When You’re Changing and Your Partner Isn’t

ShrinkChicks

Jennifer Chaiken, LMFT and Emmalee Bierly, LMFT

Mental Health, Education, Health & Fitness, Society & Culture, Self-improvement, Relationships

5 • 717 Ratings

🗓️ 11 August 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week on ShrinkChicks, Em and Jen talk about how to grow together, even as life throws you curveballs like new babies, career shifts, mismatched speeds of change, and navigating personal growth when your partner isn’t quite there (or isn’t trying). They explore what it means to walk in the same direction (even if at different paces), how to reconnect after disconnection, and the moments that challenge us to ask: Do I bail too soon—or overstay in discomfort? Their conversation spans the anxiety of becoming new parents, resentment in partnerships, navigating infertility and isolation, and finding joy in family life—especially in a world that doesn’t always celebrate all types of families. Plus: why joy is protest, what to know about prenups, and why “clear is kind.” Tune in to gain insight, awareness, and action! PS: Fast forward to around 11:30 to skip the intro and get straight to today’s content. Get Matched With One of Our Therapists⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ at The Therapy Group! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ShrinkChicks on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Know Yourself Grow Yourself Journal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!! Check out ShrinkChicks on YouTube by subscribing here! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/channel/UCrxuhDqoL4ML3UE8b2J2BBg⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A special thank you to this week's sponsors for supporting ShrinkChicks! We have these exclusive offers for our listeners: Wildgrain: Get $30 off your first box - PLUS free croissants in every box - when you go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wildgrain.com/SHRINKCHICKS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to start your subscription or use code SHRINKCHICKS at checkout Quince: Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/shrinkchicks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns on your next order Greenlight: Start your risk-free Greenlight trial today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠greenlight.com/shrinkchicks Mabē: Visit mabeproducts.com and use code: SHRINKCHICKS for an automatic $10 discount on your first purchase Green Chef: Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Greenchef.com/50SHRINKCHICKS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and use code 50SHRINKCHICKS to get 50% off your first month, then 20% off for two months with free shipping

Transcript

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0:00.0	This podcast is brought to you by Podcast Nation.
0:05.0	We've talked about before.
0:06.1	Anxiety is often the opposite of feeling.
0:08.2	Yeah.
0:08.5	So anxiety is your body's way of embracing for the unknown.
0:11.7	Yeah.
0:13.0	So talk about it.
0:14.5	Talk about it to your partner.
0:15.8	Talk about it to your friends.
0:16.9	Talk about it to a therapist.
0:18.2	Journal about it.
0:19.7	Process this through. Here's the reality. You're
0:23.1	right. It's going to be a massive transition that you can't actually prepare for.
0:37.2	Welcome back to another episode of shrink chicks.
0:39.7	Take a seat on our virtual therapy couch and get ready to learn all about, well, you.
0:45.1	I'm Emily Beirley.
0:46.2	And I'm Jennifer Chakin.
0:47.5	And we're both licensed, marriage and family therapist and relationship experts.
0:51.3	We're the owners and founders of the therapy group, a nationwide
0:54.7	psychotherapy practice with down-to-earth therapists just like us. Your session is starting,
1:00.2	so get ready to know yourself and grow yourself. Hi, Jen. Hi, Em. How are you? I'm okay. How
1:09.5	are you? Just living the dream, baby. Living that dream. You know? That's always your answer. You never actually know how she's doing. Yeah. Because like what's the dream today? Well, that's a good point, right? The dream could change, right? Because some days my dream is to survive. Yes. And other days, my dream is to thrive. And you'll never know the fucking difference. And I
	...

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