In this episode, we talk about how LGBTQ+ couples are redefining relationships. We explore queer relationships, what it means to be queer in a relationship, and the difficulties queer couples have to navigate. Listen as we discover the expansiveness of LGBTQ+ relationships and how couples are creating new roles in their relationships. The power of love is infinite it helps empower queer couples, discover how in this podcast at Our.Love.

In this episode we are talking about holiday stress…. we learn to be self-reflective, use I statements, ask for what we want & need, navigate transitions, and even how to manage our partner's family of origin DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON! Listen as we learn to take care of ourselves, our couplehood, and our family in this podcast by Our.Love.

Dr. Keely Sikes Rolling interviews Sarah Almaqousi, a political activist, teacher, and psychotherapist. Sarah has been involved in LGBTQIA+ mental health during her entire career. They discussed the difficulties of the LGBTQIA+ community in today's political climate, how stressors outside of a relationship can add extra stress, and the importance of being unapologetically you in order to bring change.

Phil and Carolyn Cowan are professors of psychology at Berkeley University of California and have been married for over 60 years. Not only do they work together, but they also co-authored a book, When Partners Become Parents: The Big Life Change for Couples. Together, they designed a couples group to strengthen family relationships and have been involved in three longitudinal studies of families. Guided by a family systems model, their research dives into the intergenerational attachment patterns and couple relationship quality to provide the contexts in which effective parenting leads to positive cognitive, social, and emotional outcomes for children.

When a couple has their first child, their marital satisfaction can decrease. Is it possible to increase marital quality and have fewer conflicts? How can parents strengthen their relationship to benefit their children?

Phil and Carolyn Cowan designed a program to help couples practice support in their relationship. The program guides couples to practice resolution through appreciation, communication, and a collaborative parenting style. Through practicing, parents can set the tone for a higher possibility of success in their relationship and also have more positive outcomes for their children.

In this episode of Our.Love Podcast, join Dr. Keely Sikes Rollings as she sits down with Phil and Carolyn Cowan, psychology professors, to discuss their research and practical tips for practicing support in a loving relationship. Phil and Carolyn talk about the emotional toll stress can have on family relationships, why establishing an atmosphere of conscious thought can improve marital quality, and the importance of a community for successful parenting.

Jim Coan is a Professor of Clinical Psychology and the Director of the Virginia Affective Neuroscience Laboratory at the University of Virginia. His research on handholding emphasizes the neuroscience of emotion and social relationships, and he has authored over 50 scientific articles. He is a recipient of the inaugural Janet Taylor Spence Award for Transformative Early Career Contributions from the Association for Psychological Science and the Early Career Award from the Society for Psychophysiological Research.

When the trials and distractions of life get in the way, how can physical touch make a difference? How can you can improve your marital relationship and strengthen your connection with your partner?

Through the use of physical touch and intuitive connections, you can create an abundance of opportunities to enhance not only your emotions and health but your partner's as well. Jim Coan has studied the neuroscience of emotional closeness. His research uncovered the emotional catalyst of your partner's touch, and he is here to share his insights with you.

In this episode of Our.Love Podcast, join Dr. Keely Sikes Rollings as she sits down with Jim Coan, Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Virginia, to discuss the love scale of a physical connection. Jim talks about the psychological effect of physical touch, ways to enhance romance by physical communication, and his research into the power of handholding to protect against stress.

Arthur Aron is a Research Professor of Psychology at Stony Brook University. His research focuses on identifying interpersonal closeness on how self-expansion motivations relate to and can be used to alleviate the decline in relationship satisfaction over time. His diverse methods include representative surveys, lab studies, and brain imaging. Arthur earned a PhD in psychology from the University of Toronto and is actively involved in research collaborations with his wife, Elaine Aron.

What factors are most influential in boosting your relationship and intimacy with your partner? Is it possible to create and maintain a meaningful, fulfilling, and successful relationship?

According to Arthur Aron, a romance does not need to be an overpowering force of passion like Romeo and Juliet — but built on values of trust, loyalty, and emotions of deeper connections. When you become comfortable with your partner, sometimes the connection becomes blurred, which is why Arthur recommends finding ways to keep the excitement alive for a happier, healthier, and long-lasting relationship. His research on human relationships focuses on the interpersonal closeness found by self-expanding activities done with your partner.

In this episode of Our.Love Podcast, Jim Coan sits down with Arthur Aron, Research Professor of Psychology at Stony Brook University, to explain the self-expansion model of forging interpersonal relationships. Arthur discusses self-expanding activities for strengthening relationship bonds, how to measure and improve satisfaction in a relationship, and his research behind his "36 Questions That Lead To Love" model.

Dr. Adia Gooden is a licensed clinical psychologist, author of 4 Practices to Connect to your Unconditional Self-Worth, host of the Unconditionally Worthy podcast, and TEDx speaker. She specializes in providing therapy to people of color and speaks about unconditional self-worth, imposter syndrome, and black women in mental health. She has served as a staff psychologist and the coordinator for multicultural outreach and support for the Student Counseling Services at the University of Chicago and the Director of the Clinic and Community Programs at the Family Institute at Northwestern.

She received her bachelor's in psychology from Stanford University and her doctorate in clinical community psychology from DePaul University. She offers online courses and programs to help people build healthy relationships with themselves and discover their unconditional self-worth.

Are you struggling with thoughts of not being good enough? You've accomplished personal and professional goals but still feel insufficient.

Intrusive thoughts of self-doubt can make you feel worthless, that you are not fulfilling your purpose in academia, your career, and your relationships. How can you connect to your unconditional self-worth? Dr. Adia Gooden has proven strategies to help you on your journey to identify your self-worth — because she spent years trying to accomplish the same thing.

In this episode of Our.Love Podcast, Dr. Keely Sikes Rollings sits down with Dr. Adia Gooden, licensed clinical psychologist, author, and podcast host, to talk about proven practices to improve your self-worth. Dr. Gooden shares her story of struggling with disbelief in her self-worth, learning how to forgive yourself through self-compassion, and the importance of self-soothing to cultivate healthy relationships.

Todd Kashdan is the Founder of Kashdan Consulting, where he provides consulting services to organizations looking to improve their well-being. He offers keynotes, workshops, program development, and program evaluation.

Todd is among the world's top experts on the psychology of well-being, psychological strengths, mental agility, and social relationships. His research has been featured in hundreds of media outlets, including multiple articles in the Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, and Forbes.

He is also a Professor of Psychology at George Mason University, where he founded the Well-Being Lab. He has published over 210 peer-reviewed journal articles on well-being and resilience, psychological flexibility, meaning and purpose in life, curiosity, and social anxiety management.

We often take pride in how well we know our relationship partners. But what we often don't realize is the collective knowledge and shared experiences we have. That knowledge decreases our propensity to be curious because things become less and less novel the more we know our partner.

Curiosity is the oxygen of relationships. To be in a successful, long-term relationship, you must be intent on finding the unfamiliar in the seemingly familiar. Curiosity differentiates a stale, failing, assumption-based relationship from a finer-grained and thriving one. In a thriving relationship, you're always looking for the ever-so-slight distinctions of how your partner is changing over time. You notice how they respond differently to similar events or situations. When you are curious and seek out novel information and experiences, vitality and energy towards the relationship increase, and you are more engaged.

On this episode of the Our.Love Podcast, Jim Coan sits down with Todd Kashdan, a Professor of Psychology at George Mason University, to discuss the importance of curiosity in relationships. Todd talks about what curiosity means, understanding curiosity as an ability and a learned skill, the difference curiosity makes in relationships, and what happens when a relationship is devoid of curiosity.