Some betrayals are so big, some secrets so shocking, that when the truth comes out, it splits your life in two—into before you knew and after everything changed.

That’s exactly what happened to today’s listener, who suddenly discovered that her family’s closest friends had been hiding deeply disturbing secrets for years. Now, her whole family is reeling. In this episode of Sounds Like Therapy, we talk about what to do when everything you thought was safe and familiar suddenly feels like a lie.

We discuss:

• Why betrayal from friends hits as hard (or harder) than betrayal in marriage
• What your brain is trying to do after a trauma—and how to respond
• How to help your kids process the loss without burdening them with the adult details
• Why the memories you made were still real—even if they weren’t the whole story
• How to hold grief and anger at the same time without shutting down or shutting out the world

Whether you've lost a friend, been betrayed by someone you trusted, or simply felt blindsided by someone's hidden truth, this episode will help you navigate the disorientation of before and after—and start to rebuild your trust in others, and yourself.

If you want to stay connected with me between episodes, make sure you’re on my email list—where I share thoughts, updates, and behind-the-scenes moments I don’t always talk about on the podcast. This is also where you can submit your own question for the show, or send me a note to let me know what's on your mind (yes, it's really me on the other end!)

🔗 Join My Email List: https://www.andreaburkly.com/signup

📣 Loved this episode? Leave the show a 5 star review and mention this episode in your comment!

🎙 Tune in next week for real-life relationship questions, insight that builds empathy, and practical steps to create happier, healthier relationships.

Disclaimer: while this podcast sounds like therapy, it is not actually therapy nor is it a substitute for therapy, and while I am a therapist, I am not YOUR therapist. Please be entertained and encouraged, and seek appropriate mental health support from a licensed therapist in your community, if necessary.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lately, it feels like every conversation I have with women sounds the same: “I’m overwhelmed by what's happening in the world, and my husband just... isn't. In fact, he seems way too chill about current events... and I feel totally alone in my marriage. WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING?!?!”

I'm so glad you asked! And I'm so happy to tell you: I've got answers!

In this episode of Sounds Like Therapy, I’m pulling back the curtain on one of the most common dynamics I see in couples—especially when the world outside feels like it’s falling apart. I explain the basics of the attachment-theory based Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), how our nervous systems are wired to react to stress differently, and why your fights aren’t really about politics, the news, or social media—they’re about survival strategies.

We’ll talk about:

• Why your partner’s calm might feel like indifference (but probably isn’t)
• Why your anxiety might feel like an attack to your partner
• What to do before you bring up something that’s stressing you out
• How to move in towards your partner, even when their anxiety stresses you out
• How to repair when things spiral—and WHO should initiate repair

Whether you’re in the middle of a disconnect, recovering from a blowout fight, or just trying to understand each other better, this episode gives you the tools to stop the cycle and start reconnecting—even in hard times.

If you want to stay connected with me between episodes, make sure you’re on my email list—where I share thoughts, updates, and behind-the-scenes moments I don’t always talk about on the podcast. This is also where you can submit your own question for the show, or send me a note to let me know what's on your mind (yes, it's really me on the other end!)

🔗 Join My Email List: https://www.andreaburkly.com/signup

📣 Loved this episode? Share it with your partner and give yourselves a shared language to navigate stress and conflict better.

🎙 Tune in next week for real-life relationship questions, insight that builds empathy, and practical steps to create happier, healthier relationships.

Disclaimer: while this podcast sounds like therapy, it is not actually therapy nor is it a substitute for therapy, and while I am a therapist, I am not YOUR therapist. Please be entertained and encouraged, and seek appropriate mental health support from a licensed therapist in your community, if necessary.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When your partner’s been away—whether for military deployment, long work travel, or anything else—life at home adapts. You figure out a new normal, even if it’s exhausting. And then, just when you’ve found your footing, they come home... and the transition isn’t always as joyful (or seamless) as you hoped.

Today, I’m answering a listener question about how to navigate the messy, emotional shift from solo parenting back to partnership—and how to help your kids adjust too.

Even if deployment isn’t part of your story, chances are you’ll face a family transition like this someday. Maybe it’s work travel. A kid leaving (or returning) from college. An aging parent moving in. Anytime the players in your daily life change, the routines, roles, and emotions have to be renegotiated—and it almost never happens automatically.

Inside this episode, I’ll share:

• How to name the transition out loud (and why that matters so much)
• The surprising trick that helps kids adjust to new family rhythms
• Practical strategies for rebalancing parenting duties without resentment
• Why emotional disconnection during transitions is normal—and how to move through it
• How to be gentle with yourself when the switch from “alone” to “together” feels harder than you expected

Transitions are hard—but they’re also a chance to build something even stronger. Let’s work through it together.

If you want to stay connected between episodes, make sure you’re on my email list—where I share thoughts, updates, and behind-the-scenes moments I don’t always talk about on the podcast. This is also where you can submit your own question for the show, or send me a note to let me know what's on your mind (yes, it's really me on the other end!)

🔗 Join My Email List: https://www.andreaburkly.com/signup

📣 Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review and share it with a friend (or five!)

🎙 Tune in next week for real-life relationship questions, insight that builds empathy, and practical steps to create happier, healthier relationships.

Disclaimer: while this podcast sounds like therapy, it is not actually therapy nor is it a substitute for therapy, and while I am a therapist, I am not YOUR therapist. Please be entertained and encouraged, and seek appropriate mental health support from a licensed therapist in your community, if necessary.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.