You can do all the healing work in the world, and then real love shows up to find out if you really meant it.

This episode dives into the beautiful and brutal reality of what happens when old patterns meet new love, and when the very person you adore also triggers the parts of you you thought were long gone.

We're sharing how we have navigated (and still are, in some cases), enormous transitions that tested our bond, as well as our individual capacity to stay grounded. Between moving countries, blending a family, facing addiction recovery, immigration hurdles and even a natural disaster, it's been a wild time of growth colliding with reality.

Here's what we most want you to know: the power struggle stage isn't a sign that something is wrong. Instead, it's the moment you finally get to see all the underlying stories and patterns that have been running the show all along, to both grow through and heal them together.

On this episode, you’ll hear:

• How the power struggle stage in relationships can actually be the birthplace of real intimacy.
• Why even those who have done a huge amount of healing work still revisit old survival patterns, and how to meet them with awareness.
• The truth about two people having completely different emotional experiences within the same relationship.
• How your nervous system, upbringing, and relational history shape the way you love.
• What it looks like to keep choosing connection, even when it feels messy, confronting, and inconvenient.

Be sure to check out the next episode, Hope After Heartbreak, to hear our early story of how we both risked hope again in the name of love when we found each other. So much more to come!

Connect with Us

Work with Emily and Kelly for Couples Coaching

Connect with Emily on IG @emilygoughcoach

Connect with Kelly on IG @iamkellygardner

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