Relationships Made Easy
Episodes
183. What to Do When You Can’t Let Go of Your Unhealthy Relationship
14 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I’ve gotten a lot of letters and questions from people who are in relationships that they know aren’t “good for them” whether due to addiction...
182. How to Have a Long, Happy Relationship Backed by Research
07 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Being in love is awesome! And it can also be a huge pain in the ass! Nothing brings us more joy (or more pain) than our romantic partnerships but all ...
181. Ask Dr. Abby: What to Do When Your Ex Seems Happy in a New Relationship
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Your relationship ended but now you’re hearing (or even seeing through your secret IG stalking account) that your ex has moved on and is happy in th...
180. How to Practice Self-Acceptance: My Top 5 Tips
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you call it self-love, self-approval or self-compassion the research shows that learning to accept yourself is one of the keys to emotional we...
BONUS: The 5 Things Women Need to Know About Men with Shana James
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For women in heterosexual relationships, understanding the men we love can be quite a challenge. And so I've brought in some reinforcements! Shana Jam...
BONUS: How 20-Somethings Can Find Happiness and Clarity in Love and Work with Tess Brigham
16 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today I’m speaking to the amazing Tess Brigham! She’s been dubbed the “Millennial Therapist” by CNBC and specializes in helping young adults d...
179. 7 Habits That Are Sabotaging Your Relationship
14 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I spend most of my time on the podcast telling you what to do to be happy in all your relationships (which I love because I’m a bossy Jewish mother)...
178. How to Deal with a Defensive Person Who Won't Listen
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have someone in your life who gets defensive and just won’t listen no matter how carefully you approach them? Have you tried all the tools an...
177. How to Stop Being a Perfectionist So You Can Start Being Happy
31 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine taking a test where you get no credit for the right answers, but you get punished for every single one you got wrong. That’s perfectionism. ...
176. How to Stop Having the Same Argument Over and Over Again in Your Relationship
24 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You know about “the argument.” It’s that same fight that comes up over and over again with your partner, mother or brother. Any long-term relati...
175. 3 Big Mistakes You're Making When Your Kids Don't Like Your New Relationship and 1 Thing to Do to Turn It Around
17 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do if your kids don’t like your new partner or if your partner’s kids don’t like you? Today I’m coming at you with the 3 big mista...
174. How to Stop Being Insecure in Your Relationships
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We all have self-doubt now and then but chronic insecurity is a destructive pattern that’ll sabotage your relationships with everyone from your part...
173. How to Stop Being Self-Conscious in All Your Relationships
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all been there: you said or did something and suddenly your cheeks are burning and you have to fight the urge to run and hide under the covers...
172. Mismatched Sex Drives: What to Do if You Want More (or Less) Sex Than Your Partner
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do when you and your partner have mismatched sex drives? When you want more sex than your partner (or less sex than your partner), you end...
171: Ask Dr. Abby: What to Do If Your Partner Won’t Move In Together
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do when you're ready to move in together but your partner isn't? Today I'm putting on my Ask Dr. Abby hat and answering a question from yo...
170. Developing Empathy in Relationships is the Key to Connection and Communication
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Developing empathy in relationships is the key to connection and communication. In fact, empathy is incredibly good for you! We know from the research...
169. What to Do If Your Partner is Conflict Avoidant Plus Dealing with Your Own Conflict Avoidance
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
At its core, conflict avoidance is people pleasing due to a deeply ingrained fear of hurting or upsetting other people if you express your true feelin...
168. Ask Dr. Abby: What to Do If Your Partner Doesn't Want to Get Married
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do if you want to get married but your partner doesn’t? Today I’m answering that very question on this Ask Dr. Abby episode so stay tu...
167. How to Stay Calm and Centered When Dealing with Family Stress and Dysfunction During the Holidays
09 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
No one can push our buttons like our family! The approaching holiday season means more time with those crazy people we love, which can equal more stre...
