The Couples Therapist Couch

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Sign up for the June 2026 Cohort of Shane's Certified Couples Intensive Training (CIT): https://cit.shanebirkel.com/ Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this solo episode, Shane talks why it's not about the dishes. Hear why most of our emotional reactions aren't about what's happening right now, how to recognize carried emotions vs. present emotions, a modern look at our survival strategies, whether to do family of origin work with your clients, and why emotions often come up in financial conversations.

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Sign up for the June 2026 Cohort of Shane's Certified Couples Intensive Training (CIT): https://cit.shanebirkel.com/ Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this episode, Shane talks with Susan Saint-Rossy about embracing your couples therapist identity. Susan is a Couples Therapist and the Owner of Couples Therapist Studio, where she's a Business and Marketing Consultant for couples therapists. Hear how to run your business as a couples therapist, what clients look for when considering a couples therapist, how to create the signal that makes your practice pop, how to advertise as a couples therapist, and why you should be charging more. To learn more about Susan Saint-Rossy, visit: CouplesTherapistStudio.com Relationship-Therapist.com

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Sign up for the June 2026 Cohort of Shane's Certified Couples Intensive Training (CIT): https://cit.shanebirkel.com/ Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this solo episode, Shane talks relationship repair. Hear why repair is one of the most underrated skills in a relationship, the research experiments behind relationship repair, why the rupture is inevitable, why repair is so hard for so many couples, and how to help your clients build their capacity for repair.

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Sign up for the webinar Inside a Couples Intensive: The 4 C's in Action on Thursday, April 16, 2026: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_P24AEVQEQBOclzxNokvrEQ Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this episode, Shane talks with Dr. Janina Fisher about working with trauma & couples therapy. Janina is an Author, Clinical Psychologist, and Educator on the forefront in the field of trauma. Hear how trauma & therapy have changed over the years, how to help your clients without triggering them, why you need to use a therapy model your clients like, the similarities between therapy & parenting, and how to validate your clients' experiences. To learn more about Dr. Janina Fisher, visit: JaninaFisher.com Janina's Latest Book: Embracing Our Fragmented Selves: A Workbook for Trauma Survivors and Therapists You can also listen to Dr. Janina Fisher on Episode 252 & Episode 115 of The Couples Therapist Couch

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this solo episode, Shane dives into Connection as part of his mini-series, The 4 Cs in Relationships. Hear how containing boundaries & protective boundaries work in relationships, the difference between codependence & healthy connection, why so many couples struggle to get back to the honeymoon phase, how to help your clients develop true intimacy & connection, and your job as it relates to your partner.

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this solo episode, Shane dives into Curiosity as part of his mini-series, The 4 Cs in Relationships. Hear why being a couples therapist can feel like being a judge, how to help shift your clients' mindsets to curiosity, how to work on the ability to slow down, why strong emotions are okay, and why timeouts can be great in couples therapy.

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this solo episode, Shane shares the 4 Cs in relationships. Hear the common patterns couples get into, how to have compassion for each partner's reality, how to help your clients keep curiosity in their relationship, why it's okay for couples to disagree with each other, and what to say to your clients regarding each of the 4 Cs.

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this solo episode, Shane talks what to do when weekly couples therapy isn't enough. Hear the pros & cons of therapy intensives, why 50-minute sessions are still the standard in couples therapy, how to get to the heart of the matter with your clients, how much to ramp up & wind down the conversation with your clients, and how to find what session length is right for your clients.

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this solo episode, Shane talks the myth of effortless connection. Hear how to help couples who just don't feel connected anymore, how to get each person to speak through their feelings, what the healthiest relationships do best, how to slow things down with clients, and how to create a sense of safety in relationships.

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this episode, Shane talks with Katherine Woodward Thomas about What's True About You: 7 Steps to Move Beyond Your Painful Past and Manifest Your Brightest Future. Katherine is a licensed therapist, recognized pioneer in transformational psychology, and The New York Times bestselling author of Calling in "The One" and Conscious Uncoupling. Hear how consciousness plays into couples therapy, what to do when your clients feel stuck, how to prevent them from losing out on love, what you can learn from imagining yourself as a child, and where healing happens. To learn more about Katherine Woodward Thomas, Conscious Uncoupling, and What's True About You: 7 Steps to Move Beyond Your Painful Past and Manifest Your Brightest Future, visit: KatherineWoodwardThomas.com ConsciousUncoupling.com PenguinRandomHouse.com You can also listen to Katherine Woodward Thomas on Episode 269 of The Couples Therapist Couch

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this episode, Shane talks with Adrien Monti about common sexual issues in couples therapy. Rebecca is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Couples Therapist, and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist. Hear how to become a sex therapist, how to get comfortable talking about sex with your clients, the most common issues when it comes to sex & couples therapy, when to refer your clients to a sex therapist, and whether you should schedule sex. To learn more about Adrien Monti, visit: InnerFlameCounseling.com

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this episode, Shane talks with Jessica Baum about attachment patterns & secure relationships. Jessica is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and the Author of the new book, Safe: An Attachment-Informed Guide to Building More Secure Relationships. Hear the 4 attachment styles, what causes different types of attachment, how to help your clients develop compassion from themselves, how to use attachment insights with your clients, and why we rely on protectors. To learn more about Jessica Baum and her book, Safe, visit: JessicaBaumLMHC.com JessicaBaumLMHC.com/Safe JessicaBaumLMHC.com/Interview Instagram @JessicaBaumLMHC

This episode is brought to you by Alma. Visit https://helloalma.com/dg/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=privatepractice to learn more Get the Couples Therapy 101 course: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/ Join the Couples Therapist Inner Circle: https://www.couplestherapistcouch.com/inner-circle-new Join The Couples Therapist Couch Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/295562197518469/ In this episode, Shane talks with Elliott Connie about Change Your Questions, Change Your Future. Elliott is a Psychotherapist, Author, Podcaster, and Trailblazer in Solution-Focused Therapy. Hear how to take care of yourself as a couples therapist, why Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is helpful, how to help your clients find inspiration, how to remind your clients who they are & what they want, and how to practice as a couples therapist. To learn more about Elliott Connie, The Solution Focused Universe, his podcasts, and Change Your Questions, Change Your Future, visit: ElliottConnie.com TheSFU.com ElliottConnie.com/Books Instagram & Facebook @ElliottSpeaks YouTube @ElliottConnieSpeaks You can also listen to Elliott on Episode 96 & Episode 154 of The Couples Therapist Couch