236. You, Your Husband and His Mother: Navigating Complicated Mother-in-Law Relationships

Honeydew Me

Cassandra Anderson

Self-improvement, Education, Sexuality, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 533 Ratings

🗓️ 15 October 2025

⏱️ 70 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Mother-in-law drama? You’re not imagining it, and you’re definitely not alone. This week, we’re joined by Dr. Tracy Dalgleish, a clinical psychologist, author, and relationship expert with over 15 years of experience helping couples communicate and connect better. Together, we unpack the emotional landmines that can show up when your partner’s mom is… a lot, and how to set boundaries that protect your relationship instead of tearing it apart. We cover: Why mother-in-law relationships are so complicated. Dr. Tracy explains the hidden power dynamics and emotional expectations that can make them feel tense or competitive. How to stop feeling “stuck in the middle”. Learn practical communication strategies for when your partner and their mom are clashing, or when you’re the one feeling left out. The difference between boundaries and ultimatums. Why you don’t need to be “the good daughter-in-law” to keep the peace, and how to stand firm without guilt. How to get your partner on the same team. Tips for talking about family tension without triggering defensiveness or blame. When the problem isn’t just her. Dr. Tracy helps us look inward at our own triggers, expectations, and patterns that keep us repeating the same dynamic. The role of empathy in de-escalating family conflict. Why empathy for your partner (and even their mom) can shift everything. How to prioritize your partnership above all else. Actionable steps for strengthening your bond and creating a united front, no matter how messy the family dynamic gets. PREORDER "You, Your Husband & His Mother" here! Honeydew Me Resources: Interested in 1-on-1 coaching with Cass & Em? CLICK HERE! Join our Patreon HERE for exclusive content! Affiliate Links for Products Mentioned: Try Love Blanket (code DEWME10) HERE! Try Arya HERE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, you're a gem shine when the light grows dim.
0:04.3	See one, two, three, four, three, two, one. Because no one can do it like we do it, like who we do it, like we do it, like we do it, like we do it. Because no one can do it like we do it, like we do it, like we do it. Hello and welcome to Honeydumie podcast. I'm Emma. And I'm Cass and this is our podcast where we talk
0:23.3	about sex, relationships, mental health, all of the things that kind of feel a little tricky,
0:28.0	even when we think they shouldn't, even when we're told they shouldn't, when it shoved down our
0:32.7	throats, wink, wink. Yep. But really, like all of these things
0:38.0	are a little bit more difficult
0:39.2	than we anticipate that they'll be
0:41.1	we expect we'll just be a grown-up
0:43.5	and know how to fuck our hearts out
0:45.7	fuck your heart out
0:47.5	oh yeah
0:48.5	because that's what I was referencing
0:49.9	yeah Emma had an eat your heart out shirt
0:52.3	when Emma still does have an eat your heart out shirt because of me Emma had an eat your heart out shirt when she was. Emma still does have an eat your heart out shirt. Because of me. Emma had an eat your heart out shirt when she was young and then she discussed it on the podcast and then one year for her birthday, I fucking thrifted that shit, knew with tags for the record. I know. And got that for her. So yes, she has an eat your heart out shirt. But anyways, I love it. We think we'll be able to know how to fuck our hearts out, how to like, and that, I mean that sexually, I mean that romantically. I mean that mental health wise. Yeah. Not sure what that means, but you follow. We get fucked mentally. We sure get fucked mentally. We do get fucked mentally. I fuck myself mentally all the time. All the time. Every day. All the time. Yeah. Peaks and valleys.
1:29.5	Peaks and valleys.
1:29.9	Yeah.
1:28.2	I mean, I'm getting fucked.
1:29.5	Peaks and valleys.
1:29.9	Yeah.
1:43.5	I mean, I'm getting fucked in a good way and a bad way. And a bad way. But we're going to be here for you. We want to be here for the good, the bad, um, everything in between. And the fucked. And the fucked. And the fucked. Honestly, I love TMI so much.
1:44.8	I was talking to my friend last night.
1:54.3	And I was like, when I was young, I wanted to be a therapist just so that people would tell me their secrets, not knowing yet that that wasn't ethical to like share people's secrets.
	...

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