Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?

This week on the podcast, Im joined once again by the brilliant Dr. Morgan Cutlip- author, psychologist, and relationship expert. She is known for equipping individuals and couples with practical, down-to-earth tools to navigate the most challenging parts of relationships. She has a true gift for turning psychological research into relatable, real-life strategies, and she shares her wisdom through her books, courses, blog, podcast, and social media platforms.

Morgan first joined us to talk about her book Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself, and now shes back with her brand-new release, A Better Share, which just dropped last week.

In this episode, we talk about the invisible load so many of us carry in marriage and relationships. From emotional labor and intimacy to resentment and repair, Morgan helps us understand whats really going on beneath the surface- and how to stop feeling like you're carrying it all alone.

Heads up: we touch on some adult topics, so this one might be best saved for when little ears arent around.

I know youre going to love Morgans wisdom, insights and message of hope today!

4:01 Morgan 201

Life in a book-writing hole
Kids getting older
The bob is bobbing!

6:56 Morgans Expertise And Book Launch

Morgans background in psychology
Helping women stay connected to themselves
How Morgans experience and others experiences influenced this book

11:28 The Mental Load

Defining the mental load
The weight on women
The emotional work of home and family

15:00 Challenges In Modern Relationships

Why couples end up in imbalanced relationship dynamics
How women are socialized to self-sacrifice
Breaking under the weight of assumed responsibility

20:43 Repairing Resentment and Rebuilding Intimacy

Talking about these issues without defensiveness
Externalizing the problem and setting up conversations well
5 key conversations couples should be having
Practical tools for improving relationships
Getting your copy of Morgans book

FEATURED QUOTES

If we just point the finger at our partners, it's not going to get us to a better place.

Everybody has a mental loadHowever, in home and family life, research shows us time and time again, even when women work full time, part time or stay at home parents, it doesn't matter, we tend to carry the bulk of it.

When couples stop talking about the little things, they stop reaching for the big things, like intimacy.

Learn more about Morgan:

https://drmorgancutlip.com/

My Love Thinks:

https://www.mylovethinks.com/

My Love Thinks Podcast:

https://www.mylovethinks.com/relationship-podcast/

Get Your Copy of A Better Share:

https://drmorgancutlip.com/bs-preorder/

Get your Copy of Love Your Kids Without Losing Yourself

https://drmorgancutlip.com/book/

Morgan on Social Media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmorgancutlip/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mylovethinks/

This week, I am so excited to be joined by the incredible Lauren Sisler. She is an Emmy Award-winning sports broadcaster, ESPN sideline reporter, author, keynote speaker, and the queen of the sideline shimmy.

After landing her dream career with ESPN and reporting on college football and gymnastics, she began to open up about a story she once kept hidden: losing both of her parents to opioid addiction. 

Through sharing her journey, Lauren has not only shed light on the stigma surrounding addiction, but she’s also found a powerful way to help others navigate their own struggles. Whether on the sidelines or speaking on stages, her mission is to help people find the courage to tell their own stories and live more resilient lives. 

I can’t wait for you to hear this conversation, and to learn more about Lauren's powerful new book, Shatterproof.

3:11 – Lauren 101

•    Residing in Brimingham, Alabama
•    Lauren’s career in sports broadcasting
•    Wife and mom

5:53 – Shatterproof 

•    The “why” behind Shatterproof 
•    The process of writing this book
•    Lauren’s journey to acceptance 

12:04 – Healing In Layers

•    The challenges of writing this book
•    Greif and healing are not linear 
•    How Lauren’s perspective shifted over time

18:02 – Understanding Addiction and Stigma 

•    The stigma surrounding addiction 
•    Finding compassion for those battling addiction 
•    Having open, honest conversations 

27:22 – Holding The Whole Story

•    Honoring legacy through honesty 
•    The lessons Lauren learned from her parents’ lives
•    We shouldn’t be defined by our hardest chapters 
•    The difference between helping and enabling 

34:08 – The Power Of Sports And Storytelling

•    The resilience that sports builds
•    How Lauren’s career has shaped her own storytelling  
•    The power of storytelling
•    Getting Lauren’s book Shatterproof 

FEATURED QUOTES

“Growing up, society tells us what addiction looks like, who it affects, who it impacts. And I felt like my parents were none of those things.”

