Hot Mess Espresso
(140) Is That A Healthy Boundary, Or Just Avoidance? With Candice Coughenour
This week, I’m joined by marriage and family therapist Candice Coughenour for a very real conversation about relationships, communication, and all the complicated stuff that happens when two people bring their own histories, triggers, and nervous systems into the mix. We talk about why premarital counseling deserves way more attention, how neurodivergence can impact communication between partners, and what it actually means to take accountability for the role we play in our relationship patterns. We also get into boundaries versus requests, people pleasing and overfunctioning, learning to sit with discomfort, and why “protecting your peace” doesn’t necessarily mean avoiding anything that makes you uncomfortable. Candice breaks down why more than one thing can be true at the same time, how our family dynamics follow us into adulthood, and why sometimes the healthiest thing you can do during an argument is go to bed angry and come back to it when everyone’s nervous system has calmed the hell down.