166. Signs that Someone is Gaslighting You and What to Do About It
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Gaslighting is a dangerous form of manipulation where someone acts in such a way that you start doubting your perceptions, your memory or your own jud...
165. Ask Dr. Abby: Unfair Relationships: What to Do When Your Relationship Doesn't Feel Fair
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you feel like your relationship isn't fair? Maybe you feel like you're always the one doing more of the heavy lifting, making more of the plans, fi...
164. How to Overcome Guilt and Regret When Setting Boundaries
19 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all been there. You set a healthy boundary with someone and feel good about it for about 5 minutes, and then the guilt begins to set in. You s...
163. How to Forgive Someone Who Hurt You in 5 Steps
12 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In any relationship, even really good relationships, there are hurts that can build up and need to be forgiven if you want to grow your relationship i...
162. Ask Dr. Abby: What to Do If Your Partner Blames You When Things Go Wrong and Gaslights You
05 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do if your partner (or someone else you love) gaslights and blames you for things not going their way? You listen to today’s episode of ...
161. Forgiveness is a Choice: Interview with Dr. Robert Enright
28 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that forgiveness is a choice? In this week’s podcast episode, I interviewed Dr. Robert Enright, the man Time Magazine calls “the Forg...
160. When You Feel Angry and Don't Know Why
21 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes it’s clear why we’re feeling angry but a lot of the time, we react angrily to something and later think, “Why did I get so mad?” or ...
159. Got Family Stress? How to Not Get Triggered by Family
14 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you dealing with family stress? Lashing out at your mom for that condescending thing she said? Feeling guilty that you’re avoiding your dad beca...
159. Got Family Stress? How to Not Get Triggered by Family
14 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you dealing with family stress? Lashing out at your mom for that condescending thing she said? Feeling guilty that you’re avoiding your dad beca...
158. How to Stop Overthinking and Let Things Go That Bother You
07 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do you let things go that bother you? How do you stop overthinking -- going round and round in your head? Maybe your partner hurt you or you’re ...
157. Ask Dr. Abby: What to Do When a Family Member is Creating a Toxic Environment
31 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do when an extended family member is creating a toxic atmosphere at family gatherings? How do you draw boundaries and feel seen and heard ...
156. Ask Dr. Abby: What to Do When Your Partner Avoids Difficult Conversations
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you finding it hard to trust and connect with your partner because they avoid difficult conversations or lie to you about how they're really feeli...
155. Overcoming Insecurity and Silencing Your Inner Critic
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling insecure and not good enough leads to you talking some serious smack to yourself, leaving you feeling anxious, crappy and even jealous. Resear...
154. Ask Dr. Abby: I Feel Unloved and Not "Good Enough." Is This a "Me" Problem or Is My Partner Causing It?
10 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week we’re doing an “Ask Dr. Abby” episode, where I respond to a question submitted by one of YOU! This week, someone wrote this: “Dear D...
153. The 5-Step Process to Effective Communication in Any Relationship
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you ready to improve your communication in all aspects of your life – with your partner, at work, with your family and friends? If I could boil ...
152. How to Know If They've Stopped Listening and You're Not Communicating Anymore
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you were sitting alone in a room and talking out loud, would you define that as communicating? No, I didn’t think so. But half the time you’re ...
151. The 3 Reasons Why You’ve Tried Communication Tools in the Past and They Haven’t Worked
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve tried all the communication tools: you’ve been to couples counseling, attended workshops, read books, listened to podcasts and watched coun...
150. What to Do When You Can’t Stop Thinking About Something
13 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Can’t stop obsessing about your ex or worrying about your bills? Or maybe you can’t stop beating yourself up over that “stupid” thing you said...
149. Negative Friends and Family: 5 Steps to Deal with Emotionally Draining People
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is your mom always pointing out how you should have done something better? Do you share good news with your brother but then he poops all over it? Do ...
