The Secure Love Podcast
Welcome to The Secure Love Podcast, where licensed therapist Julie Menanno brings real-time couples therapy to life. Using Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), Julie works with couples to uncover the roots of their struggles, break free from negative cycles, and create stronger, more secure relationships.
If you’re curious about the process of couples therapy or looking for a podcast for therapists to inspire your practice, this show offers valuable insights grounded in attachment theory. As one of the leading resources in the space, this podcast about couples therapy provides practical tools and relatable stories to help listeners better understand their own relationships.
S3 | Session 6: When the Fixer Finally Puts Down His Tools
We pick right back up in the middle of our session with Rachel and Mike. After Rachel courageously bared her soul, the energy in the room is incredibly heavy. Now, we turn our focus to Mike.
S3 | Session 5: What Does Your Fear Need?
Have you ever fought so hard for a connection that one day, you simply run out of energy? You stop yelling. You stop protesting. You just… go quiet.
S3 | Session 4: Building a Positive Cycle from the Fear of Disappointment
Leading up to this week's session, we have established a new foundation of vulnerability and we tackle one of the biggest challenges in their relationship: Mike's family. For Rachel, the family dynamic is an environment where she feels constantly pushed to the side. But for Mike, stepping out of line with his parents triggers a profound, physical alarm response in his nervous system.
S3 | Session 3: He Probably Wishes He Hadn't Chosen Me
If you listened to our previous episode, you know Rachel and Mike ended their first session with a beautiful breakthrough. But in the real world of relationships, progress is rarely linear. In this episode, we drop into the next session to find Rachel fighting a powerful urge to detach.
S3 | Session 2: Escaping to the Head When the Heart Gets Scared
Welcome back to the second half of our first session with Rachel and Mike. After Rachel courageously opens up about her deep grief and abandonment fears, the emotional stakes in the room are high.
Session 19: Unpacking Shame and The Reality of Healing (Season Finale)
We enter the final session of Season 2 with a deep dive into the roots of shame. Julie steps in to distinguish shame from guilt, helping Brian see that his exhaustion and relentless drive for success aren't just personality traits—they are survival strategies designed to hide a core belief of being "defective" or "less than".
Session 10: Does it Get Worse Before It Gets Better?
After a long holiday break, Bethany and Brian have lost momentum and are "not in a good spot." Brian opens the session feeling "checked out" and asks, "Is this insanity?" while Bethany feels like she's "walking on eggshells," afraid to trigger him.
Session 9: The Knock-Down, Drag-Out Fight for Co-Regulation
What happens when a couple survives a major crisis, only to be thrown back into their negative cycle by a simple text message? This week, after Bethany recounts a traumatic car accident and Brian's initial, supportive response, a seemingly small conflict about a baby monitor spirals into a "knock-down, drag-out" fight.
Session 3: When You Get Scared, I Get Scared
What happens when a real-life crisis puts your relationship’s progress to the ultimate test?
Session 2: “Second-Class Citizen” – Understanding What Lies Behind the Anger
In this week’s session, we dive deeper into Brian’s inner world as he unpacks the painful feeling of being a “second-class citizen” in his relationship with Bethany. What does it mean to feel unimportant to the person you love and how does that hurt turn into anger?
Perfectionism to Self-Regulation: The Anxious Partner's Journey
In this episode of The Secure Love Podcast, host Julie Menanno focuses on Melissa’s anxious attachment style, exploring her emotional regulation challenges and the roots of her people-pleasing tendencies.
What Happens When the Avoidant Partner Faces Their Anger?
In this episode of The Secure Love Podcast, couples therapist Julie Menanno focuses on Drew, the avoidant partner in his relationship with Melissa, as they continue working through disconnection issues in their marriage.
Facing the Inner Critic: Moving from Shame to Vulnerability
In this episode, Drew, the avoidant partner in his relationship with Melissa, begins to confront his deep-seated feelings of inadequacy and shame. Drew's inner critic, which has driven him to seek perfection and self-improvement, also caused emotional pain and isolation.
What Happens When Shared Fears Aren’t Communicated?
In this week’s episode of the Secure Love Podcast, Melissa and Drew face the ongoing challenge of truly understanding each other’s emotional states. Although the couple has acknowledged they've made tremendous progress, they still have their moments of disconnect. While Drew claims he’s happy, Melissa senses something off in his body language and expressions, stirring doubts rooted in past misunderstandings.
Handling Crisis: The Anxious-Avoidant Clash
This week on the Secure Love Podcast, Melissa and Drew share their breakthroughs and real-life applications of their therapy work with Julie Menanno. They've been learning to identify and break their negative cycles, but as always, the journey is full of ups and downs.
Take me Out to the Ballgame: Navigating Attachment Fears and Finding Co-Regulation
In this episode of the Secure Love Podcast, Melissa and Drew find themselves caught in a familiar struggle at a baseball game with their kids. Drew checks out, feeling overwhelmed, leaving Melissa to handle the kids alone. Sound familiar?
Breaking The Negative Cycle
In the first episode of The Secure Love Podcast, we meet Melissa and Drew, a couple navigating the complexities of their relationship. Melissa opens up about her experience of anger and shutdown when she feels disconnected from Drew during stressful times.
Apply To Be On The Podcast
Are you and your partner open to exploring your relationship with guidance from Julie Menanno while sharing your journey with others? We’re looking for couples willing to participate in real-time recorded sessions for an upcoming season of The Secure Love Podcast.
This is a unique opportunity to receive support while helping others learn through your experience. Sessions will be recorded and shared publicly via podcast platforms, our website, and social media.
If you're interested, please complete this form. Both partners must participate in the application process.