The Art of Relationships Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, Alisa Grace sits down with licensed marriage and family therapist Willa Williams to unpack the often-confused concepts of boundaries and ultimatums. They explore the difference between making a request, setting a boundary, and issuing an ultimatum—highlighting how tone, intention, and personal responsibility can either build connection or create division in your relationships.

Together, they provide practical tools and real-life examples to help you communicate needs in a healthy way, create emotional safety, and respond maturely when on the receiving end of a boundary. Whether you’re navigating conflict with a spouse, roommate, friend, or coworker, this episode offers wisdom and encouragement to help you grow in both courage and compassion.

Resources Mentioned:

• Speaker-Listener Technique (PDF) – A simple yet powerful communication tool that fosters active listening and mutual understanding in any relationship.
• Blue Trust (Colby Gilmore) – Biblically-centered financial planning and investment management for couples and individuals.
• The Couples Institute – Dr. Ellyn Bader – Professional therapy resources and relationship education.
  
  

Connect with Us:

• Website: cmr.biola.edu
• Facebook: facebook.com/biolacmr
• Instagram: instagram.com/biolacmr
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/@biola-cmr
  
  

Join the Conversation:

• Subscribe to The Art of Relationships Podcast to never miss an episode.
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform to help others discover the show.
• Share this episode with someone who could benefit from these relationship insights.
  Sign up for weekly updates and resources from the Center for Marriage and Relationships:
   👉 http://eepurl.com/bgsuQv

About the Hosts:

Chris Grace, Ph.D., and Alisa Grace are passionate about helping people build and sustain healthy relationships. As leaders of the Biola University Center for Marriage and Relationships, they combine the wisdom of Scripture with scholarly research to offer practical advice and insights. Learn more about their work at cmr.biola.edu.

In this episode, Chris Grace sits down with Tim Carney, author of Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be. They dive into the challenges of modern parenting, discussing how cultural shifts, over-scheduling, and fear-based parenting have made raising kids more stressful than ever. Tim shares insights on how we can reclaim community-driven parenting, encourage independence in our children, and create a more family-friendly culture.

Whether you're a parent navigating the pressures of modern parenting, a young adult thinking about starting a family, or someone interested in how culture shapes childhood, this episode offers practical insights and hopeful solutions for building stronger families and communities.

Resources Mentioned

📖 Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be – Get the book here
📄 What’s the Ideal Family Size? Somewhere Between 0 and 10 Kids – Read Tim Carney’s Washington Post article (Note: This article may be behind a paywall.)
 📊 American Enterprise Institute (AEI) – Research on family, culture, and policy. Visit AEI

Connect with Us
🌐 Website: cmr.biola.edu
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/biolacmr
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/biolacmr
▶️ YouTube: youtube.com/@biola-cmr

Join the Conversation
🎙️ Subscribe to The Art of Relationships Podcast to never miss an episode.
⭐ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts / Spotify to help others discover the show.
🔗 Share this episode with a friend who could benefit from these insights.
📩 Sign up for weekly updates and resources from the Center for Marriage and Relationships! Join here

About the Hosts
Chris Grace, Ph.D., and Alisa Grace are passionate about helping people build and sustain healthy relationships. As leaders of the Biola University Center for Marriage and Relationships, they blend biblical wisdom with scholarly research to offer practical advice for everyday relationships. Learn more at cmr.biola.edu.

In this episode, Chris Grace sits down with special guests Sean McDowell and Tim Muehlhoff, co-authors of End the Stalemate, to tackle the challenge of navigating difficult conversations in a polarized world. Together, they share practical strategies like building relational capital, showing compassion, and knowing when and how to share truth. With personal stories and real-world examples, Chris, Sean, and Tim equip listeners to engage in meaningful, respectful dialogue even on divisive topics. Whether you're working through tough discussions with family, friends, or colleagues, this episode offers tools to strengthen relationships while staying true to your convictions.

Resources Mentioned:

• End the Stalemate - A guide to fostering respectful and productive conversations despite deep differences.
• Sean McDowell's YouTube Channel - Demonstrating effective dialogue with people of differing beliefs.
• Blue Trust - Biblically centered financial planning and investment management services. Contact Colby Gilmore (colby.gilmore@ronblue.com) for personalized financial advice for all income levels.
• John Gottman Resources - Expert insights on improving communication and relationships. 

Connect with Us:

• Website: cmr.biola.edu
• Facebook: facebook.com/biolacmr
• Instagram: instagram.com/biolacmr
• YouTube: youtube.com/@biola-cmr

Join the Conversation:

• Subscribe to The Art of Relationships Podcast to never miss an episode.
• Leave a review on [Apple Podcasts/Spotify/Your platform] to help others discover the show.
• Share this episode with someone who could benefit from these relationship insights.
• Sign up for weekly updates and resources from the Center for Marriage and Relationships! Sign up here

About the Hosts:

Chris Grace, Ph.D., and Alisa Grace are passionate about helping people build and sustain healthy relationships. As leaders of the Biola University Center for Marriage and Relationships, they combine the wisdom of Scripture with scholarly research to offer practical advice and insights. Learn more about their work at cmr.biola.edu.

What makes a conversation turn sideways? Why do words have the ability to hold power over us? Believe it or not, our perceptions have a lot to do with it. In this episode, Tim and Chris dive deeper into how our perceptions of ourselves affect relationships.

Whether we like it or not, our reality is based on our perceptions. In this episode, Chris and Tim explore how perceptions shape our relationships and how to discern when they can help or hinder healthy connection with others.

We often focus on negative aspects to avoid when evaluating relationships. But what makes a good relationship? In this episode, Tim and Chris discuss a few indicators of healthy relationships.

Words matter, and unfortunately, negative words are often the ones that stick with us. Proverbs 18:21 says, "life and death are in the power of the tongue." In this episode, Chris and Tim explore negative biases, where they come from, how they impact relationships, and how to deal with them.

Doesn’t it make sense to save money by living together before marriage? According to research, cohabitation actually has negative consequences on the longevity of the relationship. In this episode, we share fascinating insights on the differences between couples who are cohabitating and couples who are married.

When we find someone who is compatible with us, we most likely find that person more attractive, develop greater intimacy and connection, and establish a solid friendship. It is clear that compatibility matters – so what are the types of compatibility that are most important to determining relational health and success? In this podcast, we explore three types of core compatibility and what they mean for our relationships.

What counts as a date-night? How do I balance my relationship with the rest of life's demands? In this episode of the podcast, we continue the conversation with Dr. Bradford Wilcox, Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia. He points to some research and advice on the benefit of making small investments in your marriage. As a father of nine children, he has learned quite a few lessons on this topic personally.