The research says the key to a happy life is happy relationships. But how exactly do you make your relationships better? That’s what this show is all about.
I’m Dr. Abby Medcalf, psychologist, best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and (according to my kids) the bossy Jewish mom you didn’t know you needed. With decades of experience and millions of listeners in over 180 countries, I give you the no-fluff, research-backed strategies to make all your relationships better: with your partner, your family, your friends, and (most importantly) yourself.
Every week on the Relationships Made Easy podcast, I mix straight talk, humor, and science to help you communicate effectively, set healthy boundaries, and stop second-guessing yourself. Because great relationships aren’t built in a day. Great relationships are built daily.
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Should You Date While You’re Going Through Therapy and Working on Healing? The short answer is no but you don’t have to wait until you’re completely done with therapy either. So, when is the right ti…
He’d rather stay home, and you’d rather have dinner out. She needs alone time after work, and all you want to do is talk about your day. Introverts are often attracted to extroverts’ vivaciousness, w…
So, you want to change some aspects of your personality. Maybe you’ve got a short fuse and want to be more calm. Maybe you’re shy and introverted and want to be more outgoing. Whatever your reason, y…
So many of you have told me that you find dating apps exhausting, confusing and overwhelming. Since I haven’t used them in over a decade, I brought in some experts. Today, I’ll be interviewing Ali Ja…
Are you walking away from conversations feeling misunderstood, disrespected or dismissed? Do you find yourself repeating the same questions or desires over and over again, but nothing ever changes? A…
Jealousy has no place in a love relationship because jealousy is about fear, not love. But, it continues to be a huge issue in many relationships (I know this because you all keep asking me about it)…
You messed up, or at least you think you did. Maybe it was a job you quit in the heat of the moment, not finishing your education ten years ago or cheating on your spouse. We can perceive big or litt…
Whether you call it a consensually non-monogamous relationship or ethical nonmonogamy, open relationships can be hard to define. It’s not cheating or swinging, and it’s not polyamory. So, what are op…
If you’re like me, when you think of a relationship break, you’re remembering Ross Gellar on the show Friends, screaming, “We were on a break!” Well, let me tell you, that was not the right way to ta…
Does your mother make a comment about your haircut, and you blow up? Does your partner casually mention that they’re going out with friends after work, and you get upset and withdraw? When you’re tri…
Adjustment disorders are basically having excessive reactions to some stress (or stressors) in your life that result in overly strong emotions, increased negative thinking and some sort of change in …
The vast majority of people find it difficult to talk about money with partners, friends or family. At the root of this issue is something called money shame. To have effective conversations about fi…
I’m not going to keep you in suspense on this one. You know you’re making a “right” decision, or following your “gut,” when you’re acting from the rational part of your brain, not from the fear part …
Shame doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter if you’re fat or thin, rich or poor, tall or short: shame is an equal opportunity emotion and it’s amazingly destructive. Research has linked it to viole…
Jealousy in a moment happens when you perceive someone or something else as a threat to your relationship. Retroactive jealousy is different because you feel threatened by something or someone in you…
My name is Abby, and I don’t like Valentine’s Day. There. I said it. But across the US and all around the world, people are celebrating Valentine’s Day either today or on another special date (depend…
With Valentine’s Day around the corner in about 30 countries around the world, I thought it would be an excellent time to talk about Gary Chapman’s love languages. Let me say first that I’m not a Gar…
I know you’ve heard that curiosity killed the cat, but that negative spin is all wrong! We know from the research that curiosity will help with everything from improving your relationships, to coping…
What do you do when your partner gets along great with their ex and wants to spend all holidays and main events with them and the kids? You’re invited too, of course, but you feel like a third wheel …
Here we are with part two of The Five Steps to Having an Empowered Mindset. If you haven’t listened to the first part yet, that’s OK; this one stands on its own (although I encourage you to go back a…