Reimagining Love with Dr. Alexandra Solomon

In this solo episode, Dr. Alexandra will be exploring the topic of taking a break from your relationship, which was inspired by a listener email. First, she will talk you through some very specific and perhaps surprising reasons that taking a break is so difficult, with the support of some research. Then you will hear Dr. Alexandra’s Seven-Step Best Practices for a structured or therapeutic separation, with consideration for Before, During and After the Break.

Resources worth mentioning from the episode:

The Lived Experience of Ambiguous Marital Separation: A Phenomenological Study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7383873/

“It’s complicated’’: The continuity and correlates of cycling in cohabiting and marital relationships: https://extension.usu.edu/hru/files/Vennum-et-al-2014-Relationship-cycling-and-outcomes.pdf

Establishing links between relationship cycling, relational stress, and well-being: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/02654075251378864

Reimagining Love episode, How to Get Closure After A Breakup - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-get-closure-after-a-breakup/id1588419386?i=1000603123829

Reimagining Love episode, Dealing With Breakup Regret - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dealing-with-breakup-regret/id1588419386?i=1000604088930

Reimagining Love episode, "I'm Thinking About Getting Back Together With My Ex." (Part One) - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/im-thinking-about-getting-back-together-with-my-ex-part-one/id1588419386?i=1000607309489

Reimagining Love episode, "I'm Thinking About Getting Back Together With My Ex." (Part Two) - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/im-thinking-about-getting-back-together-with-my-ex-part-two/id1588419386?i=1000608341518

Reimagining Love episode, Conscious Uncoupling: Divorce as an Ending, Not a Failure with Katherine Woodward Thomas - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conscious-uncoupling-divorce-as-an-ending-not/id1588419386?i=1000650466142

Reimagining Love episode, The D Word: An Empowering Approach to Divorce with Kate Anthony - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-d-word-an-empowering-approach-to-divorce/id1588419386?i=1000642611274

Continue the conversation with Dr. Alexandra Solomon:

Ask a question! Submit your relationship challenge: https://form.jotform.com/212295995939274

Access Resources, like quizzes and courses: https://www.dralexandrasolomon.com/resources

Order Dr. Alexandra’s book, Love Every Day: https://bookshop.org/p/books/love-every-day-365-relational-self-awareness-practices-to-help-your-relationship-heal-grow-and-thrive-alexandra-solomon/19970421?ean=9781683736530

Cultivate connection by subscribing to Dr. Alexandra’s Loving Bravely newsletter: https://newsletter.dralexandrasolomon.com/

Learn more on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.alexandra.solomon/

Learn more about the Options Transition to Independence Program which offers education, vocational, independent living, and emotional support for young adults with complex learning needs. https://www.experienceoptions.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Here’s a bonus episode for you with Dr. Alexandra guesting on The Sober Mom Life to chat with Suzanne Warye about intimate partnerships, particularly what happens in a relationship when one partner gets sober. In this conversation, Dr. Alexandra talks about how the tools of Relational Self-Awareness can be brought to navigating transitions, growing both individually and together in a relationship, resourcing different kinds of intimacy from within our marriage and outside of it, seeking couple therapy, taking Your Sexy back (especially soberly), and creating moments of appreciation to strengthen your relationship. 

Resources worth mentioning from the episode:

Reimagining Love episode, Shifting to Sobriety: Quitting Drinking, Self-Compassion, and Evolving Together with Suzanne & Russell Warye: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/shifting-to-sobriety-quitting-drinking-self-compassion/id1588419386?i=1000743944736

Continue the conversation with Dr. Alexandra Solomon:

Ask a question! Submit your relationship challenge: https://form.jotform.com/212295995939274

Access Resources, like quizzes and courses: https://www.dralexandrasolomon.com/resources

Order Dr. Alexandra’s book, Love Every Day: https://bookshop.org/p/books/love-every-day-365-relational-self-awareness-practices-to-help-your-relationship-heal-grow-and-thrive-alexandra-solomon/19970421?ean=9781683736530

Cultivate connection by subscribing to Dr. Alexandra’s Loving Bravely newsletter: https://newsletter.dralexandrasolomon.com/

Learn more on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.alexandra.solomon/

Learn more about the Options Transition to Independence Program which offers education, vocational, independent living, and emotional support for young adults with complex learning needs. https://www.experienceoptions.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cycles of rumination and overthinking can be hard to break free from, and they can negatively impact us and our relationships. In this episode, therapist Alicia Muñoz joins Dr. Alexandra to address this common thought pattern and shares tools for how to slow down and release ourselves from this headspace.

