This week we’re celebrating a huge milestone—250 episodes of The Redeemed Marriage Podcast!
To mark the occasion, we’re answering a question about one of the most practical tools we’ve ever shared: the Heart Talk. What do you do when you’re trying to open up, but your spouse gets defensive, starts explaining themselves, or turns the conversation back to their own feelings?
In this episode, we talk about why the Heart Talk works only when both spouses honor the process. We share the three biggest mistakes we’ve seen derail communication—defensiveness, fixing, and giving a quick apology just to end the conversation—and why those responses often leave your spouse feeling unseen and unheard.
We also discuss the difference between listening to understand and listening to respond. One of the most important lessons we’ve learned is that you don’t have to agree with your spouse’s feelings to acknowledge that those feelings are real.
After nearly 15 years of rebuilding and growing together, this simple tool is still one of the most valuable ways we connect. If your conversations keep going in circles or you feel like communication has stalled, this episode will encourage you to slow down, go back to the basics, and keep practicing the habits that create emotional intimacy.
