Summer is supposed to feel like freedom — but for most parents, it's also when couple connection quietly falls apart. In this episode, Dr. Courtney sits down with couples and sex therapist Bozhena Evans, LCSW to talk about why the summer transition is hard on relationships, how to stop the communication spirals before they start, and the surprisingly simple practices that can keep you and your partner feeling like a team.

What You'll Learn:

• Why the loss of school-year structure puts stress on couples — and what to do about it
• How to have scheduling conversations without them turning into conflict
• The difference between "I" language and blame language — and why it changes everything
• What soul gazing is and how two minutes of eye contact can reconnect you
• The science behind the 20–40 second hug (oxytocin + cortisol reduction, no gym required)
• How to ask for what you need without making your partner feel pressured
• Why planning for intimacy is not a mood killer — it's a lifeline
• The guilt parents feel about taking alone time, and how to reframe it
• How to transition out of "work mode" or "parent mode" and back into "partner mode"
• Why happy parents really do make happy kids

Resources & Links:

• Bozhena Evans, LCSW: link to her practice website | Instagram: @bozhenaevanstherapy
• Integrated Behavioral Health: integratedbhs.com | Instagram: @integratedbh

Legal Disclaimer: While this podcast may provide information that is educational in nature, it is not intended to be a health care service, psychotherapy, or the practice of psychology. This podcast’s main purpose is to provide educational insights for all stages of child and family development. We will not provide diagnoses or specific recommendations for your family. At no point is a therapeutic relationship established by way of your unilateral participation by listening to these episodes, and we cannot provide advice or privileges associated with a therapeutic relationship. We recommend that anyone who is seeking a therapeutic relationship reach out to Integrated Behavioral Health at info@integratedbhs.com to begin the interview process of becoming a client or receiving a referral. If at any point in your listening or engaging with the content of this podcast, you experience an emergency, please immediately call 911 or go to your local emergency room.