced people have not dealt with their past pain before committing to a new relationship, which can have a devastating effect on the success of a second marriage. But it is not impossible to heal from past pain and move forward into a healthy marriage. To do so, the couple must commit to avoiding each other’s “bare wires,” or areas of intense pain that, if triggered, will create a shock.

Also, especially in the beginning of a remarriage, many blended families experience waves of grief over former family structures that have nothing to do with the new spouse, parent, or siblings. Gil and Brenda Stuart offer wise counsel on dealing with exes who attempt to tear apart a couple’s new relationship due to unresolved issues that lead to resentment and jealousy. They also offer advice on how a remarried couple can and should parent each other’s children.

Inside Your Son's World with Rosalind Wiseman Sep 16, 2015

Show notes

Rosalind Wiseman discusses the different roles boys take on in social groups, including the Mastermind, Entertainer, and Conscience. Wiseman also addresses common parenting dilemmas, such as what to do when your son lies or is sending and receiving sexual texts.

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