Live Q+R from the Motherhood Retreat: Fostering Vulnerability, Receiving Criticism + Parenting Without a Healthy Model

About this episode

This episode features a live Q&A discussing vulnerability in marriage and parenting without a healthy model.

Live from the Intentional Motherhood Retreat in Franklin, this episode is a candid Q&R conversation around marriage, communication, parenting, and healing from the past. We respond to questions from attendees about how to cultivate deeper vulnerability with your spouse and parenting when you don't have a healthy model to follow. We talk about practical ways to help a spouse open up emotionally, including asking thoughtful questions like “What do you think about this?” instead of “How do you feel?” We also discuss the importance of paying attention to the environment, timing, and tone of hard conversations, recognizing how much those factors shape whether someone feels safe to engage. We also explore what it looks like to stay honest and vulnerable in marriage when feedback is often heard as criticism. Encouragement and affirmation matter deeply, especially when your spouse’s story includes wounds from a lack of affirmation growing up. Knowing your spouse’s story helps you become an agent of healing rather than hurt. The conversation closes with an honest discussion about parenting when you didn’t have healthy examples yourself. We talk about the importance of finding strong…

People in this episode

Host: Intentional

Topics covered

• vulnerability
• communication
• parenting
• marriage
• healing
• support networks

Keywords

• vulnerability
• parenting
• marriage
• communication
• healing
• support
• affirmation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Intentional Motherhood Retreat

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