“The good Lord will free you when you stare something in the face and say, you know what? This is what it is. And now we gotta work through it and move through it.”

“I hope anybody that's listening that has walked through addiction or is actively walking through it knows there's absolutely hope and recovery. There are… so many amazing stories out there and testimonies- but it's a journey.”

Learn more about Lauren:

https://www.laurensisler.com/about

Get your copy of Shatterproof:

https://www.laurensisler.com/my-book-shatterproof-lauren-sisler

Lauren on socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurensisler

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenSisler/

X: https://x.com/LaurenSisler/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurensisler/

I’m thrilled to welcome back my dear friend Mary Marantz for her third appearance on the show! If you’ve been here a while, you already know how incredible Mary is- she’s a powerhouse in every sense of the word. As a podcaster, author, speaker, photographer, and coach, she truly does it all.

Today, we’re diving into her latest book, Underestimated, which releases later this month. We’re talking about what it means to be underestimated, why fear is a boring liar, and how playing small was never part of your purpose. This conversation was so good and I’m so excited to share it with you!

4:23 – Mary 301

•    Catching up since Mary’s second book
•    The experience writing Underestimated
•    The journey leading up to this book

6:25 – The Starting Line

•    Starting over in your 40s
•    It’s never too late to achieve your goals
•    Untangling limiting beliefs 

13:32 – Fear Is A Boring Liar 

•    Fear often repeats the same lies
•    Fear’s jealousy of creativity
•    How the enemy uses deception 
•    Flipping the fear narrative 

27:31 – The Power of Naming Fear

•    How unaddressed fears can lead to burnout
•    Having an accountability partner
•    Mirrors and microscopes
•    Learning and growing from your mistakes

50:09 – Closing Thoughts 

•    Who this book is for
•    Mary’s prayer for her readers 
•    Pre-ordering your copy of Underestimated 

FEATURED QUOTES

“What does it look like for us to quit playing small on the good work that's been prepared for us in advance?”

“This book is for the one who feels like they're being called up to greatness. They're being called up to more, but at the very same time, you simultaneously doubt that someone like you could ever get there.”

“God did not call you to play small. He did not call you to shrink back. He made you for more than you realize.”

Learn more about Mary:
https://marymarantz.com/

Grab a FREE chapter of Mary’s book, Underestimated:
https://marymarantz.myflodesk.com/underestimatedch1

The Mary Marantz Show:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mary-marantz-show/id1478272407

Achiever Type Quiz: 
https://www.marymarantz.com/quiz

Mary on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marymarantz/?hl=en

Mary on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marymarantz/

Mary on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymarantz/

It’s been one whole year since If I Don’t Laugh, I’ll Cry made its way into the world, and today, we’re celebrating! In this special anniversary episode, I’m reflecting on the journey of writing and releasing this book- what it was like to put my story on paper, the emotional highs and lows, and the incredible messages from readers that have reminded me why I wrote it in the first place.

Whether you’ve read the book or are just hearing about it for the first time, I hope this episode makes you laugh, reflect, and feel a little less alone in your own beautiful mess.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me!

0:47 – Intro

•    My 1-year bookaversery!
•    A big thank you to my readers 

3:06 – Behind The Pages

•    What was it really like to write a book?
•    The cathartic and terrifying writing process 
•    Reader messages that moved me

5:33 – Embracing The Messy & Real

•    Offering presence, perspective and hope
•    The anticipation leading up to release day
•    Honoring my mom’s storytelling

11:08 – Future Plans & Final Thoughts

•    Is another book on the horizon?
•    Staying true to my voice

FEATURED QUOTES

“One of the goals that I had in this book is to just make someone feel seen, make you feel seen, to know that your mess is not too much for God- that you're not too far gone.”

“This year taught me that this story, my story, this book, didn't end with the last chapter. It has kept going in the conversations, in the tears that were shed at book signings, in the emails from strangers, in the quiet mornings on the farm, when I remember why I wrote it.”

“There's something really beautiful that happens when you let people see the cracks. Because what happens is light gets in, and you'll be able to watch other people shine too.”