The Third Place – Details, episodes & analysis

Marriage therapy isn’t just for couples on the brink of divorce. In fact, many healthy marriages benefit from a regular tune-up.

In this episode, Brian and Lauren are joined by Christie Orosz from Married Life Counseling to talk about why more couples should consider marriage therapy before things get serious. Instead of seeing counseling as a last resort, Christie explains how it can actually strengthen communication, deepen connection, and help couples stay ahead of common relationship struggles.

Along the way, the conversation includes some funny marriage stories and plenty of honesty about the realities of long-term relationships.

They also talk about why going to marriage therapy doesn’t mean your relationship is failing — sometimes it just means you care enough to invest in it.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/y1QsdyWNq8Y

Learn more about Married Life Counseling:
https://marriedlifecounseling.com/our-approach/

Support the Show: Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month:
https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media:
https://stainedglass-media.com

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

There are 2,165 children in Cuyahoga County right now who need someone to show up for them in court as they navigate the foster care system.

In this episode, Brian and Lauren welcome CASA of Cuyahoga County (Court Appointed Special Advocates) to the podcast to talk about what that number really represents — not statistics, but children who need stability, advocacy, and a consistent adult in their corner.

We talk about how CASA volunteers are trained to walk alongside children as their cases move through the court system, helping ensure their voices are heard and their best interests are represented. Children in foster care need someone they can count on, and this is one tangible, accessible way to step into that need right where you live.

James 1:27 reminds us that “true and undefiled religion” is to care for the widow and the orphan. For many believers, that can feel abstract or overwhelming. This conversation highlights a practical way to live that out today — not someday, not theoretically, but in real time for real children.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-Sx2j3FpmuA

Learn more or get involved:
https://cfadvocates.org/

Watch the CASA of Cuyahoga County promo video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xyH88FDsnY

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month:
https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media:
https://stainedglass-media.com

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

In this episode, Brian and Lauren dive into a relationship advice column that hits a little too close to home for a lot of marriages.

A wife says she’s exhausted from carrying the mental load of the household — planning, remembering, organizing everything — but also admits she gets frustrated when her husband tries to help and doesn’t do things her way. So… which is it? Do you want help, or do you want control?

Brian and Lauren unpack the tension so many couples feel but don’t always know how to talk about:

What the “mental load” really is and why it feels so heavy

Why help can sometimes feel more stressful than doing it yourself

The difference between shared responsibility and silent expectations

How control, standards, and communication all play into everyday conflict

What it looks like to actually function as a team at home

From dishes in the sink to deeper heart issues, this conversation gets honest about pride, resentment, and the kind of humility and clarity that healthy marriages require.

What would you do?

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oxxX4o8Add8

This episode is brought to you by Edgewater Investment Group
https://www.edgewaterig.com/

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media:
https://stainedglass-media.com

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

What does ADHD look like in the life of the Church?

In this episode, Brian and Lauren talk with Dr. Steve Grcevich, founder and president of Key Ministry, an organization dedicated to helping churches welcome and include families of kids with disabilities and mental health challenges. Together, they explore how ADHD shapes the way people experience faith, church, and community.

From sitting still in a pew to staying focused during prayer, traditional church environments can be especially challenging for those with ADHD. But what if the very traits that make church hard can also be incredible strengths in living out our faith?

They discuss:
• How ADHD shows up in both kids and adults at church
• Common misunderstandings about attention, behavior, and spiritual maturity
• Practical ways churches can become more welcoming and supportive
• How people with ADHD may actually be uniquely wired to be “doers of the Word”

Whether you have ADHD, love someone who does, or want your church to be a place where every person can grow in faith, this conversation offers insight, encouragement, and practical hope.

Learn more about Dr. Grcevich and Key Ministry at: https://keyministry.org/

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LgJS-OrA1Es

This episode is brought to you by Edgewater Investment Group
https://www.edgewaterig.com/

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Tune into this story of one family’s commitment to loving their neighbor. Not just in word but in deed. Each of us have a neighbor near us like this, what would it take for you to do the real work of supporting them not just liking Instagram posts?

👉 GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hope-and-safety-for-our-immigrant-neighbors?attribution_id=sl:83ac158b-d871-4e7a-8163-0934e7cc220b&lang=en_US&ts=1769481903&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp17_td&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=instagram_feed

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jXkb7fBy9FI

Find us on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media:
https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

It’s just Brian and Lauren in this episode, catching up on life and diving into our usual biblical debates.