148. Is Porn Ok in Your Relationship?
29 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today I’m answering your top questions when it comes to porn in relationships: Is it an addiction? Is it cheating? What does the research say about ...
147. Your People Pleasing Might Be a Trauma Response!
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
I’m sure you’ve heard of the fight/flight/freeze response, but did you know that there’s also a fourth type of response called fawn, which is li...
146. Unhealed Trauma Might Be Ruining Your Relationship
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you hear the word "trauma" you might be thinking, “Well, that doesn’t apply to me. I’ve never been the victim of a violent crime or in a wa...
146. You Might Not Realize You're Suffering from Unhealed Trauma
15 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you hear the word "trauma" you might be thinking, “Well, that doesn’t apply to me. I’ve never been the victim of a violent crime or in a wa...
145. How to Deal with Toxic Positivity in All Your Relationships
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you feel pressure from your partner to be happy or “get over it” when you’re struggling? Does your best friend dismiss or minimize your diffi...
145. How to Deal with Toxic Positivity in All Your Relationships
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you feel pressure from your partner to be happy or “get over it” when you’re struggling? Does your best friend dismiss or minimize your diffi...
144. One-Sided Friendships: The 5-Step Process to Loving or Leaving Them
01 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have a friend who you’re always there for but, when you’re in need, they ghost you or offer minimal energy or support? Basically, are you i...
143. Is Your Relationship Worth Saving?
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Have you been wrestling over The Clash’s epic line, “Should I stay or should I go?” Yes, this indecision is bugging you! The waffling back and f...
142. The 5 Ways Imposter Syndrome is Hurting All Your Relationships
18 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When you get a compliment do you say things like: “I just got lucky;” “We did so well on that project because Jane was running it;” “I’m n...
141. How to Stop Rescuing and Start Supporting
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Being a rescuer will keep you stuck, disconnected and dissatisfied in your relationships. Today you’ll learn my 4 simple steps to stop rescuing so y...
140. How to Own Your Shit and Stop Blaming Other People
04 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Owning your shit is the key to a happy life because if you don’t own your shit, it’ll own you. If you’re blaming anyone else for anything in you...
139. 3 Steps to Loving Detachment
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you often feel worried about a loved one, disappointed or upset by their choices, or like your emotions revolve around whether they’re “doing w...
138. The Easiest and Most Effective Way to Solve Any Problem
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
There you are in the problem. “I can’t pay these bills.” “My partner’s driving me crazy.” “I think my boss hates me.” “I need to los...
137. The 5 Signs That You're Not Communicating
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Talking to someone who’s not listening is like speaking to a drunk person. They can sort of hold a conversation with you, but they’re not really p...
136. Codependency, Counter-Dependency and Narcissism, Oh My!
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
“What the hell is counter-dependency?” That was literally my response when I was asked to cover this topic for the podcast. In my over 35 years in...
135. FOMO: Why You Have it and How to Make it Stop
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Do you get anxious or envious when you hear about your colleague’s fabulous vacation? Are you constantly overcommitting? Or maybe you get off social...
134. Unsupportive Friends and Family: The 5 Things You Want to Do
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It seems like the definition of friends and family would be “people who have your back, no matter what.” Sadly, that’s not often how it feels. T...
133. Negative Self-Talk and Your Inner Critic Need to Go
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are you dealing with negative self-talk? Is your inner voice an a-hole? Do you routinely say things to yourself like: “Why can’t you ever speak up...
132. Emotional Affairs: What to Do and What to Avoid
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
An emotional affair can be even more damaging to a relationship than a physical one. There’s only so much emotional bandwidth each of us has every d...
131. What to Do if Your Partner Threatens a Breakup or Divorce
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What can or should you be doing if your partner is making threats and telling you they’re unhappy? Today I’m going to teach you the 4 things to lo...
130. Self-Sabotage: What it is, Why You Do It, and How to Stop it
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Self-sabotage can show up in any relationship: with our partner, boss, friend or, the one that hurts the most, in our relationship with ourselves! Whe...
