Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Real Love Ready: The Series

What happens when porn becomes sex education by default? Cindy Gallop is the founder of MakeLoveNotPorn, a social sex video-sharing platform built on a simple idea: the problem isn't porn itself — it's what happens when a culture that can't talk openly about sex leaves porn to fill that gap by default. In this episode, Robin and Cindy explore the space between what we see on screen and what sex actually looks and feels like in real life. They talk about why there's no formula for great sex, how mainstream male-lens porn shapes expectations without us realizing it, and why communication, curiosity, and shared sexual values matter more than knowing the "right" move. The conversation also covers body image and desirability, sexual agency, and what it looks like to bring empathy, respect, generosity, and honesty into the bedroom. Cindy shares how parents can talk to kids about sex and porn without shame, how couples can finally open conversations they've avoided for years, and why becoming a great lover starts with a willingness to learn — not perform. At its core, this is a conversation about what becomes possible when we stop outsourcing our understanding of sex to porn, and start treating sex as a place to practice the same values we want in love: honesty, respect, curiosity, reciprocity, and care. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:03:04) From Advertising to Reinventing Sex Culture (00:05:06) When Porn Becomes Sex Education (00:10:50) Great Sex Starts With Communication (00:12:31) Body Image & What We Really Find Attractive (00:15:56) Love, Vulnerability & Real-World Sex (00:19:49) Why Sex Is Part of Who We Are (00:24:35) What Are Your Sexual Values? (00:26:33) The Male Lens & Why Not All Porn Is the Same (00:29:47) How to Talk to Kids About Sex & Porn (00:40:43) What Teenage Boys Really Want to Know (00:45:39) Sex & Communication in Relationships (00:52:19) Teaching Children About Sex, Love & Connection (00:56:43) How Couples Can Talk About Sexual Values (01:02:57) The Future of Sex Education (01:09:00) What Makes a Great Lover? (01:13:16) Romantic Love Isn’t the Only Love QUOTES “We cannot talk about real love and leave sex out of it.” – Robin Ducharme “It’s not porn’s job to educate; it’s society’s.” – Cindy Gallop “Great sex is born out of great communication.” – Cindy Gallop “The values have to be shared in the bedroom too.” – Robin Ducharme “What makes a great lover is someone who absolutely comes to bed with a willingness to learn.” – Cindy Gallop ABOUT THE GUEST Cindy Gallop built her career in brand-building, marketing, and advertising, running the US office of Bartle Bogle Hegarty starting in 1998 and earning Advertising Woman of the Year in 2003. In 2009, she launched MakeLoveNotPorn at TED, one of the most talked-about talks of the conference, and later grew it into the world's first user-generated, human-curated social sex video platform. She's the founder and CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn and IfWeRanTheWorld, a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in advertising and tech, and author of the TED book Make Love Not Porn: Technology's Hardcore Impact on Human Behavior. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cindygallop/ Website: https://cindygallop.com/ MLNP Academy: https://makelovenotporn.academy/ GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow Us: @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if loving well is something we can actually learn? Dr. Alexandra Solomon is a licensed clinical psychologist, founder of the Institute for Relational Self-Awareness, bestselling author, and longtime professor of Northwestern University’s renowned Marriage 101 course. For more than 25 years, she has been teaching people how to understand themselves more deeply and build healthier, more connected relationships. In this episode, Robin and Dr. Solomon explore what Relational Self-Awareness looks like in practice: noticing the stories, wounds, and nervous-system responses we bring into our relationships, and learning to stay curious about what difficult moments might be trying to teach us. They talk about why healthy relationships are not conflict-free, how to know when to pause, and why real growth requires both acceptance and change. Dr. Solomon reflects on how the way we understand love is changing, what different stages of life can reveal about our partnerships, and why healthy relationships require honesty, curiosity, and a willingness to look at our own part. She also challenges some of the messages we have absorbed about romance, from mistaking intensity for intimacy to assuming that the right relationship should always feel easy. This is a conversation about learning to love with more awareness, intention, and skill. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:00) Introduction (00:05:34) How Our Gifts Grow From Our Wounds (00:14:32) Marriage 101: Teaching Love (00:20:13) What Young Adults Are Asking About Love (00:27:03) What Is Relational Self-Awareness? (00:29:07) Curiosity, Conflict & the Nervous System (00:36:05) Acceptance, Change & Relationship Growth (00:41:41) The Truth Isn’t Cruelty (00:43:22) Empty Nesting & Who We Become Next (00:52:41) What the Movies Get Wrong About Love (00:57:04) Relational Red Flags & Healthy Love (01:03:09) Why Young People Are Dating Differently (01:07:03) The Myth That Love Should Be Easy QUOTES “Love is not something we find. It’s something we build, something we learn, something we can actually get better at.” – Robin Ducharme “You are the through line in all of your relationship stories.” – Dr. Alexandra Solomon “When we view moments as teachers, our partners as teachers, it just opens up all kinds of possibilities.” – Dr. Alexandra Solomon “You know you’re ready to come back when you want to understand.” – Dr. Alexandra Solomon “I want to learn how to love in the best way, because I know what an impact that makes in our lives and the quality of our lives.” – Robin Ducharme “Being loved means somebody celebrating your evolution.” – Dr. Alexandra Solomon ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Alexandra Solomon is internationally recognized as one of today’s most trusted relationship experts. As a licensed clinical psychologist, she translates research and clinical wisdom to help people expand their Relational Self-Awareness. She is an adjunct professor at Northwestern University, the face of MasterClass In Practice, the host of Reimagining Love, and the award-winning author of three bestselling books including Love Every Day. Her work is frequently featured in outlets like NPR and The New York Times. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.alexandra.solomon/ Website: https://www.dralexandrasolomon.com/ GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow Us: @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What would change if love was not just something we believed in, but the principle we used to make our decisions? Marianne Williamson has spent more than four decades exploring that question. A bestselling author, spiritual teacher, and longtime student of A Course in Miracles, her book A Return to Love introduced millions of people, including Robin as a teenager, to a different way of thinking about love, fear, forgiveness, and inner peace. In this episode, Robin and Marianne explore how we can train our minds away from judgement, blame, and fear, recognize the everyday thoughts that block our capacity to love, and practise forgiveness without abandoning boundaries or the ability to say no. They talk about what we bring to our relationships, why love requires us to take responsibility for our own part, and how even small moments of judgement can shape the way we move through the world. Marianne also reflects on what running for president taught her about power, speaking up, forgiveness, and owning her mistakes without becoming consumed by resentment or self-blame. This is a conversation about choosing love as a practice, from the way we think about a stranger in a café to the way we treat the people closest to us and the world we create together. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:00) Introduction (00:05:49) What A Course in Miracles Teaches About Love (00:08:36) Training Your Mind to Choose Love (00:13:31) Making Love Our Bottom Line (00:17:45) The Blind Spots That Block Love (00:20:36) Mercy, Forgiveness & Intimate Relationships (00:24:54) Ego, Fear & the Illusion of Separation (00:28:01) Radical Accountability & Spiritual Detox (00:35:30) Forgiveness, Repair & Atonement (00:36:29) What Running for President Taught Marianne (00:44:55) Owning Your Part & Choosing Again QUOTES “Every moment you are making a decision. Will your heart be open to accept, to be your best, to hold another person in a space where they can be their best?” – Marianne Williamson “How very important it is for us to take radical accountability for our part. As human beings, that’s hard to do, but that’s what’s required.” – Robin Ducharme “When someone treats you without love, the only appropriate response is to see that as a call for love.” – Marianne Williamson “How can we be more loving in our individual lives, so that we are contributing to a more loving world?” – Robin Ducharme “The miracle is the new beginning. Get up, choose again.” – Marianne Williamson ABOUT THE GUEST For more than four decades, Marianne Williamson has been a leader of spiritual and progressive circles. She is the author of 17 books, four of which became #1 New York Times bestsellers, including A Return to Love, A Woman's Worth, The Law of Divine Compensation, and The Mystic Jesus: The Mind of Love. She founded Project Angel Food, which has delivered more than 20 million meals to homebound patients with life-threatening illnesses across Los Angeles since 1989, and co-founded The Peace Alliance in 2004 to support the creation of a U.S. Department of Peace. Williamson has run for U.S. president twice. Instagram: www.instagram.com/mariannewilliamson/ Website: Marianne.com Substack: MarianneWilliamson.Substack.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarianneWilliamsonCommunity GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow Us: @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does love have to do with leadership? For Janna Meyrowitz Turner, everything.  After twenty years building power for women, shaping cultural narratives for brands like Estée Lauder and the WNBA, and organizing 150 venture capital firms behind reproductive justice, Janna had a revelation: the powerful women she'd spent her career building up were going home to men who weren't growing alongside them.  That observation became Antenna Up, a platform of summits and community infrastructure built to send new signals about the health and wellbeing of American boys and men. Recorded in New York as part of the East Coast Tour, Janna and Robin trace her pivot from the women's space to the men's space, and why she calls love a leadership skill. More than a conversation about men and women, this episode offers a framework for reimagining leadership itself, what changes when we build institutions, relationships, and culture around love instead of greed. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:00) Introduction (00:02:50) Meet Janna (00:03:52) From Building Women Up to Seeing the Gap (00:12:41) Founding Antenna Up (00:18:39) Love as a Form of Leadership (00:23:12) What Is Buoys Club? (00:27:26) The Antenna Up Fund (00:31:34) The Business Case for Healthier Men at Work (00:37:40) The Vulnerability Gap (00:47:08) Time, Money & Relationships (01:02:17) Myths of Love & Janna's Definition QUOTES “I believe that love is a form of leadership.” – Janna Meyrowitz Turner “We need to build organizations and institutions that are both financially rich and emotionally rich.” – Janna Meyrowitz Turner “None of us are free until all of us are free. That applies to men and boys too.” – Janna Meyrowitz Turner ABOUT THE GUEST Janna Meyrowitz Turner is the CEO of Antenna Up, a company platforming events and conversations alongside brands, media, and corporate sponsors to send new signals about the health and wellbeing of American boys and men. A career strategist and entrepreneur, she spent 20+ years building values-aligned coalitions in the women's space — shaping cultural narratives for brands like Estée Lauder and the WNBA, and coaching Fortune 500 leaders — before having a reckoning that the men adjacent to the powerful women she was building up weren't growing alongside them, and the women in their lives were paying the price. Antenna Up and Buoys Club, Antenna Up’s 700-member ecosystem of men's wellbeing leaders across North America, operates with the core thesis that healthier men = healthier societies, workplaces, families and communities. Antenna Up: https://www.antennaup.com Buoys Club: https://www.antennaup.com/buoys-club LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jannameyrowitz/ GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow Us: @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes the parts of us that helped us survive are the very parts that make love harder to receive. Ashley and Lair Torrent both learned early to become what the people around them needed. Ashley learned to read every room, care for everyone else, and disconnect from herself when life became unsafe. Lair learned to be the good boy, the caretaker, and the hero, while making his own needs and feelings as small as possible. Today, Ashley is a psycho-spiritual counsellor, intuitive medium, and spiritual guide. Lair is a licensed therapist and the author of The Practice of Love. Together, they co-host The Practice of Love podcast and have spent more than 25 years learning what it means to love each other well. In this episode, Robin, Ashley, and Lair explore how childhood wounds become adult relationship patterns, why conflict is rarely about what it appears to be, and what it takes to stop fighting to win and start listening for what is underneath the reaction. They talk about protective parts, the “not enough” wound carried by so many men, and why some of our deepest healing can only happen in relationship. Ashley and Lair do not present love as perfect or easy. They share what it has taken to become mirrors and safe containers for each other, to receive difficult truths without turning away, and to recognize when the parts of themselves built for protection are taking over. This is a conversation about what it takes to keep choosing connection and why love is not just something we feel, but something we practise again and again. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:00) Introduction (00:03:49) How Ashley & Lair Learned to Love (00:09:09) The Good Boy, the Caretaker & the Hero (00:16:22) When Survival Patterns Enter the Relationship (00:20:09) Becoming Mirrors for Each Other (00:23:21) The Moment Healing Begins (00:32:47) What Are You Really Fighting For? (00:38:03) The “Not Enough” Wound in Men (00:48:01) Healing Happens in Relationship (00:54:05) What Love Teaches Us QUOTES “Sometimes the thing that helped us survive becomes the very thing that keeps us from the love we want.” – Robin Ducharme “There’s a part of me here that is not designed for connection. There’s a part of me here that is designed for protection.” – Lair Torrent “Anytime I’m fighting to win, that means she loses. If she loses, that means we lose.” – Lair Torrent “You’re fighting about something, but really, you’re fighting for something.” – Ashley Torrent “Love requires work. It takes responsibility. It requires a lot of courage.” – Robin Ducharme “It’s a myth that you’re going to do all the healing on your own. I think it’s in relationship that we heal the most.” – Ashley Torrent “Love asks more of us. It’s asking you to dig into yourself and find the wounds that are there, the things that need healing, the parts of you that nobody claps for.” – Lair Torrent ABOUT THE GUESTS Ashley and Lair Torrent bring a rare mix of psychology and spirituality to conversations about love. Ashley is a psycho-spiritual therapist and intuitive medium who works with individuals and couples and co-hosts The Blue Butterfly Effect Podcast; Lair is a marriage and family therapist and author of The Practice of Love, with work featured by NPR, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times. Together, the longtime couple co-hosts The Practice of Love Podcast, exploring what it means to love with intentionality, curiosity, and care. Instagram: @ashleytorrent29 @lairtorrentholistictherapist Website: ashleytorrent.com , lairtorrent.com GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow Us: @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are all unreliable narrators of our own lives. The story we tell ourselves about why a relationship ended, why we have not met the right person, or why someone else needs to change before things can get better may feel completely true. But it is still only one side of the story. Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist, bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, New York Times advice columnist, and host of the podcasts Dear Therapists and Since You Asked. She has spent years listening to the stories people tell about their lives, while also being honest about her own experience on the other side of the couch. In this special episode of Real Love Ready, recorded live at the Global Love Conference in New York City, Robin and Lori explore what changes when we become willing to question our own version of events. Together, they talk about why the most dangerous story in a relationship is that everything was the other person’s fault, what flexibility can tell us about someone’s capacity for partnership, and how to know whether someone is genuinely ready for love. They discuss ghosting, rejection, chemistry, and the conversations we are often afraid to have early on in a relationship. They also look at how AI and texting are changing intimacy, what many of us have been taught about vulnerability, and what it takes to make room for someone new after divorce, loss, or a whole life lived before them. This is a conversation about becoming a more honest narrator of your own life, not by taking responsibility for everything, but by getting curious about the part that belongs to you. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:00) Introduction (00:06:52) The Stories We Tell Ourselves (00:10:20) Unfinished Business & Flexibility (00:14:38) Are You Actually Ready for a Relationship? (00:17:19) Ghosting, Rejection & Taking It Personally (00:22:37) The Cement Is Still Wet: Speak Up Early (00:25:51) The Conversations Couples Need to Have (00:29:28) AI, Texting & Real Connection (00:38:02) Starting Over & Making Room for Someone New (00:45:34) Situationships, Infidelity & Audience Questions QUOTES “It’s not that people aren’t telling the truth; it’s that they’re telling the truth as they see it.” – Lori Gottlieb “The stories we tell ourselves often shape the way we love.” – Robin Ducharme “Relationships are like cement. In the beginning of a relationship, the cement is still wet.” – Lori Gottlieb “It’s so much about communication. It’s so much about just being honest. It’s scary to have those hard conversations, but you have to have them.” – Robin Ducharme “The easy part of a relationship is: we are both really interested in each other. The harder part is, how do we deal with difficulties that come up?” – Lori Gottlieb ABOUT THE GUEST Lori Gottlieb is a licensed psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, which has sold more than three million copies and been translated into more than 30 languages. She writes The New York Times' "Ask the Therapist" advice column, co-hosts the podcasts Dear Therapists and Since You Asked, and spent six years writing The Atlantic's "Dear Therapist" column. Her highly acclaimed 2019 TED Talk, "How Changing Your Story Can Change Your Life," has been viewed more than 7 million times and was named one of the year's 10 Most-Watched TED Talks. Lori is a frequent guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Today, CBS Mornings, CNN, and NPR's Fresh Air. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorigottlieb_author/ Website: https://lorigottlieb.com/ GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow Us: @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a version of love most of us were never shown. Not because it doesn't exist, but because the people who raised us hadn't found it yet either. Terry Real has spent his life showing us what that love looks like. He is a family therapist, the creator of Relational Life Therapy, the founder of the Relational Life Institute, and the bestselling author of four books including Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship. His first book, I Don't Want to Talk About It, published in 1997, was the first book ever written on male depression. Esther Perel has said, ‘When I need advice, I call Terry Real.’ He is also Robin's former therapist. He sat with her through one of the hardest chapters of her life. And this conversation is unlike any other in this series, because today Robin gets to flip the dynamic and ask Terry questions.  In this episode, recorded in Boston, they explore what it actually takes to break the cycle of generational trauma and love better than we were taught. They talk about the Adaptive Child and the Wise Adult, why grandiosity feels good and what it costs you, and what it means to be the one person in a generation who turns and faces the flames.  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:00) Introduction (00:01:23) Meet Terry Real (00:02:42) The Work That Saved Robin (00:06:38) Terry's Origin Story (00:12:52) Breaking the Cycle (00:16:14) Something Better Than This (00:26:15) Is It Too Late? The Wounded vs. Adaptive Child (00:33:41) Never Too Late (00:37:42) Men & Masculinity (00:49:10) Grandiosity, Contempt & Empowerment (01:01:33) Myths of Love & Defining It QUOTES “If you treat someone as they are, they will be as they are. If you treat someone as they ought to be, they may become who they ought to be." – Terry Real “The only thing that counts is love, and everything else is just BS” – Terry Real "Family pathology rolls from generation to generation like a fire in the woods until one person in one generation has the courage to turn and face the flames. That person brings peace to their ancestors and spares the children that follow." – Terry Real "The relational answer to the question who's right and who's wrong is 'who cares?'" – Terry Real ABOUT THE GUEST Terry Real is a nationally recognized family therapist and the creator of Relational Life Therapy (RLT). He's the author of four books, including the New York Times bestseller Us: Getting Past You and Me to Build a More Loving Relationship and I Don't Want to Talk About It, the first book ever written about male depression. A former senior faculty member at the Family Institute of Cambridge and Clinical Fellow at the Meadows Institute in Arizona, Terry now trains therapists in his RLT method and leads workshops for couples and individuals through the Relational Life Institute. Instagram: www.instagram.com/realterryreal/ Website: https://terryreal.com/ GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow Us: @realloveready @robinducharmeofficial @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does love look like when everything else has been stripped away? When there is no more time to perform it, delay it, or get it right later? Dr. Sunita Puri has spent her career in the rooms where that question gets answered. As a palliative care physician, she sits with people who are dying and what she has witnessed again and again in those rooms is something profound about love. About what people reach for at the end. About what they wish they had said. About what it means to stay present when everything in you wants to run. In this episode, Robin sits down with Dr. Sunita Puri, a palliative care physician, literary memoirist, Rhodes Scholar, and Associate Professor of Medicine at UC Irvine. Together they explore why we are so afraid of death, what a terminal diagnosis can give you that nothing else can, and why the conversations we keep avoiding are actually the most loving ones we can have. They talk about what it means to die as you have lived, how to show up for someone who is dying, and what the dying teach us about how to love more fully right now. This episode carries something deeply personal. It was recorded the day before Robin's mother, Glenda Ducharme, passed away on June 2, 2026. We dedicate this episode to her, a woman who lived fully, loved deeply, and left a mark on everyone she touched.  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:00) Introduction (00:01:18) Meeting Dr. Sunita Puri (00:04:08) Why We're Afraid of Death (00:06:28) What Palliative Care Really Means (00:10:21) Faith, Medicine, and Becoming a Doctor (00:21:34) Fighting, Giving Up, and What "Everything" Means (00:32:29) Delivering Hard News and Finding Your Anchor (00:42:29) End-of-Life Clarity and Dying As We've Lived (01:01:44) A Listener's Question on Losing a Parent (01:04:13) Poems on Love and What Remains (01:10:24) Closing Questions: The Myth and Meaning of Love (01:13:54) Dedication and Credits QUOTES "Embedded within each love is loss. It's the sharp side of loving somebody." – Sunita Puri "What remains is often much bigger than what is taken away." – Sunita Puri "I've talked about my dad and when he passed, and the same thing with my twin brother — I loved them so, so deeply. And now that they're not here in the physical, they're even more with me now that they're in spirit — I've taken on more of them in myself, like their gifts, their talents." – Robin Ducharme "Nothing really ever dies. We don't ever really lose people or their essence." – Sunita Puri ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Sunita Puri is an Associate Professor of Medicine at UC Irvine School of Medicine, where she directs the Inpatient Palliative Care Service. She's the author of That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour, a critically acclaimed memoir on redefining what it means to live and die well in the face of serious illness. A Yale graduate and Rhodes Scholar, her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and The New York Times, and her work has been featured on NPR, the BBC, and in a Guardian mini-documentary viewed over 3.5 million times. Dr. Puri is a sought-after speaker on how compassionate language can help patients and physicians navigate conversations about living and dying. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunitapurimd Website: https://sunitapuri.com/ GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow Us: @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don't meet your idols, they say, unless your idol is Caroline Myss. For the first interview of our Chicago stop on the East Coast tour, Robin sits down with one of her lifelong idols and one of the women whose writing has shaped the very foundation of her spiritual practice. Robin first encountered Caroline's work as a teenager with the book Anatomy of the Spirit, then Sacred Contracts and nothing about the way she understood love, the soul, or the invisible world has ever been the same since. Caroline Myss is a five-time New York Times bestselling author, a medical intuitive, and a mystic whose work has shaped the way millions of people understand who they are and why they are here. In this episode, they explore what sacred contracts actually are and why the people we love were never accidents. They talk about woundology — the way we use our pain as currency — and why liars don't heal. Caroline breaks down what it means when a relationship loses its life force, how to tell when a contract has reached completion, and why your soulmate may not be the person who loves you most, but the one who recognizes your soul. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:01:15) Intro: Love as a Spiritual Force (00:05:42) Medical Intuition and Mysticism (00:12:20) Western Medicine vs. Spiritual Intuition (00:16:36) Intuition: Is it Gendered? (00:21:33) Why Sacred Contracts Exist (00:34:32) Robin's Matchmaker Journey (00:38:08) Why Relationships Are Rocky Right Now (00:42:36) When is a Sacred Contract Complete? (00:50:11) Bringing Your Soul Into a Relationship (00:57:32) Woundology: Why We Hold Onto Wounds (01:03:40) Choice, Grace, and the Power of Words (01:12:16) Why Liars Don't Heal (01:17:34) Debunking Myths About Love QUOTES "Love is what God feels like to us while we are in the human form. We have no other way to experience love except with each other." — Caroline Myss "We are spiritual beings having the human experience, not the other way around." — Robin Ducharme "Your soulmate isn't the person who loves you the most — it's the person who recognizes your soul the most. And that could be the greatest adversary you ever meet." — Caroline Myss "Sacred Contracts was a book that made me understand that the people I loved were not accidents, that my heartbreaks had a purpose. That love, real love, is a spiritual act." — Robin Ducharme ABOUT THE GUEST Caroline Myss is a five-time New York Times bestselling author, medical intuitive, and mystic whose work has shaped the way millions of people understand the soul, healing, and personal power. She is the author of Anatomy of the Spirit, Sacred Contracts, Why People Don't Heal and How They Can, Entering the Castle, and Defy Gravity, among others. She holds graduate degrees in theology and mysticism and has spent decades teaching at the intersection of science, spirituality, and human consciousness. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinemyss/ Website: https://myss.com/ GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow Us: @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nothing activates us quite like love. This week, we’re sharing a special episode from The Angry Therapist podcast, hosted by John Kim, licensed therapist, author, co-founder of Soulprint Media, and Robin’s dear friend. John sits down with Robin to talk about the story behind Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy, and the experiences, losses, lessons, and relationships that shaped her belief that love is something we can learn, practice, and grow in. Robin shares where her lifelong love of love began, what working as a matchmaker taught her about the way people show up in dating and relationships, and how losing her twin brother and her father changed the way she understands grief, purpose, and connection. Together, Robin and John talk about forgiveness, family, spiritual connection, relationship patterns, and the myths that so many of us carry about love. At the heart of this conversation is the question that sits at the centre of Real Love Ready: what would change if we treated love not just as a feeling, but as a practice? We’ll be back next week with a brand new episode of Real Love Ready: The Series! IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) Why Love Is So Hard to Learn (01:01) Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy (02:08) Robin and John on Friendship, Soulprint, and Synchronicity (02:50) Where Robin’s Love for Love Began (06:22) From Matchmaking to Relationship Education (08:25) Losing Her Twin Brother (13:48) How Grief Changed Robin’s Mission (17:48) Forgiveness as an Act of Love (21:49) The Origin of Real Love Ready (22:22) What In Bloom Is Really About (27:00) Joy, Learning, and Walking the Walk (28:59) Why Robin Wrote Real Love Ready (30:24) High-Functioning Codependency, Fawning, and Healing Patterns (00:00) Love Myths, Relationship Skills, and What We Were Never Taught QUOTES “People struggle with love. That’s the thing we struggle with the most. And so, how do we learn how to do it?” — Robin Ducharme “Our loved ones don’t go anywhere, they don’t leave us, they stay with us.” — Robin Ducharme “Forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts of love that we can give ourselves.” — Robin Ducharme “Forgiveness is the way into seeing someone’s wholeness, and all the beauty of who they are.” — John Kim “This stuff should be taught in high school and college. We learn from our hearts being shattered, we learn from divorce, we learn from relationships going sideways. We learn the hard way.” — John Kim GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart.https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook ABOUT JOHN KIM John Kim, also known as The Angry Therapist, is a licensed therapist, author, speaker, podcast host, and co-founder of Soulprint Media. He is the author of I Used to Be a Miserable F***, Single on Purpose, Breakup on Purpose, and It’s Not Me, It’s You, co-authored with Vanessa Bennett. His new book, Love Hard. On Purpose., is available now: https://www.theangrytherapist.com/love-hard Instagram: @theangrytherapistWebsite: theangrytherapist.com FOLLOW US @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does the future of love actually look like? Not the version we inherited, like the relationship escalator, the fairytale, the prince who saves you, the outdated rules about who texts first and who pays. But love as it's really evolving: in a world of dating apps, hot-take profiles, AI technology, and a communication crisis that's reshaping how we connect. In Episode 9 of Real Love Ready, Robin sits down with Damona Hoffman, a relationship futurist, dating coach, and love expert on The Drew Barrymore Show. She's the author of F the Fairy Tale, host of the award-winning Dates & Mates podcast, and has spent nearly two decades advising the world's biggest dating apps behind the scenes. Together they unpack how dating has changed, why intentionality matters more than volume, what AI is doing to the way we relate, and how we get to write our own love stories instead of the ones we were handed. Whether you're single, married, divorced, or somewhere in between, you'll walk away with real, practical ways to bring more love into your life, by being more intentional, more honest, and more loving. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. Get the Real Love Ready book: https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:00) Episode Overview: The Future of Love (00:01:12) Meet Damona Hoffman (00:05:59) How Dating Has Evolved (00:09:27) The Communication Crisis (00:13:18) Dating Burnout (00:15:02) Robin's Story: Getting Ready for Love (00:20:09) Intentionality, Hot Takes & Clear Coding (00:26:32) Are Dating Apps Working? (00:32:51) Non-Monogamy & the Sex Recession (00:38:02) Money, Shame & Who Pays (00:43:40) Writing Your Own Rules & Choosing Each Other (00:50:32) Vulnerability, Safety & Single Shame (00:56:10) How the Generations Love Differently (01:01:46) The Future of Dating & AI (01:15:40) Myths of Love & Damona's Definition QUOTES "We need to feel empowered enough to write our own love stories, and to live our own love stories every day." - Damona Hoffman "When you come from love, intending to do the most loving thing, you're going to create more love." - Robin Ducharme "The best relationships will illuminate the areas where you can grow, and elevate you in the areas where you're already strong." - Damona Hoffman "Your time is your most nonrenewable resource. Don't give it to someone who doesn't align with what you want." - Damona Hoffman ABOUT THE GUEST Damona Hoffman is a certified dating coach, relationship futurist, and the resident love expert on The Drew Barrymore Show. She is the author of F the Fairy Tale and host of the award-winning Dates & Mates podcast, and has advised many of the world's leading dating apps behind the scenes. Her next book, The Communication Code, explores how we identify and share our most comfortable methods of communication with the people we love. Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/damonahoffman/ Website: https://damonahoffman.com/ GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow us:  @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it actually mean to forgive? Not the version we were taught like turning the other cheek, being the bigger person, letting it go. But real forgiveness. The kind that doesn't require you to go back, nor erases what happened. In Episode 8 of Real Love Ready, Robin sits down with Shaka Senghor, bestselling author, speaker, and an incredibly powerful voice on personal transformation and healing. Shaka spent 19 years in prison for second-degree murder, seven of them in solitary confinement. In that darkness he looked at himself deeply and honestly  and wrote his way through rage, shame, grief, and the long process of forgiving himself. What came out the other side wasn't just survival. It was a profound understanding that forgiveness, at its deepest level, is love in action. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:00) Episode Overview (00:03:40) What Forgiveness Really Means (00:05:13) Shaka's Story (00:10:38) Growing Up in Trauma (00:19:34) The Road to Forgiveness (00:20:48) The Letter That Changed Everything (00:28:54) Solitary Confinement (00:34:17) Mentoring Forgiveness & The Power of Writing (00:41:50) Forgiving Those Who Hurt Him (00:55:19) Breaking the Cycle for His Children (01:01:20) Collective Forgiveness & Truth Telling (01:04:34) Myths of Love & Shaka’s Definition QUOTES "The gift of forgiveness had already been given to me. I just wasn't able to receive it." - Shaka Senghor "Forgiveness is like one of the most powerful acts of love. It's love in action. Giving love to yourself and giving love to others." - Robin Ducharme "The inability to forgive is one of our greatest hidden prisons, because somehow we think that we're punishing the person that we choose not to forgive without really deeply understanding how much we punish ourselves." - Shaka Senghor ABOUT THE GUEST Shaka Senghor is a bestselling author, speaker, and advocate for personal transformation and criminal justice reform. After spending 19 years in prison, seven of them in solitary confinement, he emerged as one of the most compelling voices on redemption, forgiveness, and what it means to truly change. He is the author of Writing My Wrongs, Letters to the Sons of Society, and How to Be Free. Social media: @shakasenghor  Website: shakasenghor.com GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow us:  @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you ready to love again? After six episodes exploring love from every angle — what it is, where we learned it, why we hurt the people closest to us, and where it goes when it ends — we arrive at the question that follows all of that work: how do you open yourself back up? In Episode 7 of Real Love Ready, Robin sits down with Sabrina Zohar, dating coach, author, entrepreneur, and host of The Sabrina Zohar Show. Sabrina is known for her no-BS approach to anxious attachment and for giving people the exact tools to stop letting it run their love life. In this conversation they talk about why we keep chasing the spark, how to tell the difference between a relationship that feels calm because it is healthy and one that just feels boring, and why sitting in discomfort might be the most important skill you can bring into love. Sabrina shares what it took to stop being the girl having panic attacks over a text. Robin opens up about what it finally felt like when love felt calm. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready.IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:00) Episode Overview: Opening to Love Again (00:03:11) From Fashion to Dating Coach: Sabrina's Evolution (00:05:02) Being Your Own Worst Enemy: Anxiety & Self-Sabotage (00:06:12) Sabrina's Framework: State, Story, Strategy (00:15:41) The Spark Myth: Chemistry vs. Calm (00:18:30) The Moment Everything Changed: Choosing Yourself  (00:23:48) Navigating Texting While Dating (00:29:29) What a Real Red Flag Actually Looks Like (00:32:51) Calm vs. Boring: How to Tell the Difference (00:34:53) Love Bombing: What It Is & Why It Happens (00:47:15) Knowing When You're Ready to Love Again (00:51:15) Myths of Love & Sabrina's Definition QUOTES "What parts of yourself do you not think anyone is ever going to love? Because that is driving the car." - Sabrina Zohar “It's not about if he likes you. Do you like him?” - Robin Ducharme "Love to me is that I can be here with you, but I can also let you go. If I really love you, I have to be okay if this doesn't work and let you free." - Sabrina Zohar "The one myth that drives me insane is that relationships and love should be easy. I don't know who told us that, but relationships take two people that choose each other every single day." - Sabrina Zohar ABOUT THE GUEST Sabrina Zohar is a dating coach, entrepreneur, and host of The Sabrina Zohar Show. Known for her honest, no-BS approach to modern dating and anxious attachment, she has built one of the most trusted voices in the relationship space. Her new book Why Am I Like This? is available for preorder now. https://sabrinazohar.com/book Instagram: @sabrina.zohar  Podcast: @thesabrinazoharshow GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow us:  @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does home really mean? When Bob Dalton asks people that question, the most common answer he hears is safety. Not a place. Not four walls. Safety. In Episode 6 of Real Love Ready, Robin sits down with Bob Dalton, social entrepreneur, community builder, and founder of LOCL and Sackcloth and Ashes, a blanket company that supports homeless shelters across the country. Bob has spent his life asking what it means to truly belong somewhere. What he has found is that home is not strictly defined by where you live but also by how you love and are loved. This conversation explores why safety is so foundational, not just in the buildings we live in but in our relationships and our ability to love well. Robin and Bob talk about the power of building community locally, why every single one of us has the ability to be a community builder, and how the most powerful displays of love are often the ones we receive in the seasons where we least expect them. We get to create the future we want to see. And more often than not, it starts right where we are, in our communities, with the people closest to us. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:01) Introduction  (00:02:00) Meet Bob (00:04:17) How Community Raised Him  (00:08:39) When Bob's Mom Became Homeless  (00:10:01) How Sackcloth and Ashes Was Born  (00:17:11) The Three Things That Actually Help Homelessness  (00:20:16) Why Local Action Is More Effective  (00:22:53) Breaking Generational Patterns  (00:25:22) Being Good with the Person in the Mirror  (00:27:21) What Is Home?  (00:29:16) Having a Roof Over Your Head Changes How You Love (00:31:15) The LOCL App: Building Micro-Communities  (00:33:18) Community Builders Are the New Influencers  (00:42:02) Creating the Future We Want to See  (00:44:51) The Myth About Home and Defining Love  (00:46:56) Bob's Definition of Love QUOTES "The most common answer I get when I ask people what is home to you? It's safety." — Bob Dalton “To give with no strings attached. The most powerful displays of love is something that was given to me despite me deserving it. When you experience love, grace, mercy in a season where you don't deserve it — that is what truly has the opportunity to change a person." — Bob Dalton “The only antidote to addiction is community." — Bob Dalton "Intentional time spent with somebody is one of the most powerful things that we can do. We're spending a lot of time together but we're not having intentional time with people." — Bob Dalton "The people that are going to rock with you no matter what. The people that you can call when you're at rock bottom and you know they're going to be there for you. The people that show you grace in the midst of your own fuck-ups — that is about as home as you can get." — Bob Dalton ABOUT THE GUEST Bob Dalton is a social entrepreneur, community architect, and founder of Sackcloth and Ashes, a blanket company that has donated over 200,000 blankets to homeless shelters across the United States. He is also the creator of LOCL, an app designed to help people find and build micro-communities within a 50-mile radius of where they live. Bob's work is rooted in the belief that community is the antidote to disconnection and that everyone has the power to build belonging right where they are. Download the LOCL app: https://home.locl.com/ Sackcloth and Ashes: https://sackclothandashes.com GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBookFollow us:  @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does love ever really end? One thing about love is that it rarely prepares you for its own ending. It doesn't give you a manual for what to do when the marriage ends, when the house burns down, when the person you built your life around is suddenly gone. And you're left asking: where does love go when it ends? In Episode 5 of Real Love Ready, Robin sits down with her dear friend John Kim, known as The Angry Therapist, a licensed therapist, author, and co-founder of Soulprint Media, who has lived this question in every possible form. His first marriage ended at 35, and instead of hiding the wreckage, he blogged the whole breakdown in real time. His honesty became a movement. Last year, he lost his home in the Altadena fires and everything he had built was gone in a single night. This conversation is deeply personal. John opens up about loss, the grief, the guilt of moving on too fast, and what it looks like to model vulnerability as a pathway to healing. Together, Robin and John challenge the myth that endings mean failure. Relationships transform. And in that transformation, if we are willing to look, there is gold. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. Next week, Robin sits down with Bob Dalton to explore what it means to build belonging and why community holds us through the hardest chapters of our lives. Episode 6: Home: Where Love Lives. IN THIS EPISODE ​​(00:00:00) Introduction (00:04:00) Does Love Actually End? (00:07:45) The Angry Therapist Origin Story (00:12:32) What Emotional Unavailability Really Looks Like (00:14:38) How John Became Emotionally Aware (00:17:36) Why Not All Breakups Are the Same (00:20:12) The Day John Lost Everything (00:27:16) Navigating Different Grief (00:32:30) The Power of Grieving Together (00:37:00) Why Heartbreak Lives in Your Body (00:42:28) How John Got Into Men's Work (00:48:31) How a House Fire started a Publishing Company (01:03:44) Divorce as the Greatest Catalyst (01:06:05) Myths of Heartbreak & Defining Love QUOTES "My divorce was the hardest thing I've ever gone through. But the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. That repositioning has given me so much.” - John Kim “Just because I was the one that made the decision doesn't mean that I wasn't completely heartbroken." - Robin Ducharme "I don't think love ends. I think if you look at love like energy, it changes form.” - John Kim ABOUT THE GUEST John Kim is a licensed therapist, author, co-founder of Soulprint Media, and founder of The Angry Therapist. He is the author of I Used to Be a Miserable Fck*, Single on Purpose, Breakup on Purpose, and It's Not Me, It's You, co-authored with his wife Vanessa Bennett. His new book Love Hard is available June 6th. He also hosts The Angry Therapist podcast. Instagram: @theangrytherapist  Website: theangrytherapist.com GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow us:  @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do love and hurt travel together? In Episode 4 of Real Love Ready, Robin sits down with Vanessa Bennett, author, licensed holistic psychotherapist, codependency coach, and depth psychologist. She is the author of The Motherhood Myth, and co-author of It's Not Me, It's You (with her husband, therapist John Kim). Her work is built on a belief that most of us are not ready to hear: that the people hurting us in our relationships are often holding up a mirror. And that the most powerful thing we can do is look into it. We have a whole cultural vocabulary around toxic relationships, red flags, and narcissism. What we don't have is enough honest conversation about our part in the patterns we keep repeating. That's what this episode is for. Honest, direct, and genuinely compassionate, this conversation covers shadow work, codependency, projection, and how understanding why we hurt and how we heal, is how we learn to love better. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. QUOTES "Everywhere you go, there you are. You're going to continue to show up and entertain these toxic relationships. So, until we really say, okay, they acted in narcissistic ways. How did I act in narcissistic ways? They were toxic because of this. How was I toxic too? Those are the conversations that actually start to turn the needle in behavior change." — Vanessa Bennett"I do think that deep, intimate love can be difficult. If you really want to go there, it's going to take work…mostly because we are confronted with ourselves. That's the hard work. Having to see ourselves and having to actually decide if we're going to do the work on ourselves that's required to have real, intimate love." — Vanessa Bennett “Love to me feels like a mirror. A compassionate mirror, but a mirror nonetheless. And love to me, a lot of times, means accountability. It's accountability to myself. It's accountability to others. It's accountability to that part of me that's striving to be the best version of myself." — Vanessa Bennett "I don't think it's possible for somebody else to build that sense of safety in us. We need to build our own internal safety…Because ultimately, what that means is, it actually doesn't matter what he's doing. Because I'm safe, I've got me." — Vanessa Bennett ABOUT THE GUEST Vanessa Bennett, LMFT, is a licensed depth psychotherapist, author, and facilitator known for her no-nonsense yet compassionate approach to healing. She is the author of The Motherhood Myth and coauthor of It’s Not Me, It’s You.A former New Yorker turned Angelino now practicing internationally, Vanessa leads transformational retreats and workshops rooted in Jungian and depth-oriented psychology. She is the founder of Inner Compass Academy, a depth-based training and coaching program, and hosts the Inner Compass Podcast. Through her writing and teaching, she supports both personal and collective healing—helping people break generational patterns and awaken to the ways harmful social systems shape their lives, so they can reclaim agency and live less from conditioning, and more from choice. Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/vanessasbennett/ Website: https://vanessabennett.com Substack: https://substack.com/@itsvanessabennett Inner Compass Academy: https://www.vanessabennett.com/inner-compass-academy GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow us:  @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who shows up for you? In Episode 3 of Real Love Ready, Robin sits down with authors, comedians, and best friends since second grade Matt Ritter and Aaron Karo. They are the men behind the book The Buddy System and the podcast Man of the Year. Their thesis is simple and radical at the same time: friendship is not a luxury, it is essential to our survival. And yet platonic love rarely gets the same attention as romantic love. We have entire industries built around finding a partner. But the friends who show up at 2am, who have known you since second grade, who celebrate your wins and sit with you in your grief? Those relationships tend to get taken for granted. This episode is here to change that. Funny, warm, and quietly urgent, this conversation covers the loneliness epidemic, why your partner cannot be everything to you, and why the people who really show up are the ones you never forget. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:38) Episode Overview: Friendship as a Form of Love (00:03:30) Matt & Aaron's Story: The Man of the Year  (00:06:49) The Male Friendship Crisis  (00:10:04) Friendship is the Most Underserved Relationship (00:13:45) How to Actually Make New Friends (00:21:15) Showing Up Through Grief and the Hard Moments (00:23:03) Friendship Breakups and the Friend Emeritus (00:25:22) Can Men and Women Really Be Just Friends? (00:44:57) Rituals and Maintaining Your Friendships  (00:54:50) Myths of Friendship and Defining Love QUOTES "Our friends are so essential to our well-being and it's our biological need as human beings... Make that phone call, send the text, actually plan a date with your friend." - Robin Ducharme "Men don't have falling outs. They have falling offs. You just don't talk to your friend for two weeks, then two months, then two years, and then you never talk to him again…but nothing happened." - Matt Ritter "A useless friend is a friend who can do nothing for you. They can't help you in your job, they can't help you financially. They're just someone you enjoy hanging out with for the sake of hanging out. I think that's one of the purest forms of love." - Aaron Karo ABOUT THE GUESTS Matt Ritter and Aaron Karo are best friends and co-hosts of "Man of the Year," the #1 podcast on male friendship, and co-authors of "The Buddy System," the #1 bestselling new release in Friendship on Audible. Together they have been featured in The New York Times, on NPR, and the Today Show. Matt is a former lawyer turned Hollywood creator and the leading voice of the modern friendship movement. Through his viral social content, newsletter "The Friendship Habit," and his company Friendship Productions, he is building a media empire devoted to helping people strengthen their social fitness in an age of disconnection. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattritter1/ Website: https://www.thefriendshipguy.com Aaron is a screenwriter, comedian, and #1 New York Times bestselling author whose feature "Tickle Me Elmo" was voted #8 on the 2024 Black List. His next book, an oral history of the movie "Elf," will be published by HarperCollins in November 2026.  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaronkaro/ Website: https://aaronkaro.com/ GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow us:  @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where did you learn to love? In this second episode of Real Love Ready, Robin sits down with author and girls' advocate Chelsey Goodan to explore the patterns installed in us long before we had the language to name them. Chelsey has spent 17 years working with teenage girls. She became their microphone, their advocate, and their translator between worlds. What she's found is that the teenage years are when childhood patterns solidify into adult relationship behaviors. They are also a raw and unfiltered window into who we are becoming. And there is so much we can learn from those years, especially from teenage girls. They love with a fullness, a fierceness, and an openness that most of us now adults have spent years trying to find our way back to. Maybe the goal was never to fully grow up and move on. Maybe the goal is to heal so deeply that we return to who we were at that age, before the world told us to be smaller, before the labels, before we learned to dim the light. This conversation explores why healing our inner teenager is essential to breaking the patterns that no longer serve us — and why teenage girls right now might be the first truly liberated generation and what they can teach us about loving better. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00:30) Episode Overview: Teenage Years as the Blueprint (00:03:01) Chelsey’s Work Becoming a Voice and Advocate for Teenagers (00:05:28) The ‘Good Girl’ Trap and the Impossible Binary (00:07:16) The 3 R’s: Framework for Releasing, Reclaiming, and Reframing the Labels We Carry (00:12:01) Listening as a Form of Love (00:19:18) Parents & Their Own Unhealed Teenage Stories (00:32:06) Body Image & the Mother-Daughter Dynamic (00:43:55) Radical Honesty among the Liberated Generation (00:57:10) Boys, AI, & Breaking Cycles (01:05:55) Debunking Myths of Love and Defining It QUOTES "These years shape everything. When we think about our blueprints, we often focus on early childhood. But what about the teenage girl we were? The moment we learned to be good instead of bold." - Robin Ducharme “74% of girls are incredibly worried about pleasing everyone, and that’s a constriction and tension that is not sustainable.” - Chelsey Goodan “I'm changing the dynamic with how I'm parenting my kids.. If I can disrupt my own patterning and raise them differently.. We still have that opportunity..” - Robin Ducharme  “This generation of girls is the most liberated generation of girls to ever live. They are going to step into leadership and build a different world.” - Chelsey Goodan ABOUT THE GUEST Chelsey Goodan is an author, educator, and girls' advocate who has spent 17 years working with teenage girls across the world — in workshops, mentorship programs, and her Teenage Girl Cabal. She is the author of Underestimated: The Wisdom and Power of Teenage Girls. Her work bridges the gap between teenage girls and the adults in their lives, helping families build deeper connection, trust, and love. Instagram: @chelseagoodan Website: chelseygoodan.com GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow us:  @realloveready @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is love, actually? In the opening episode of Real Love Ready, Robin sits down with real-life couple and relational intelligence powerhouses Silvy Khoucasian and Bryan Reeves to ask the most fundamental question of all. From the science of falling in love to the spirituality of staying, Bryan brings the poetic dimension — love as the longing to return to the oneness we already are — while Silvy grounds it in the body, the nervous system, and the choices we make when the hormone cocktail fades. Together they reframe love from something that happens to us into a practice we can learn, refine, and choose every day. The foundation for everything that follows. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. When life feels overwhelming, therapy can help. Sign up and get 10% off at betterhelp.com/loveready. IN THIS EPISODE (0:00) Intro: What is love, really? (2:41) Meet Sylvie & Brian: a real couple putting in real work (3:46) Love as a spiritual path vs. a grounded practice (5:49) The hormone cocktail: Why early feelings can deceive us (9:30) The blueprint we inherit from family (14:22) Boundaries aren't walls, they're what makes love possible (22:26) From the honeymoon phase to grounded love: When the real work begins (31:29) Men & disconnection: The original wound and how to heal it (44:08) Choose her every day or leave her: What real commitment looks like (53:48) Where is love in 2026? A diagnosis & myths we need to unlearn QUOTES "Anyone can go sit on the side of a mountain by themselves. But if you really want to touch something deeper…get into a relationship." - Bryan Reeves "When we try to define love, it almost constricts the experience. And if we're not also bringing logic with that love, we can really end up in a dynamic that's not healthy for us." - Silvy Khoucasian "We want love. We want more love in our lives. But we are lacking the skill of how to do it well. There is nothing more important in this world than the relationships we have with each other." - Robin Ducharme "Until people get over the fantasy of a relationship, they cannot do real relationship with another human. “ - Bryan Reeves "The whole point of having a boundary with someone is so you can continue your connection with them. It's not about shutting people out — it's so the love and intimacy can actually thrive." - Silvy Khoucasian ABOUT THE GUESTS Silvy Khoucasian is a relationship coach and therapist specializing in attachment, boundaries, and relational health. She works with individuals and couples to help them build more conscious, connected relationships.  Instagram: @silvykhoucasian TikTok: @silvykhoucasian Website: https://silvykhoucasian.com/ Bryan Reeves is a former US Air Force captain turned author, relationship coach, and men's work facilitator. He has helped millions of men and women bridge the gap between their hearts and their habits through his writing, coaching, and podcast. Instagram: @bryanreevesinsight TikTok: @bryanreevesinsight Website: https://bryanreeves.com/ GET THE REAL LOVE READY BOOK Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy is a clear, compassionate guide to the knowledge, skills, and daily practices that help us love with greater intention, truth, and heart. https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook Follow us:  @realloveready @robinducharmeofficial  @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Real Love Ready: The Series. After four years and 100+ conversations with relationship experts, Robin Ducharme shares what she's learned about loving well in a world longing for connection. Real Love Ready is a series exploring why love can feel impossible today and offering a framework to believe in it again. Robin sits down with therapists, coaches, authors, and people from all walks of life who, because of who they are or what they've been through, have something to teach us about love. New episodes every Tuesday. Get the Real Love Ready book: https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook GUESTS: SEASON 1 Silvy Khoucasian: Therapist & Relationship Coach Bryan Reeves: Author, Relationship Coach & Men's Work Facilitator  Chelsey Goodan: Author & Girls' Advocate  Matt Ritter: Author & Friendship Expert  Aaron Karo: Author & Comedian & Friendship Expert  Vanessa Bennett: Depth Psychologist & Therapist  John Kim: Therapist & Author, The Angry Therapist  Bob Dalton: Social Entrepreneur & Community Architect  Sabrina Zohar: Dating Coach & Author  Shaka Senghor: Author & Activist  Damona Hoffman: Relationship Expert & Author, F the Fairy Tale COMING SOON Dr. Shefali: Clinical Psychologist & New York Times Bestselling Author  Dr. Alexandra Solomon: Psychologist, Author & Professor  Ashanti Branch: Educator & Founder, The Ever Forward Club  Cindy Gallop: Entrepreneur & Founder, MakeLoveNotPorn  Caroline Myss: Author & Mystic  Terry Real: Therapist & Founder, Relational Life Therapy  Terri Cole: Licensed Therapist & Author  Vienna Pharaon: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist & Author Follow us:  @realloveready  @robinducharmeofficial   @soulprintmediaco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with sociologist Dr. Brendan K. Hartman, whose work focuses on the social-emotional development of boys and men, and how this connects to mental health, relationships, and wellbeing across all genders. Together, they explore the growing gender divide, the rise in loneliness and disconnection, and how early emotional socialization shapes the way we show up in relationships later in life. Dr. Brendan shares insights from his work in schools and research with youth, including the key developmental stages where boys and girls are most at risk of disconnecting from their emotions and what that means for emotional intelligence, communication, and connection. Dr. Brendan shares real-time skills we can model for our children, such as “emotional broadcasting” in order to grow emotional intelligence.   They unpack why many boys are taught to suppress emotions like sadness and fear, how this impacts emotional regulation, and why so many boys and men grow up craving deeper connection but don’t feel safe expressing it. They also talk about the mental health challenges facing young people today, including anxiety, shame, and the pressure to perform or “fit in.” This conversation offers practical tools for parents, caregivers, and anyone wanting to build stronger relational skills. Links: https://remasculine.com/ FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this intimate conversation, Robin sits down with best-selling author, friend, and teacher Monique Gray Smith to talk about her forthcoming book, Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy. Together, they explore the heart behind the book, the stories that shaped it, and what relational literacy really means in our lives and relationships. Robin reflects on the journey of writing her first book and how years of learning from leading relationship experts, therapists, and teachers gradually became something deeply personal. What began as a desire to distill relationship advice and love lessons evolved into a book rooted in lived experience, healing, and the belief that we can all learn to love better. Together, Robin and Monique explore what it means to love wide, how our past shapes the way we relate, and why forgiveness, vulnerability, and self-awareness are essential to building healthier, more loving relationships. They also reflect on healing, grief, authenticity, and the transformative power of choosing to live with more intention and love in every area of life. If you’re curious about the story behind Real Love Ready, or you’re longing for a deeper conversation about love, healing, and relationships, this special episode is for you. Links: Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy - https://geni.us/RealLoveReadyBook www.realloveready.com https://www.moniquegraysmith.com/ FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to build relational literacy—and why does it matter so much right now?  In this special episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin is joined by many of the extraordinary teachers joining us for In Bloom 2026, Real Love Ready’s annual love and relationships summit. In Bloom takes place April 10-12, in Vancouver, BC. . This year’s lineup includes Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, Dr. Shefali, Dr. Alexandra Solomon, Dr. Frank Anderson, Francesca Hogi, Lair and Ashley Torrent, Buddy Wakefield, and Damona Hoffman. Together, the group explores what it really means to grow in love, deepen our self-awareness, and build healthier, more meaningful relationships. You’ll hear reflections on the sacred purpose of relationships, the difference between romance and real connection, the myths we need to let go of, and the ways relational skills can transform how we show up with ourselves and each other. This episode also offers a beautiful introduction to the wisdom and energy each teacher will be bringing to the summit. If you’ve been craving deeper connection, more honest conversations, and practical tools for your relationships, this episode is a powerful invitation into what In Bloom 2026 is all about. Join us in person in Vancouver or virtually from wherever you are, and use the code LETSTALKLOVE for 15% off your ticket. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly ⁠IG Live⁠ Ask The Experts Q&A. ⁠https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion⁠ Links: ⁠www.realloveready.com/book⁠ ⁠www.inbloomsummit.com⁠ FOLLOW RLR: ⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ | ⁠FACEBOOK⁠ | ⁠TIKTOK⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we’re revisiting an episode packed with tools you can come back to again and again. Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh is a world-renowned social psychologist specializing in sexuality and relationships. If you’ve ever wished relationships came with a manual, this conversation is as close as it gets. Drawing from her book, Love By Design, Dr. Sara shares her research-backed model of Emergent Love, a way of seeing love not as something we fall into, but as something that emerges as a byproduct of a thriving relationship. Robin and Dr. Sara walk through the six essential ingredients of Emergent Love, attraction, respect, trust, shared vision, compassion, and loving behaviours, and bring them to life through practical, real-world examples. Together, they explore why loving behaviours matter most in the day-to-day, how attraction evolves over time, and how personal growth changes the shape of our relationships. You’ll also hear simple exercises you can use right away to strengthen the bonds you cherish most, with a partner, a friend, or anyone you care about. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Love By Design: https://lovebydesignbook.com/ FOLLOW DR. SARA NASSERZADEH: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it look like to stop abandoning yourself in love? In this episode, Robin sits down with certified dating coach, relationship coach, and host of The Sabrina Zohar Show, Sabrina Zohar, to explore self-abandonment, the quiet ways we shrink to keep connection, and how attachment wounds shape the way we show up in relationships. Robin and Sabrina unpack people-pleasing, boundaries, and nervous system regulation, including why we say yes when we mean no, lose our voice to avoid conflict, and repeat familiar patterns even when they no longer serve us. They talk about emotional safety, the grief that can come with choosing yourself, and the daily practices that support healing and personal growth. If you’re ready to build self-trust, take up space, and choose connection without losing yourself, this conversation offers a grounded path back to you. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: www.sabrinazohar.com https://www.sabrinazohar.com/foundation-course-v2 FOLLOW SABRINA ZOHAR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TIKTOK FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really take to have better sex—and why were so many of us never taught how? In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with Dr. Nicole McNichols, internationally renowned human sexuality professor and author of You Could Be Having Better Sex, to unpack the myths and shame around sex that shape our relationships. Together, they explore how pleasure, sexual communication, and emotional safety are learnable skills, why understanding how our bodies work matters, and how small, practical shifts can transform intimacy over time. They also talk about masturbation, sexual mindfulness, navigating insecurity, and the power of creating “intimacy dates” to rebuild connection. Consider this your permission slip to learn, unlearn, and build a sex life that actually feels good to you.  This is possible for all of us!  We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: https://nicolethesexprofessor.com/ FOLLOW DR. NICOLE: INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Credits: the Let’s Talk Love Podcast is hosted by Robin Ducharme, recorded and edited by Maia Anstey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re revisiting this conversation with Logan Ury, packed with the kind of practical dating wisdom you can actually use. In this episode Robin sits down with Logan, dating coach, behavioral scientist, and author of How to Not Die Alone: The Surprising Science That Will Help You Find Love, to talk about what it looks like to date with more intention, clarity, and self-awareness. Together, they explore why dating can feel so hard, how to spot the patterns that keep us stuck, and what it means to treat dating like a skill you can practice, not a situation you just “get lucky” in. Logan breaks down her three dating tendencies, shares why “the spark” can be misleading, and offers simple shifts that help you go on better dates, show up more authentically, and stop relation-shopping your way out of real connection. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Learn More About Logan’s Date Smarter Program Take The Three Dating Tendencies Quiz Sign up for Logan’s Newsletter FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Watch the podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/realloveready Credits: the Let’s Talk Love Podcast is hosted by Robin Ducharme, recorded and edited by Maia Anstey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re bringing back this powerful and deeply validating conversation with Dr. Ramani Durvasala—an episode filled with timeless guidance for anyone navigating or healing from narcissistic relationships. In this episode, Robin sits down with Dr. Ramani, one of the world’s leading experts on narcissistic abuse, to explore what really happens inside these dynamics and what it takes to slowly reclaim your sense of self. Together, they unpack the traits of narcissism, the cycle of trauma bonding, and the confusing mix of hope, shame, and grief that can keep people feeling stuck. Dr. Ramani offers compassionate, practical tools for healing—radical acceptance, gentle detachment, reframing your story, and reconnecting with the parts of yourself that were minimized or lost along the way. She also breaks down how to recognize the signs of narcissism, understand the emotional toll of gaslighting and manipulation, and begin the process of recovery with clarity and self-compassion. Whether you’re currently in a difficult dynamic, supporting someone who is, or continuing your own healing journey, this conversation offers a grounding perspective and guidance you can return to again and again. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Book: It’s Not You CA: https://amzn.to/3IgahDN US: https://amzn.to/3TedMRt Narcissistic Relationship Healing Program + Community: https://doctor-ramani.teachable.com/p/taking-yourself-back-healing-from-narcissistic-antagonistic-relationships FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK FOLLOW DR. RAMANI: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | X Watch the podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/realloveready Credits: the Let’s Talk Love Podcast is hosted by Robin Ducharme, recorded and edited by Maia Anstey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really take to feel more connected? In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with human connection expert and author of Every Conversation Counts, Riaz Meghji, to explore how we can create more meaningful conversations and deeper relationships in our everyday lives. Robin and Riaz talk about why we often mistake online connectivity for real connection, and how simple shifts—like leading with empathy, asking better questions, and truly listening—can change the way we show up in life and with those we love. Riaz shares practical tools like assertive empathy, “ask first, talk second,” and the value of leading with curiosity and vulnerability in our daily interactions.  He encourages us to have the hard conversations as ways to deepen our relationships.  At the end of the day, we all need connection and want to feel genuinely seen. If you’re longing for more real, authentic connections, this episode offers actionable ways to start—one conversation at a time. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Book - https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/every-conversation-counts-the-5-habits-of-human-connection-that-build-extraordinary-relationships/9781989603727.html Website - www.riazmeghji.com FOLLOW RIAZ MEGHJI:⁠ INSTAGRAM⁠ |⁠ FACEBOOK⁠ |⁠ TIKTOK⁠ |⁠ YOUTUBE⁠ FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to feel safe in your relationships? In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with licensed psychotherapist and author, Jessica Baum, to explore the core themes from her new book Safe. Together they look at how implicit memory, early attachment wounds, and our nervous system shape the way we show up in our relationships. Drawing from her personal healing and clinical work, Jessica explains how sensations in the body often hold the memories we can’t consciously recall, and how this awareness can begin to shift long-held patterns in relationships. Robin and Jessica talk about protectors—the behaviors we lean on when we don’t feel safe—as well as anchors, the supportive relationships that help us regulate, repair, and reconnect with our inner world. They explore inner child work, trauma bonding, and the familiar pull toward partners who mirror our earliest experiences. Through real stories and grounded examples, this conversation invites a deeper understanding of how the body remembers, how healing happens in connection, and how compassionate awareness can support attachment healing, nervous system regulation, and more secure love. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: ⁠https://www.jessicabaumlmhc.com/safe FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK FOLLOW JESSICA BAUM: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What actually makes a relationship work? In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin and Dr. Stan Tatkin, couples therapist, researcher, and co-founder of the PACT Institute talk about just that! Drawing from decades of work with couples and insights from his book In Each Other’s Care, Dr. Stan helps us understand how our nervous system, attachment patterns, and instinctive human threat responses shape the way we relate. He brings clarity to why relationship conflict feels so hard—and how awareness can create room for more clarity and connection. Dr. Stan explains what supports a secure-functioning relationship: offering relief before trying to solve the issue, repairing early so resentment doesn’t build, and creating shared relationship agreements that protect emotional safety and trust. Rather than focus on what makes for a healthy partnership, Dr. Stan emphasizes what we can do to form secure bonds with those we love.   This conversation offers thoughtful relationship insights and encourages us to consider how small, deliberate choices can strengthen the relationships we cherish. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: http://thepactinstitute.com/ FOLLOW DR. STAN TATKIN: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK FOLLOW RLR: ⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ | ⁠FACEBOOK⁠ | ⁠TIKTOK⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to fawn—and how can we begin to heal this trauma response? In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with licensed clinical psychologist and author Dr. Ingrid Clayton to explore the fawn response, a survival pattern that develops as a way to stay safe in unsafe environments. Drawing from her professional work, therapy practice, and lived experience, Dr. Ingrid shares how fawning shows up in relationships through people-pleasing, over-accommodating, or losing your voice—and how understanding this trauma response, often rooted in complex trauma, can help us move from self-blame to self-awareness, personal growth, and healing. Robin and Dr. Ingrid share personal stories and insights as they unpack how early experiences and attachment wounds shape the ways we seek love, safety, and connection. They talk about the process of“unfawning” by noticing your body’s cues, rebuilding self-trust, setting healthier boundaries, and learning what safety feels like from the inside out. This conversation reminds us that healing begins with awareness—recognizing how the patterns that once kept us safe can also hold us back, and how seeing them with compassion can open the door to new ways of showing up for ourselves and those we love. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Book - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/779579/fawning-by-dr-ingrid-clayton/ Website - https://www.ingridclayton.com/ FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK FOLLOW DR. INGRID CLAYTON: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to create secure, lasting love? In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with therapist, author, and attachment expert Julie Menanno to explore how we can create relationships that feel safe, connected, and enduring. Rather than focusing on the idea of a “healthy relationship,” Julie invites us to consider what it means to build a secure partnership—one rooted in emotional safety, empathy, and mutual understanding. Drawing from her powerful book Secure Love, Julie shares how recognizing our own and our partner’s core emotional needs and attachment styles can transform the way we communicate, navigate conflict, and repair ruptures. Her approach reminds us that love thrives not in perfection, but in the consistent willingness to see, hear, and respond to one another with care. Through her platform The Secure Relationship, Julie’s work reaches millions, helping people understand that love and connection are not luxuries—they are essential human needs. This conversation offers practical wisdom and heartfelt insight for anyone seeking to deepen intimacy, build trust, and experience the grounded joy of secure love. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links:https://www.thesecurerelationship.com/ FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK FOLLOW JULIE: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do we get hooked on drama and how can we break free? This week on Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with clinical psychologist and founder of The Embody Lab, Dr. Scott Lyons, to explore the hidden role drama plays in our lives. Drawing from his book, Addicted to Drama: Healing Dependency on Crisis and Drama in Yourself and Others, Scott brings warmth, openness, and relatability to a subject many of us don’t fully understand—yet we all know what it feels like to get wrapped up in the chaos of other people’s lives. Scott himself once struggled with being addicted to drama, and now he dedicates his work to helping others heal from this exhausting pattern. As he shares, drama often masks unresolved trauma—it’s a coping mechanism for pain we haven’t yet faced. Because drama is so contagious, it can ripple through our relationships and communities unless we learn to stop perpetuating it. Together, Robin and Scott unpack why we get hooked on drama and how it becomes addictive, how unresolved trauma hides behind cycles of chaos and crisis, and what neuroscience reveals about the toll these patterns take on our bodies and minds. They also explore practical ways to step out of drama and create more peace, along with the surprising role of play in restoring joy, connection, and balance. With compassionate insights and grounded strategies, Scott offers a roadmap for breaking free from drama and building steadier, more fulfilling relationships. This conversation is a powerful reminder that awareness and compassion are key to healing—and that choosing peace over chaos is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves and the people we love. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links:https://www.drscottlyons.com/ FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really mean to be a “good mom”—and who gets to decide? In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with therapist, author, and mother Vanessa Bennett for a candid conversation inspired by her new book, The Motherhood Myth. Together, they explore the myths and societal pressures placed on women, the impact of over-parenting, and the learning and growth available to all of us when we create space in our lives to just be.   Vanessa shares stories from her own journey and insights from her work, offering a grounded perspective on how women can honor themselves while caring for others. This conversation is an invitation to release outdated expectations, embrace the full truth of motherhood, and lean into the support and connection we all need along the way. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: https://www.vanessabennett.com/the-motherhood-myth FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK FOLLOW VANESSA: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re bringing back this heartfelt and practical conversation with Paul Carrick Brunson, full of timeless wisdom on what it really takes to build meaningful relationships. Robin is joined by Paul Brunson, globally recognized matchmaker, author, and Head of Global Research at Tinder, to explore what makes love last in today’s complex dating landscape. Drawing from his book It’s Complicated (But It Doesn’t Have to Be), Paul shares four key principles for finding a compatible partner, how to clarify your values, and why personal growth is essential for healthy connection. Whether you’re navigating new relationships or looking to strengthen an existing one, this conversation offers thoughtful, actionable insight to support your journey. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Website: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/ It's Complicated (But It Doesn't Have To Be): https://www.amazon.ca/Its-Complicated-But-Doesnt-Have/dp/1592407692 FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | X Watch the podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/realloveready Credits: the Let’s Talk Love Podcast is hosted by Robin Ducharme, recorded and edited by Maia Anstey, and transcribed by Otter.ai. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re excited to revisit this powerful conversation with Dr. Shefali. Whether it’s your first time listening or you’re returning to a favourite, this episode offers profound insights into self-discovery, authenticity, and the journey toward awakening. Robin is joined by Dr. Shefali Tsabary to explore shedding societal beliefs, redefining love and relationships, and the vital role of setting boundaries as an act of self-love. Dr. Shefali highlights the importance for women to embrace their inner power through the concept of the ‘Awakened Queen’—a figure of strength, compassion, and discernment. This conversation invites listeners to reflect on consciousness in personal growth and transformation, offering practical guidance for reclaiming one’s power and stepping into a more authentic self. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links:  https://institute.drshefali.com https://courses.drshefali.com/aradicalawakening FOLLOW DR. SHEFALI: INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | X Watch the podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/realloveready Credits: the Let’s Talk Love Podcast is hosted by Robin Ducharme, recorded and edited by Maia Anstey, and transcribed by Otter.ai. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re excited to revisit a heartfelt conversation with Dené Logan, packed with deep insight into the dance between our inner masculine and feminine energies and how this shapes the way we relate. In this episode, Robin is joined by couples therapist Dené Logan to explore themes from her book, Sovereign Love. Drawing from her work with clients and her background in depth psychology, Dené unpacks how societal conditioning has created an imbalance between masculine and feminine energies, influencing patterns in all our relationships. Together, they dive into intimate dynamics like the abandonment-shame spiral and invisible labour, offering compassionate tools to communicate through love and transform these cycles. Dené also highlights the power of recognizing our individual soul journeys and releasing control, opening the way to genuine interdependence in connection. Whether it’s your first time hearing this conversation or you’re returning to a favourite, we hope it offers fresh perspectives and inspires more conscious, fulfilling relationships. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Sovereign Love: https://denelogan.com/book FOLLOW DENÉ: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | X Watch the podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/realloveready Credits: the Let’s Talk Love Podcast is hosted by Robin Ducharme, recorded and edited by Maia Anstey, and transcribed by Otter.ai.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to bring your whole self—mind, body, and spirit—into your intimate relationships? In this transformative episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with world-renowned sex and relationship therapist Dr. Laura Berman for a deep and soulful conversation about intimacy, healing, and awakening your sensual self. Drawing from her powerful new book Sex Magic, Dr. Berman reveals how true sexual fulfillment begins long before you enter the bedroom. When we feel safe enough to be seen, when we’re connected to ourselves and to each other in mind, body, and spirit, we can unlock extraordinary pleasure and create next-level intimacy—what she calls “Sex Magic.” Together, Robin and Dr. Berman explore how our beliefs about sex and self-worth shape our experiences of love and desire. You’ll hear empowering insights and practical tools for releasing shame, amplifying arousal, and stepping into your full sensual power—with presence, vulnerability, and soul. Whether you’re healing, evolving, or simply curious, this episode is a reminder that pleasure is your birthright—and that the deepest intimacy starts within. We want to hear from you!  Please send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Website: https://drlauraberman.com/ FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK FOLLOW DR. LAURA BERMAN: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really take to feel secure—in yourself, your relationships, and your life? In this soulful episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin is joined by internationally recognized coach and founder of The Art of Healing, Trevor Hanson, for a deeply honest conversation about what it means to build true emotional security from the inside out. They explore the roots of anxious attachment, the longing to feel safe and seen, and the inner transformation required to shift old patterns into new, empowered ways of relating. Trevor opens up about his own journey—how heartbreak, burnout, and walking away from a high-pressure career led him to profound healing and purpose. Together, Robin and Trevor unpack what it looks like to become secure in yourself. They explore how emotional safety starts within, why self-trust, healthy boundaries, and aligned choices matter, and how healing the inner child and being held in the right kind of support can lead to powerful transformation. Trevor shares his groundbreaking framework, The Secure-Self Journey, and the life-changing work happening inside The Secure Self Club and The Art of Healing. Robin also reflects on her own path, feeling more secure, aligned, and self-assured than ever before, and how this inner shift is transforming her partnership and every area of her life. If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety in relationships, people-pleasing, or feeling like your self-worth is tied to others’ approval, this episode will meet you right where you are—with practical wisdom, hope, and the gentle reminder that you are capable of deep, lasting change. Healing is possible. And it always begins within. We want to hear from you! Send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: FREE- Anxious to Secure: Seminarhttps://theartofhealingbytrevor.com/from-anxious-to-secure FREE- Know Your Boundaries Workshop: https://theartofhealingbytrevor.com/know-your-boundaries Apply to join the Secure Self Club: https://theartofhealingbytrevor.com/secure-self-club-official-dc FOLLOW TREVOR: INSTAGRAM FOLLOW RLR: ⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ | ⁠FACEBOOK⁠ | ⁠TIKTOK⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever felt guilty for experiencing joy when life feels heavy? In this powerful episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with trauma researcher, author, and coach Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald—affectionately known as MC—to explore how joy and grief can coexist, and why embracing joy in hard times isn’t just possible, but essential. Drawing from her transformative new book The Joy Reset, MC unpacks the neuroscience of joy, the impact of shame and emotional numbing, and the daily practices that can help us reconnect with wonder, reverence, and awe. Together, they explore how kindness supports collective healing, why choosing joy is an act of courage, and how we can retrain our brains to make joy and hope our default state. Whether you’re moving through grief, trauma, or simply navigating a difficult season, this conversation is a deeply human reminder that joy isn’t a distraction from pain—it’s a vital part of healing. In a world that often feels overwhelming, learning to hold space for both sorrow and joy is more important than ever. We want to hear from you! Have a relationship question you’d love expert insight on? Submit your (anonymous) question for a chance to have it answered on our Let’s Talk Love Podcast or during our weekly Ask the Experts Q&A on Instagram Live. 👉 Submit your question here Your question could help others too—let’s grow and learn together. Links: The Joy Reset: https://a.co/d/fFWVlnA Website: https://alchemycoaching.life/ FOLLOW DR. MC MCDONALD: INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Optimism isn’t just a mindset—it’s a skill you can practice and grow. In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with psychiatrist, author, and mental health advocate Dr. Sue Varma to explore the power of Practical Optimism. Drawing from her new book Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being, Dr. Varma shares how optimism isn’t a fixed trait, it’s a skill we can all learn. Together, they unpack the eight pillars of practical optimism, the importance of processing emotions, and how meaningful relationships support our mental and emotional health. Through personal stories and research-backed insights, this conversation offers a grounded, compassionate approach to building emotional strength and staying connected to hope—even when life feels uncertain. We want to hear from you! Send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links:Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Optimism-Practice-Exceptional-Well-Being/dp/0593418948?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadrgCEXIAFORdG0DINeYfgolUUd2GYZPI6HJ8H6qkVaG8KVHo2Gdfr_gSjxGQ_aem_sJ7UsxblCLC0HfYDJheNdA FOLLOW DR. SUE VARMA: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK FOLLOW RLR: ⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ | ⁠FACEBOOK⁠ | ⁠TIKTOK⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So many of us have been taught to shrink ourselves to fit into someone else’s story. But what happens when we step into the center of our own? In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with psychologist and author Dr. Amanda Hanson to explore what it truly means for women to become the muses of their own lives. Drawing from her book Muse: The Magnetism of Women Who Stop Abandoning Themselves, Amanda shares her journey from clinical psychologist to thought leader and guide for women ready to live bigger, bolder lives. She unpacks why so many women are taught to trade their desires for gratitude, and how reclaiming rage, releasing shame, and prioritizing self-devotion can become revolutionary acts of self care and healing. Together, they explore the importance of conscious female friendships, the beauty of being witnessed by other women, and how these connections can become a mirror and catalyst for transformation. Join us for a powerful and deeply affirming conversation about self-worth, feminine identity, and the freedom that comes with outgrowing old roles and writing your own rules. We hope Amanda’s insights leave you feeling seen and inspired to create a life that feels truly your own. We want to hear from you! Send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Live Event: Magnetic, Phoenix, AZ December 5th and 6th 2025 www.AmandaHanson.com/Magnetic Book: Muse: The Magnetism of Women Who Stop Abandoning Themselves https://a.co/d/bhZt6gK Website: www.AmandaHanson.com FOLLOW DR. AMANDA HANSON: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | ⁠TIKTOK | ⁠YOUTUBE FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin is joined by Julie Krafchick and Yue Xu, co-hosts of the Dateable podcast and authors of the new book How to Be Dateable. With humor, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom from their own dating journeys—and those of thousands of others—they explore what it really means to date authentically in today’s world—and why it matters. They unpack the mindsets that hold people back, the shift from performance to presence, and how clarity, curiosity, and self-awareness can transform your dating life. They also share why rejection isn’t failure—it’s often a powerful redirection. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, disillusioned, or just plain exhausted by modern dating, this conversation will leave you feeling empowered, seen, and ready to date on your own terms—with confidence and clarity.  Julie and Yue want daters to take control of their love lives and share real wisdom and tools for how to do this.  We want to hear from you! Send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Book (and Dating Archetype Quiz) - http://howtobedateable.com/ Programs - https://www.dateablepodcast.com/programs Website - https://www.dateablepodcast.com/ FOLLOW JULIE & YUE: INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TIKTOK FOLLOW RLR: ⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ | ⁠FACEBOOK⁠ | ⁠TIKTOK⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with Dr. Thema Bryant, psychologist, ordained minister, and author of Matters of the Heart, for a powerful conversation about healing our relationships from the inside out. They explore how our emotional lives are shaped by family, culture, and early experiences, and what it takes to shift the patterns that keep us disconnected. Dr. Thema offers grounded, compassionate wisdom on emotional expression, honoring our truth, and building the kind of relational safety we all deserve. From embracing gentleness in long-term partnerships to navigating forgiveness and flexibility, this episode is full of real-life tools and soulful insights. Whether you’re in the thick of healing or reflecting on what love looks like for you, you’ll leave feeling supported, seen, and inspired. Takeaways: Relationships play a crucial role in our mental health and well-being. Self-love is a radical act of resistance against societal pressures. Emotions should be honored as part of our humanity. Neglecting self-care can lead to burnout and unhealthy relationships. Understanding past experiences can help in self-forgiveness. Effective communication is essential in addressing relationship needs. Setting realistic expectations can prevent disappointment in relationships. Self-compassion is key to personal growth and healing. Grace and forgiveness are essential in relationships. Flexibility allows for growth and change over time. Co-creating joy is vital for relationship satisfaction. Emotional safety fosters trust and connection. Finding your voice is important for self-expression. Surrounding yourself with supportive people is essential for well-being. We want to hear from you! Send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Matters of the Heart: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/760456/matters-of-the-heart-by-thema-bryant-phd/ Website: https://drthema.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-homecoming-podcast-with-dr-thema/id1471604689 FOLLOW DR. THEMA: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK FOLLOW RLR: ⁠INSTAGRAM⁠ | ⁠FACEBOOK⁠ | ⁠TIKTOK⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not all breakups are the same, and neither is the journey to healing. In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with bestselling author and therapist, John Kim, also known as The Angry Therapist, to explore the different types of breakups and how to navigate them with intention. Drawing from his new book, Breakup on Purpose, John shares how heartbreak can be one of life’s most powerful catalysts for personal growth. He breaks down the unique challenges of each type of breakup—from the blindsided ending to the one that never seems to end—and offers practical, compassionate advice on how to move forward without losing yourself in the process. Join us for a funny, raw, and thought-provoking conversation about relational literacy, emotional resilience, and how to turn heartbreak into transformation. John’s humor and honesty make this episode a refreshing take on how to break up and how to heal. Takeaways: Not all breakups are the same; they require different healing approaches. It's crucial to maintain a sense of self in relationships. Building a relationship is about creating something greater than the sum of its parts. Past relationships can teach valuable lessons about love and self-awareness. Self-care is vital in the healing process after a breakup. Time alone does not heal wounds; personal work is essential. Repairing ruptures in relationships builds trust. Taking ownership of one's role in a breakup empowers personal growth. Specificity in forgiveness helps in the healing process. Reflection techniques can aid in processing breakups and moving forward. Breakups can serve as a catalyst for personal breakthroughs and growth. We want to hear from you! Send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Book - https://www.harpercollins.com/products/break-up-on-purpose-john-kim?variant=42305553956898 Website - www.theangrytherapist.com App - www.singleonpurpose.life for anyone who is sick of swiping and wants to grow with like minded singles. FOLLOW JOHN: INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with Dr. Sara Kuburic (@millennial.therapist) to discuss themes of self-loss, authenticity, and personal responsibility. They explore how we can drift away from who we truly are—and the steps to reconnect with ourselves. Drawing from her book It’s On Me, Dr. Sara shares her own experience with self-loss and explains how living inauthentically can lead to self-betrayal and disconnection, highlighting why reclaiming our sense of self is essential for fulfillment. Together, they discuss how relationships shape our identity, what freedom and responsibility truly mean, and the daily choices that support living authenticity. This conversation is a powerful invitation to reflect on who we are, what we value, and how we can take ownership of our lives. Takeaways: Creating meaning in life is an active process. Our daily habits reflect our true values. Self-discovery requires observing our thoughts and feelings. Reconnecting with the self involves understanding and connecting with our body, mind, and emotions. Asking 'What did I learn about myself today?' fosters growth. Self-loss is a prevalent issue that many people face. Panic attacks can be a physical manifestation of deeper issues. Awareness is the first step towards making meaningful changes. Therapy can provide a space for self-discovery and healing. Understanding the difference between inauthenticity and self-loss is crucial.  We want to hear from you! Send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestionLinks:Book - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/700579/its-on-me-by-sara-kuburic/Website - https://www.sara-kuburic.com/FOLLOW DR. SARA: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOKFOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Watch the podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/realloveready Credits: the Let’s Talk Love Podcast is hosted by Robin Ducharme, recorded and edited by Maia Anstey, and transcribed by Otter.ai. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Let’s Talk Love, Robin is joined by Francesca Hogi —matchmaker, love coach, and author of How to Find True Love—for an enlightening conversation about self-awareness, personal growth, and the journey to meaningful relationships. Francesca shares her inspiring story of transitioning careers to help others find love, emphasizing the importance of self-love and introspection as foundations for lasting connections. Together, they explore how societal conditioning shapes relationship expectations, the courage it takes to walk away from unfulfilling dynamics, and the role of intentionality in attracting compatible partners. Francesca introduces dating archetypes and highlights the value of aligning personal values with those of a partner, balancing a wish list of traits with deeper compatibility. Packed with insights from her book and empowering strategies, this episode reminds us that the path to love begins within, encouraging listeners to embrace dating as a journey of self-discovery and growth. Takeaways: How to Find True Love is a valuable resource for dating advice. Self-awareness is crucial for successful dating. Shifting mindsets can lead to better dating outcomes. Someone’s character and values are more important than superficial traits. It's essential to be your authentic and genuine self in dating. Recognizing limiting beliefs can improve dating success. The journey of finding love is a personal growth experience. Understanding why you want certain traits in a partner is crucial. Focus on the actual experience of being with someone, not just their credentials. Personal values play a significant role in relationship satisfaction. Readiness, ability, and willingness are key components in a successful relationship. Believing in the possibility of love is vital, regardless of statistics. Actions speak louder than words in dating; believe what people show you. Recognizing and acknowledging relationship patterns is crucial for change. The Avoider archetype struggles with dating despite wanting love. The Looper archetype experiences repetitive dating patterns. Surfers often overvalue chemistry, which can lead to unhealthy relationships. Sailors are naturally inclined towards committed relationships but must ensure compatibility. Awareness of one’s personal contributions to dating challenges is essential. Intention and self-awareness are key to finding lasting love. We want to hear from you! Send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Book - https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-find-true-love-transcend-the-fairytale-industrial-complex-date-better-and-make-lasting-love-inevitable-francesca-hogi/21721901?ean=9781538769577 Course - https://market.authoritive.com/howtodate Website - https://francescahogi.com/ FOLLOW FRANCESCA: INSTAGRAM | Watch the podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/realloveready Credits: the Let’s Talk Love Podcast is hosted by Robin Ducharme, recorded and edited by Maia Anstey, and transcribed by Otter.ai. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Let’s Talk Love, Robin sits down with Jessica Maguire to explore how our nervous system shapes our emotional well-being, relationships, and overall health. Jessica worked as a physiotherapist then transitioned to teaching a global community about the importance of and skills to regulate our nervous systems. Together, they discuss how childhood experiences influence adult relationships, why understanding bodily signals is key to emotional resilience, and how practical tools can help reset the nervous system. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to navigate stress, deepen self-awareness, and cultivate healthier connections. Takeaways: Understanding the nervous system is crucial for overall well-being. Grief can lead to a deeper understanding of our own nervous system. Interoception helps us tune into our bodily signals. Self-regulation involves listening to our inner voice and needs. Childhood experiences shape our adult relationships and attachment styles. The nervous system has a significant impact on chronic health conditions. Connection and safety are fundamental human needs. Emotions are influenced by signals from our body, not just our thoughts. Recognizing anxiety can empower us to respond differently. Healing from past trauma is possible through awareness and new experiences.  Your person is not everything to you; seek community support. Identify who supports your nervous system and well-being. Nervous system work involves both internal and external factors. We interact with others' nervous systems constantly. Healthy relationships require reciprocity and communication. Emotional granularity aids in better emotional regulation. Aligning actions with values can lead to fulfillment. We want to hear from you! Send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion Links: Vagus Nerve Program - https://www.jessicamaguire.com/the-vagus-nerve-program Website - https://www.jessicamaguire.com/ FOLLOW JESSICA: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Watch the podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/realloveready Credits: the Let’s Talk Love Podcast is hosted by Robin Ducharme, recorded and edited by Maia Anstey, and transcribed by Otter.ai. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to love and relationships, we are bombarded with myths and fairy tale notions.  We asked the experts: What is one relationship myth you’d love to dispel? In this special episode, our In Bloom 2025 speakers—Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh, Damona Hoffman, Dr. Ramani Durvasula, Silvy Khoucasian, Bryan Reeves, and Dr. Shamyra Howard—come together for a dynamic conversation on love, dating, and relationships. From the pressures of “relationship goals” to the myth that couples become one when they commit, our expert panel breaks down some of the biggest misconceptions about love. They share insights on individuality within relationships, how to navigate modern dating, and what they’ll be teaching at In Bloom 2025. If you're looking for fresh perspectives on what makes relationships thrive, this episode is a must-listen! And if you want to dive even deeper, join us in Vancouver or online this April—tickets are going fast! 🎟 Get your ticket for In Bloom 2025 at www.inbloomsummit.com and use the code LETSTALKLOVE for 15% off! We want to hear from you! Send us your anonymous questions for the Podcast as well as our weekly IG Live Ask The Experts Q&A. https://realloveready.com/submitaquestion FOLLOW RLR: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TIKTOK Watch the podcast on YouTube: youtube.com/realloveready Credits: the Let’s Talk Love Podcast is hosted by Robin Ducharme, recorded and edited by Maia Anstey, and transcribed by Otter.ai. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices