Hosted by Pripo Teplitsky, LCMHC, a psychotherapist specializing in relationship issues. Through the experience of relationships, we get to see and understand ourselves in ways we can't do alone. Whether it be with our partners, family, friends, co-workers, or neighbors, these relationships shape our level of happiness and contentment in life. This conversational podcast takes a casual approach to deep and personal topics. Pripo and his guests are not afraid to bring a little humor into their discussions (or his solocasts) and share intimate details about their lives and relationships. For anyone with questions, concerns, or just plain curiosity about relationships, this is the perfect podcast for you.
Site
RSS
Apple
Recent rankings
Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.
Shared links between episodes and podcasts
Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.
Discover shows related to Relationships Let's Talk About It!, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
Brandon Greenstein is a partner and father and long-time member and resident of Earthaven Ecovillage (Black Mountain, NC). He is currently practicing Somatic Experiencing therapy and will be entering the final year of the SE professional training program. Brandon is also the owner of Integrated Ecological Solutions; consulting and coaching on sustainable land use and development and all aspects of building, growing and personal efficiency.
In this conversation Brandon and I talk about expectations in relationships and how we manage them. Effective relationships are built on realistic and communicated expectations. Unrealistic expectations can lead to disappointment, frustration, and even relationship demise.
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
You can check out the original songs I have sung in my podcast at Pripo’s Podcast Songs.
Don’t forget to visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Share your favorite episodes on social media to help others build better, more meaningful relationships.
And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!
Theme music “These Streets” provided byAdi the Monk
Mana Vermeulen-McLeod has been an Earthaven Ecovillage (Black Mountain, NC) resident and member since 2007. She believes in the potential of transformation in each present moment. She is a Tantric Life Coach, mother, natural builder, hair-dresser and conflict mediator at her village. A social activist committed to anti-oppression work in areas of race, gender and class differences. She enjoys supporting herself and others in embodied resilience and everyday courage.
In this episode, Mana and I have a conversation about healthy boundaries. The importance to know our selves in order to understand our boundaries and these boundaries change as we continue to understand who we are in relationship to others and the world.
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to , subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
208. Giving Up Too Much to Make Other’s Happy?
Tuesday, April 9, 2024 • Duration 51:51
Corey Costanzo is the Co-Owner of Asheville’s Still Point Wellness Spa, a licensed addiction counselor, trauma specialist, licensed massage therapist, master didgeridoo player, colleague, and good friend.
In this episode, Corey and I have a conversation about giving too much and sacrificing ourselves for others. What’s healthy in this arena?
Our country is rife with political conversations that tend to divide people. These exchanges can become more challenging when political differences occur in families and close relationships, where a divergence of ideals can strain connection. When the writer, teacher, and food activist Lee Warren recently witnessed one of her peers using aggressive language towards people of the other political spectrum, the experience spurred her to write Can We Love Our Political Enemies?, a piece where she curates an online conversation about having empathy for people who think differently.
Lee is the co-founder and managing partner of SOIL - the School of Integrated Living - an organization that teaches organic food production, regenerative systems, and community living. She is a sustainability professional whose experience spans over 25 years and whose interests include rural wisdom, sustainable economics, community, and conscious dying.
In this episode, Lee and I explore how we can connect with and love people who have political ideals different from ours. We discuss holding friends to a higher standard of empathy and illustrate how social media tends to exacerbate division among people. We describe what it’s like to experience political differences within families and close relationships and explain how fear and trauma can influence our politics. We also highlight the need to bring curiosity into our ideological differences and discuss how we can use non-violent communication to hold political dialog.
“If we want community, the thing to do is to build real, human coalitions between people who have different perspectives and values.” - Lee Warren
This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:
The experience that led Lee to write Can We Love Our Political Enemies?
Holding up our friends to a higher standard of empathy
How social media promotes division among people
How Lee realized that she was stuck in an echo chamber and had to break off of it
The difficulty of experiencing political differences within families
117. Let's Talk About Sex, Baby
Episode 117
Tuesday, November 10, 2020 • Duration 48:27
Kelley Johnson, Ph.D., is a professional sexologist. She is a passionate sex educator who provides comprehensive sex education to private and charter schools, as well as small groups. In her work as a sexologist, Kelley guides couples and individuals in resolving sexual issues through non-medical modalities that work within their value system. As a young person, Kelley was profoundly fascinated by human sexuality, so much so that her high school peers sought her for information and education on sex, sexuality, and sexual health. Today, Kelley is a champion of body and sex-positivity, and her doctoral degree in Human Sexuality and master’s in Public Health Education reflects her advocacy for a sexually-just society.
In this episode, Kelley and I address sexual issues couples face in their relationships. We explore challenges around sexual incompatibility and having polarized differences in sexual desires. We emphasize people’s responsibilities as sexual beings and underscore the importance of educating children on sex and body positivity. We discuss how couples can create a healthy environment that encourages their intimacy as well as how they can support each other in transforming a history of sexual abuse, trauma, and taboo into a healthy sex life.
“You are responsible for your sexual self. While sexuality as a couple is something that’s shared and that you work on together, there is also separateness.” - Kelley Johnson
This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:
How Kelley became passionate about human sexuality and child development
The relationship between childhood development and a sexually healthy adult
Sex as a critical part of a couple’s connection and intimacy
How couples can work around having differences in sexual interests
Breaking the cycle of body shaming and sexual negativity among children
The importance of calling genitalia by their real names
The difference between a couple’s physical and sexual relationship and how they influence each other
Working with issues around pornography use and fears about masturbation
116. ADHD and How It Affects Relationships
Episode 116
Tuesday, November 3, 2020 • Duration 01:01:58
Dr. Chris Mulchay is an ADHD expert and licensed psychologist in North Carolina and Hawaii. Chris is a kind, down-to-earth colleague and officemate with whom I enjoy having great conversations. His practice focuses on assessing ADHD, learning disorders, and custodial evaluations and is dedicated to making evaluations engaging, thoughtful, and efficient. In addition to his practice, Chris also serves as president for the Western North Carolina Psychological Association and is a board member of the International Council of Psychologists. A lifelong student, Chris is a staunch advocate of community change through fostering stability, creativity, and empowerment.
In this episode, Chris and I explore how ADHD can impact relationships. We contemplate on ADHD as a self-regulation and neurodevelopmental disorder. We describe how subtle brain injuries and parents in conflict can interfere with a child’s brain development and influence the emergence of ADHD. We also discuss how transforming a relationship includes identifying how ADHD operates in them and explain how couples can practice appreciation to support lasting behavior change.
“The ADHD brain has a limited working memory, but if that’s supported with appreciation and joy, your partner will be able to practice behavioral change that could lead to self-regulation.” - Dr. Chris Mulchay
This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:
What ADHD is and how it’s different from ADD
The difference between the inattentive and hyperactive type of ADHD
Making people comfortable with conversations around ADHD
ADHD as a neurodevelopmental issue and whether we can develop it as adults
Genetic markers and subtle brain injuries that could impact ADHD
How parents in extreme stress and conflict can affect a child’s brain development
The over diagnosis and overmedication of ADHD
How ADHD medication can assist in creating behavioral change
ADHD and challenges in peer relationships that could later lead to substance abuse
Thinking about ADHD as a spectrum and self-regulation disorder
115. HeartShare: People Pleasing
Episode 115
Tuesday, October 27, 2020 • Duration 37:49
It’s natural for us to want to care for the people we love and make them happy. Many of us are also naturally compassionate and find fulfillment in altruistic endeavors. But there is a fine line between being selfless and being a people-pleaser. It’s essential that we discern whether our proclivities towards catering to others’ needs come from an authentic desire to help or from a place of fear and insecurity.
In this episode, I discuss the vital role of compassion in realizing our tendency to be people-pleasers and in transforming ourselves and our relationships. I illustrate how insecurity, fears, and low self-worth can foster the people-pleasing pattern and underscore the dangers of being a people-pleaser. I explain why honesty is one of the greatest gifts we can give to other people and how we can weave kindness into it. I also reveal how we can overcome our people-pleasing tendencies through setting boundaries and being true to our needs.
“When we constantly strive to please, it’s unlikely that we’ll thrive in relationships because we start to feel invisible, even though we’re the ones creating the experience.” - Pripo Teplitsky
This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:
The relationship between codependency and people-pleasing
The role of compassion in the process of self-transformation
How a compassionate person differs from a people-pleaser
The fear of rejection and other factors that influence the people-pleasing pattern
Why people-pleasers find it difficult to set healthy boundaries
Conflict avoidance and how authenticity took me out of a people-pleasing episode
The connection between people-pleasing and manipulation
Bringing kindness into honesty and how it can benefit our relationships
The value of focusing on curiosity when interacting with people
Why I think history may have caused women and mothers to people-please more
How people-pleasers may attract controlling people
Losing autonomy and a sense of self to people-pleasing
114. Codependency
Episode 114
Tuesday, October 20, 2020 • Duration 49:16
Codependency is rather insidious: though many people are familiar with the term, they don’t know how it manifests in families and impacts relationships. Awareness, Corey Costanzo stresses, is key to healing it. Corey is a licensed addictions counselor and bodywork therapist, somatic experiencing practitioner, a master didgeridoo player, and a good friend of mine. Together with his wife, Robin, Corey co-owns Still Point Wellness, a premier Esalen Massage and Salt Water Floatation spa in Asheville, North Carolina.
Today, Corey and I explore the hallmarks of a dysfunctional family and how it breeds codependency. We illustrate the dynamics of codependent relationships and their children and explain why dysfunctional families find it difficult to navigate difficult emotions and situations. We describe the characteristics of codependent behaviors and illustrate their impact on relationships. We also share our experiences in dealing with codependent relationships and emphasize the role of awareness in breaking the cycle of codependency.
“Codependency is an emotional and behavioral condition that affects an individual’s ability to have healthy, mutually satisfying relationships.” - Corey Costanzo
This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:
Codependency as a learned behavior in families and how it can be passed to generations
The relationship between codependency and addiction
The consequences of codependent behavior
Codependent relationships between children and parents
Why parents need to deal with their own emotions
The characteristics of a dysfunctional family
What makes families afraid of discussing difficult emotions and experiences
Detachment and fear of connection in dysfunctional families
Experiencing codependence in my family and learning to talk about emotions
How Corey cultivated trust between himself and a teenager in his practice
Breaking the cycle of codependency in couples
113. Authentic Relating
Episode 113
Tuesday, October 13, 2020 • Duration 47:30
Benjamin Haynes is a wonderful example of today’s young generation. He is a meditator, yogi, and evangelizer of “authentic relating.” I was impressed by his presence, groundedness, and the intentional manner in which he spoke when we met about a year ago. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill and teaching in Malaysia under a Fulbright grant, Benjamin recently joined Authentic Relating Training, an organization dedicated to the practice and production of authentic relating programs.
In today’s episode, Benjamin and I explore the meaning and purpose of authentic relating. We discuss what led him to authentic relating and share tips to help you relate with others with presence and authenticity. We illustrate how meditation can impact our lives and benefit the way we communicate with each other. We also emphasize the power of leading with presence and the value of focusing on what matters.
“Authentic relating transforms yourself and your relationships through communication.” - Benjamin Haynes
This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:
My first meeting with Benjamin
How he cultivated his groundedness and authentic relating
Benjamin’s introduction to meditation, how he built it into a daily practice, and how it has benefited him
The relationship between meditation, mindfulness, and authentic relating
Taking authentic relating to another level and the three different levels of a conversation
The power of taking pauses in conversation
Gender dynamics and its relationship with communication
How the dynamics of Benjamin’s relationship with his father has changed over time
The challenges of a parent-child relationship
The need to face our fears and take risks and what made me transition from the corporate world to my counseling practice
How authentic relating can lead to a more profound connection between people
How Benjamin’s fascination with mindfulness led him to Authentic Relating Training
112. A Journey With A Dying Parent
Episode 112
Tuesday, October 6, 2020 • Duration 40:51
Adley Gartenstein is the former president and co-owner of Film Movement, a distributor of independent, award-winning films from around the world. Over the last two decades, Adley has been a counselor, trainer, and workshop leader in the co-counseling community. My friendship with Adley goes back to 25 years ago when we met at the Esalen Institute. Since then, we’ve formed a friendship so profound that he has become the godfather of my son, Zander.
In this episode, Adley and I discuss his journey with healing as he took care of his dying mother. We explore how he had assumed the role of caretaker for his mother since he was a child and describe how that impacted his sense of self-worth. We illustrate how Adley committed to becoming a great son, regardless of his mother’s shortcomings as a parent. We also discuss my experience with my father’s death and underscore the honor that comes with being present in a person’s final moments on Earth.