129. Regret Sucks: The 3-Step Process to Make it Stop
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Superman did it, but you can’t. The past is unchangeable. Period. End of story. The could’ve and should’ve clearly doesn’t help, but we do it ...
128. How to Stop Caring So Much About What Other People Think
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today I’m going to take you through the 5 most common ways caring too much about what other people think shows up in your life and my top 5 strategi...
127. Coping with Grief and Loss: From Breakups to Death to Losing a Job
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Grief and loss aren’t just about someone dying. Sometimes you’ll experience these feelings due to something out of your control like being fired o...
126: Moving On After a Divorce or Break Up
26 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You can’t stop thinking about him. She’s on your mind day and night. You’re trying to distract yourself, but all you can think about is them! Tr...
125: 3 Tips for Effective Communication in any Relationship
19 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If I could boil down everything I’ve learned in the last 30 years to have great communication in both your business and personal life, it would be w...
124: How to Listen Without Getting Defensive and Hurt
12 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It doesn’t matter if it’s your partner, friend or a work colleague -- it’s so easy to get defensive and butt-hurt when they’re coming at you w...
123: What Self-Care Really Means (It's Not What You Think)
05 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Self-care is, above all else, paying attention to how you feel! You can exercise all day and get a mani/pedi every week but if you’re not feeling ha...
122: How to Deal with a Narcissist
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do you know someone who prioritizes their own needs over yours, with no apology? Maybe you feel like you can’t get their attention or feel like a pr...
121: What to Do If you Don't Like Your Partner's Friends or Family
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When you fall in love with someone you get more than just that person because they come with a whole community of friends and family. If you’re luck...
120: Dealing with Judgmental and Critical People this Holiday Season
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I get asked a lot how to deal with judgmental and critical people. This is an issue for just about everyone, so today I’m coming at you with the 2 r...
119: Tiny Habits: How Small Changes Get Big Results. An Interview with BJ Fogg
01 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Join me and NY Times Best Selling author, BJ Fogg, who talks about his amazing book, Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything. Today you'...
118: How to Get Grounded and Balanced this Holiday Season
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The holidays are a time when many people throw their rules aside and end up with lots of overdoing: too much food, too much booze or drugs, putting mo...
117: What to Do When Someone You Love is Struggling with Drugs and Alcohol
17 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Figuring out how to deal with someone who’s struggling with drugs and alcohol is a topic for any time of year, but if someone you know seems to have...
116: Top 5 Coping Skills to Deal with Family Driving You Crazy During the Holidays
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today I’m talking about the five ways your family is likely going to drive you crazy this holiday season along with my top five tips for battling ba...
115: 3 Ways to Deal with Loneliness and Isolation during the COVID Holidays and Beyond
03 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling lonely sucks! If you’re listening, it means you’ve likely experienced the pain of feeling lonely or isolated at some point in your life. S...
114: The Simple Hack to Stop Your Negative Thoughts All Day
27 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Here we are in our last week of Goodbye Negative Thinking Month! For the last 2 weeks, I’ve been laying out the pillars of the Goodbye Negative Thin...
113: The Secret to Positive Thinking in All Your Relationships
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to positive thinking you’ve likely got two big problems that I’m going to help you solve today: 1) You’re in a negative space too ...
112: Finally Stop Having Negative Thoughts
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have negative thoughts that you just can’t seem to stop thinking? If you’ve tried tools to stop negative thoughts and you haven’t been su...
111: The Real Reason You Have Negative Thoughts and 2 Things You Can Do About It
06 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I’m devoting this whole month to how to be happy now. I'll talk about how to stop negative thinking, how to start positive thinking, how to avoid th...
110. How to Stop Being Jealous in a Relationship
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Last week I talked about what to do if your partner is jealous and this week I’m focusing on you! Today I’m covering everything you ever wanted to...
109: What to Do if Your Partner is Jealous
22 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Having a jealous partner sucks. And I don’t just mean a partner who thinks you’re cheating. I’m also talking about a partner who isn’t support...
108: Pandemic Burnout: How to Stay Calm and Focused
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do you notice that you’re feeling more tired or fatigued these days? Maybe you’re having difficulty concentrating or find yourself more impatient ...
107: Ask Dr. Abby: What to Do if You and Your Partner Want Different Things in Bed
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Does your partner want different things in the bedroom than you? Today I'm coming at you with my 3-step process for getting on the same page in the be...
106: What to Do if My Partner is Depressed (and How to Know if They're Just Sad)
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Depression is more common than you may think! According to the World Health Organization, more than 264 million people worldwide experience depression...
105: What to Do When the Honeymoon Phase Ends in Your Relationship
25 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What to do when that honeymoon phase ends in your relationship? I’ve got your answer: Be happy because it means you’ve moved on to better things! ...
104: How to Fight Fair: The 3 Rules for Having an Effective Argument
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today I’m going to teach you how to have a fair fight with anyone, whether it’s a partner, coworker or friend. I'll share the reason why tools hav...
103: Ask Dr. Abby: My Partner Doesn't Listen to Me
11 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Does someone complain to you about something and then, when you give them ideas and solutions, do they shoot you down? Today I’m going to tell you w...
102 Why Sleep is the Secret to Great Relationships
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Your day doesn’t start when you turn off your alarm in the morning. Your day starts when you set the alarm the night before. Getting your butt to be...
101 The 3 Best Tools to Use in Every Relationship
28 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I have long believed that the tools I teach apply to any and all relationships. It’s time to simplify your life and focus on a few tools that you’...
100 How to Create Resilient Relationships So You Can Feel Ease, Joy and Connection
20 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Today you'll learn one of the foundations of not only a happy, connected relationship, but of a happy, fulfilled life: resilience! The good news is th...
099 How to Deal with Passive Aggressive People
14 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Whether it’s a backhanded compliment, a guilt trip, martyrdom, or that sarcastic comment, it’s always annoying and frustrating to deal with someon...
098 How Do You Build a Healthy Relationship?
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How do you build a healthy relationship? It's all about your mindset. In today's "Ask Dr. Abby" segment, I'm going to answer this question and give yo...
097 How to Identify Your Relationship Blindspots
30 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you look up blind spot in the dictionary it says, “An area in which your view is obstructed.” The problem with blind spots in our relationships...
096 My Partner Won't Listen to Me!
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tired of saying the same thing to your partner over and over? Does it feel like your partner isn't listening to you? Today I'm going to talk about wha...
095 My Partner Is Driving Me Crazy in Quarantine!
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re a human being and living with your partner, there’s a high likelihood that you’ve come close to killing them a few times since March. ...
094 What to Do if You're Being Treated Unfairly
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Have you got a coworker who undermines you, but your boss doesn’t see it and thinks your coworker is the bees knees? Or maybe you’ve got a sibling...
093 How Emotional Labor is Killing Your Relationship and What to Do About It
02 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“Emotional labor” refers to all the pieces we need to think about in running a family, such as making meals, cleaning, shopping, childcare, and ov...
092 How to Say "No" and Stick to It
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Are you feeling resentful or exhausted? Is there a fair amount of passive aggressive behavior between you and your partner (or between you and anyone...
091 How to Stay Sane When the World is Going Crazy
14 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tune in today to learn about the two main things you have to do if you want to stay sane while the world is going crazy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...
090 Best Relationship Advice: 5 Key Philosophies
06 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is round two in my “Best Relationship Advice” series. Today, I’m going to teach you the five best philosophies or mindsets to have. These a...
089 How to Deal with People Who Get on Your Last Nerve
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Do you have that person who's just bugging the you-know-what out of you? Well, be bothered no more! Today I’m coming at you with my top 5 tips for d...