Resources worth mentioning from the episode:

Stop Overthinking Your Relationship: Break the Cycle of Anxious Rumination to Nurture Love, Trust, and Connection with Your Partner by Alicia Muñoz: https://bookshop.org/p/books/stop-overthinking-your-relationship-break-the-cycle-of-anxious-rumination-to-nurture-love-trust-and-connection-with-your-partner-alicia-munoz/18078243?ean=9781648480034

Alicia's website: https://aliciamunoz.com/

Reimagining Love episode, Connecting Through the Nervous System: Polyvagal Theory with Deb Dana: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/connecting-through-the-nervous-system-polyvagal/id1588419386?i=1000740378605

Reimagining Love episode, Managing Anxiety: Three Root Causes To Help You Find Relief with Noelle McWard Aquino: https://podcasts.apple.com/am/podcast/managing-anxiety-three-root-causes-to-help-you-find/id1588419386?i=1000728011668

Continue the conversation with Dr. Alexandra Solomon:

Ask a question! Submit your relationship challenge: https://form.jotform.com/212295995939274

Access Resources, like quizzes and courses: https://www.dralexandrasolomon.com/resources

Order Dr. Alexandra’s book, Love Every Day: https://bookshop.org/p/books/love-every-day-365-relational-self-awareness-practices-to-help-your-relationship-heal-grow-and-thrive-alexandra-solomon/19970421?ean=9781683736530

Cultivate connection by subscribing to Dr. Alexandra’s Loving Bravely newsletter: https://newsletter.dralexandrasolomon.com/

Learn more on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.alexandra.solomon/

Learn more about the Options Transition to Independence Program which offers education, vocational, independent living, and emotional support for young adults with complex learning needs. https://www.experienceoptions.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this solo deep-dive episode, Dr. Alexandra will be exploring rebounds. Maybe you are fresh out of a breakup and you've crossed paths with someone you're interested in, but you're scared that pursuing this feels “rebound-y” and therefore foolish. Maybe you're seeing someone who is recently out of a relationship and you're worried about becoming their rebound. Maybe you've had concerns about a rebounding couple in your world. Or maybe you're simply curious about the process of healing between relationships. Wherever you're coming from, this episode will surely leave you with a unique and nuanced perspective on healing before entering a new relationship that will be useful to you.

First, Dr. Alexandra will talk about rebound relationships and dig into the rhetoric around them, including some surprising research that may run counter to the typical view of rebound relationships (and then some caveats to this research - shades of grey galore!). With this groundwork laid out, she is then going to offer you a 9-Task framework for doing a rebound with Relational Self-Awareness – how to keep a new relationship healthy while also continuing to process whatever your previous relationship left you with. And if you're the partner of someone who is rebounding, you can repurpose the framework for your own situation.

Resources worth mentioning from the episode:

The Surprising Benefits of a Rebound Relationship: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/sex-esteem/202601/the-surprising-benefit-of-a-rebound-relationship-after-a-breakup

Reimagining Love episode, Why Self-Compassion is an Essential Practice with Dr. Kristin Neff: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/why-self-compassion-is-an-essential-practice-with/id1588419386?i=1000733838918

Reimagining Love episode, Talking About the Future: Navigating a Pace Discrepancy: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-about-the-future-navigating-a-pace-discrepancy/id1588419386?i=1000578512125

Reimagining Love episode, "I Need Connection & My Partner Needs Space. Now What?": https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/i-need-connection-my-partner-needs-space-now-what/id1588419386?i=1000654782525

Continue the conversation with Dr. Alexandra Solomon:

Ask a question! Submit your relationship challenge: https://form.jotform.com/212295995939274

Access Resources, like quizzes and courses: https://www.dralexandrasolomon.com/resources

Order Dr. Alexandra’s book, Love Every Day: https://bookshop.org/p/books/love-every-day-365-relational-self-awareness-practices-to-help-your-relationship-heal-grow-and-thrive-alexandra-solomon/19970421?ean=9781683736530

Cultivate connection by subscribing to Dr. Alexandra’s Loving Bravely newsletter: https://newsletter.dralexandrasolomon.com/

Learn more on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.alexandra.solomon/

Learn more about the Options Transition to Independence Program which offers education, vocational, independent living, and emotional support for young adults with complex learning needs. https://www.experienceoptions.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, founder & CEO of Therapy for Black Girls, joins Dr. Alexandra to discuss her mission to make mental health topics more relevant and accessible for Black women. They also discuss what to look for in a new therapist, the personal growth that comes from breakups and new beginnings, and a listener question from a single mom who's struggling with FOMO.

Resources worth mentioning from the episode:

Therapy for Black Girls (including the online therapist directory): https://therapyforblackgirls.com/

Dr. Joy's website: https://hellodrjoy.com/

Therapy for Black Girls Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/therapy-for-black-girls/id1223803641

Continue the conversation with Dr. Alexandra Solomon:

Ask a question! Submit your relationship challenge: https://form.jotform.com/212295995939274

Access Resources, like quizzes and courses: https://www.dralexandrasolomon.com/resources

Order Dr. Alexandra’s book, Love Every Day: https://bookshop.org/p/books/love-every-day-365-relational-self-awareness-practices-to-help-your-relationship-heal-grow-and-thrive-alexandra-solomon/19970421?ean=9781683736530

Cultivate connection by subscribing to Dr. Alexandra’s Loving Bravely newsletter: https://newsletter.dralexandrasolomon.com/

Learn more on IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.alexandra.solomon/

Learn more about the Options Transition to Independence Program which offers education, vocational, independent living, and emotional support for young adults with complex learning needs. https://www.experienceoptions.org/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.