We tackle a bigger spiritual theme: the Bible is not a magic answer book for every life scenario. Instead, we discuss how Scripture forms our hearts, shapes our wisdom, and points us toward Christ—so we can faithfully navigate complex, modern situations that don’t come with neat, verse-by-verse instructions.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IsTmMSwCKHE

Special thanks to our sponsors:
Upliftd Stream• Edgewater Investment Group

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

What are people in Minnesota actually experiencing right now?

In this episode, Brian sits down with four local Minnesotans — trusted friends and family — to move past headlines and political talking points and talk about what life really looks like on the ground. From ICE activity and immigration enforcement to the emotional toll on families and neighborhoods, this conversation centers on real stories from real people.

You’ll hear firsthand perspectives that don’t fit neatly into political or religious boxes — just honest experiences from people living it every day. Our goal isn’t to tell you what to think… it’s to help you hear what’s happening and come to your own conclusions.

One of our guests, Jesse, is personally connected to a family in need during this time. If you’d like to support them, you can learn more here:

👉 GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hope-and-safety-for-our-immigrant-neighbors?attribution_id=sl:83ac158b-d871-4e7a-8163-0934e7cc220b&lang=en_US&ts=1769481903&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp17_td&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=instagram_feed

This is a conversation about people, community, and the complicated reality many Minnesotans are facing right now.

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iq5Qid4ql4g

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media:
https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Our guests are Aaron Golby and Lisa Wyss from Cru Cleveland.

Support Aaron: https://give.cru.org/0638775

Support Lisa: http://give.cru.org/0500386

Support Cru Cleveland: https://give.cru.org/2272928

We talk about what’s really happening in college campus ministry across Cleveland-area schools and how you—or a student in your life—can get involved. It’s easy to fall into the narrative that “kids these days” are getting everything wrong, but one thing is clear: college students still love Jesus.

Aaron and Lisa share stories from campus, how students are engaging faith in today’s culture, and the opportunities and challenges of reaching young adults during these formative years.

Cru Cleveland Fundraising Event:
Saturday, March 28 at 10:30am
Doors open at 10:00am
Location: Cleveland Heights, Ohio

Come hear from students and Cru staff about how the Lord is at work on local college campuses to reach, equip, and send out disciple-makers.

For more information and to RSVP, contact Aaron Golby at: Aaron.Golby@cru.org

Watch this Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/c6uZze1iSu4

Special thanks to our sponsors:
Upliftd Stream • Edgewater Investment Group

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Our guest is Dr. Mark Caleb Smith, political scientist and professor at Cedarville University.

https://markcalebsmith.substack.com/p/wake-up-dead-man-and-frederick-douglass

Dr. Smith joins us to talk about his new Substack article engaging the latest Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man. We explore what the movie gets right, what it gets wrong, and why stories like this resonate so strongly in our cultural moment.

The conversation goes deeper than film critique as we discuss how Christians should think about storytelling, moral imagination, justice, and truth—and how pop culture can both reflect and distort deeper realities.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mOKIXPpYb4M

Special thanks to our sponsors:
JLP CPAs • Upliftd Stream • Edgewater Investment Group

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Our guest is Dave Szafranski, Founder and President of Edgewater Investment Group - https://www.edgewaterig.com/

Dave joins us to talk all things economics and what the financial world is doing today. We unpack current market trends, economic pressures, and what investors can realistically expect this year. Whether you feel confident or completely overwhelmed by investing, this conversation helps bring clarity to a confusing landscape.

We also discuss long-term thinking, avoiding emotional decision-making, and practical principles for navigating uncertainty in today’s financial climate.

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/NUIkZaOkaW8

Special thanks to our sponsors:
JLP CPAs • Upliftd Stream • Edgewater Investment Group

Support the Show:
Exclusive content from Ron and Daria is available on our Patreon for only $10/month: https://patreon.com/thethirdplacepodcast

Watch on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thethirdplacepodcast

Learn more about Stained Glass Media: https://stainedglass-media.com

Like the episode? Subscribe, review, and share with a friend.

Donate to our nonprofit, The Cleveland Ministry Collective - https://www.clevelandministrycollective.org/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/podthirdplace?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==