“Being around a dying person is, in a way, a transition into adulthood; to play that role of caretaker, to make it about somebody else, and to care about that person.” - Adley Gartenstein
This week on Relationships! Let’s Talk About It:
Assuming the role of caretaker for his mother from childhood
How feeling responsibility for his mother’s well being affected Adley’s self-compass
Claiming Adley’s right to be a great son, regardless of childhood experiences
Understanding how trauma gets passed down through generations
The beginnings of Adley’s journey into healing
My experience with the death of my father
Deciding not to be the victim of one’s circumstances and breaking the cycle of darkness and trauma
The power of spending time with a dying person and the lessons it can teach us
Feeling liberation from trauma and fulfillment of duty
You can check out the original songs I have sung in my podcast at Pripo’s Podcast Songs.
Don’t forget to visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Share your favorite episodes on social media to help others build better, more meaningful relationships.
And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!
Theme music “These Streets” provided byAdi the Monk
Let’s Talk About It!
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
You can check out the original songs I have sung in my podcast at Pripo’s Podcast Songs.
Don’t forget to visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Share your favorite episodes on social media to help others build better, more meaningful relationships.
And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!
Theme music “These Streets” provided byAdi the Monk
Using non-violent communication and curiosity to explore contradictory political values
How biology can influence our discourse
The importance, and privilege, of choosing curiosity over hatred
Our negativity bias and why human beings don’t look for commonality first
Getting exaggerated, extreme stories about our “political enemies” and how the media exacerbates our fear of the Other
Building coalitions in small towns and rural America
Land-based wisdom and the value of listening to other peoples’ personal stories
Building the muscle of curiosity and using self-soothing techniques in holding political conversations
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
If you have a relationship question you’d love to have answered, contact us. Your question may be featured on a future episode!
And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!
Theme music “These Streets” provided byAdi the Monk
Bringing joy and playfulness into sex
Feeling pressured into having sex and the value of experiencing intimacy and connection in other areas of life
The power of appreciation as a potent aphrodisiac
Planned spontaneity and how making sex dates can increase sexual intimacy between a couple
The best conditions for having sex and respecting your partner when they say “no.”
Turning a history of sexual abuse and trauma into a healthy adult sex life
The importance of knowing and communicating what we want and need
The breath as a potent tool in managing one’s sexual life
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
If you have a relationship question you’d love to have answered, contact us. Your question may be featured on a future episode!
And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!
Theme music “These Streets” provided byAdi the Monk
The lack of inhibition in the ADHD brain and how it can impact communication
Why it can be challenging for people with ADHD to hold conversations
Squirrel syndrome and the relationship between ADHD and the brain’s working memory
How ADHD can interfere with emotional intimacy in relationships
Improving working memory through sleep hygiene
The power of mindfulness and meditation in strengthening self-regulation
What couples can do to work around having ADHD in their relationship
Bringing the power of appreciation and joy into creating lasting behavioral changes
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
If you have a relationship question you’d love to have answered, contact us. Your question may be featured on a future episode!
And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!
Theme music “These Streets” provided byAdi the Monk
Why people-pleasing can also be selfish
How parents can model authenticity for their children
What it takes to overcome our people-pleasing patterns
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
If you have a relationship question you’d love to have answered, contact us. Your question may be featured on a future episode!
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
If you have a relationship question you’d love to have answered, contact us. Your question may be featured on a future episode!
And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!
Theme music “These Streets” provided byAdi the Monk
Integrating non-violent communication and mindfulness
The importance of leading with presence, coming with curiosity, and focusing on what matters
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
If you have a relationship question you’d love to have answered, contact us. Your question may be featured on a future episode!
And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!
Theme music “These Streets” provided byAdi the Monk
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Relationships! Let’s Talk About It - the show to help you forge deeper, more meaningful connections and relationships with those around you. If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts, subscribe to the show, and leave us a rating and review.
If you have a relationship question you’d love to have answered, contact us. Your question may be featured on a future episode!
And if our content has helped you forge deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, be sure to help support the show by visiting our Support the Podcast page!
Theme music “These Streets” provided byAdi the Monk
