Worth Repeating: The Mindful Marriage with Ron Deal Ep. 737

In this episode of the Awesome Marriage Podcast, Dr. Kim welcomes longtime friend and respected marriage expert Ron Deal, co-author of The Mindful Marriage: Create Your Best Relationship Through Understanding and Managing Yourself. Together, they unpack how unhealed pain and emotional reactivity quietly sabotage connection — and how couples can move from blame, shame, control, and escape into a Christ-centered pattern of peace and security. Ron shares his own raw journey of hitting a breaking point in marriage and learning how to break free from unhealthy cycles by leaning into God’s truth, neuroscience, and practical tools from Restoration Therapy. This conversation is both deeply honest and powerfully hopeful, showing couples that transformation is possible even after years of frustration and hurt. 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞: 👉 Why your brain can’t tell the difference between danger and your spouse’s criticism — and how that triggers destructive reactions. 👉 Understanding the “pain cycle” and the four default coping responses: blame, shame, control, and escape. 👉 How to shift from reactivity to peace using the four-step Restoration Therapy framework. 👉 Why pretending everything is “fine” is harmful — and how humility and truth create real safety. 👉 Biblical foundations for transformation: putting off the old self and putting on the new in Christ. 👉 How to work on your own growth without waiting for your spouse to change first. 👉 Practical ways to build “usness” — a thriving, living connection between husband and wife. 👉 Encouragement for those afraid to start inner work and face past pain. 🙌 Remember: You don’t have to stay stuck in patterns that hurt your marriage. With humility, God’s grace, and practical tools, you can rewrite your story, break free from old cycles, and build a stronger, Christ-centered connection that lasts. =========== ✩ FOLLOW US ✩ ✭ INSTAGRAM   / awesome_marriage   ✭ FACEBOOK   / awesome.marriage   ✭ WEBSITE https://awesomemarriage.com ✭ GET A FREE Weekly Marriage Check In Guide PRINTABLE https://awesomemarriage.com/onething Dr. Kim Kimberling is a professional marriage counselor and president of Awesome Marriage. He has been counseling couples for over 40 years, and married to Nancy for over 56 years. Together they have two adult children and 5 grandchildren. Awesome Marriage ministries is a non-profit that exists to help hurting couples heal, healthy marriages grow, and families stay together! We create online content to help your marriage not just survive, but thrive! Our content is centered on Biblical principles to help grow you closer to God and your spouse. If this channel has helped you, make sure to subscribe and share it with others @awesomemarriage