The holidays bring family together — but they can also bring tension, unmet expectations, and pressure from in-laws that quietly strain a marriage. In this episode of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather talk through how to handle in-laws during the holidays with clarity, unity, and healthy boundaries that protect your relationship instead of dividing it.

They unpack why family dynamics feel more intense this time of year, how differences in traditions, communication styles, and expectations create conflict, and what happens when couples don’t talk through these issues ahead of time. You’ll learn how to have proactive conversations before gatherings, set boundaries that are loving but firm, support your spouse when family dynamics are difficult, and avoid the resentment that builds when one partner feels caught in the middle.

Rooted in faith and practical wisdom, this conversation reminds couples that boundaries aren’t about control or distance — they’re about protection. When spouses choose each other first and approach family situations as a team, the holidays can become a season of peace instead of pressure. If you want to enjoy time with extended family without sacrificing the health of your marriage, this episode will give you a clear, realistic framework to do just that.

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The holidays bring beauty, but they also bring stress — expectations, family dynamics, travel, finances, grief, and totally disrupted routines. In this Enneagram Edition of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather walk through how each of the nine Enneagram types uniquely experiences the holiday season and how understanding your wiring (and your spouse’s) can actually protect your marriage when things get busy and tense. Instead of assuming your spouse “should just handle it,” you’ll learn how core motivations, fears, and longings get amplified under holiday pressure and how that shows up in the way each type hosts, plans, spends, avoids, or over-functions.

You’ll also hear big-picture tools you can use no matter what your number is: pre-holiday “huddles” to talk through budget, expectations, travel, and traditions; mini check-ins before and during events so neither of you feels alone or blindsided; and rhythms of rest, intimacy, and faith that help you return to what the season is truly about. Rooted in their relationship with Jesus, Michael and Heather remind us that peace is a Person, not a perfect plan, and that grace is the greatest gift you can give each other this year. If you want this holiday season to draw you closer instead of tearing you apart, this episode will help you honor each other’s wiring, lower the stress, and protect what matters most: your marriage.

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The holidays are supposed to be magical… but for a lot of couples, they feel more like a minefield of expectations, family pressure, tight finances, and old wounds that get stirred up every December. In this episode of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather get real about how the holiday season can quietly strain even healthy marriages — and how to protect your relationship before the stress hits full force.They share personal stories from their own journey: growing up in divorced homes, feeling pulled between multiple families, juggling four Thanksgivings in one year, trying to keep Christmas on a $500 budget for everyone, and carrying the unseen mental load of planning, shopping, wrapping, and managing all the details. They talk about the resentment that can build when one spouse does 99 percent of the emotional and logistical work, the pressure of “fairness” between families, and the guilt and shame that often come with money stress around gifts and traditions.Find us online:Website: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/Merch: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/storeInstagram: imperfectlymarried_thepodcast Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576918626044TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imperfectly_married

Gratitude looks different for every personality — and when you understand how your spouse receives, processes, and expresses gratitude, your marriage transforms. In this Enneagram-focused episode of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather break down how all nine Enneagram types relate to gratitude, why some types struggle to accept appreciation, and how to communicate gratitude in a way your spouse actually feels.From the principled Type 1 who battles their inner critic to the nurturing Type 2 who wants to feel loved beyond what they do, to the independent Type 5 who feels exposed by praise, each type filters gratitude through a completely different emotional lens. Understanding that lens can soften tension, deepen intimacy, and strengthen the bond between you.Whether you’re new to the Enneagram or already obsessed, this episode will help you identify your type, your spouse’s type, and the gratitude rhythms that draw you closer together.In this episode you’ll learn how each Enneagram type receives gratitude and why some resist it, what gratitude actually means to your spouse’s type, the biggest gratitude blind spot for each number, how each type expresses appreciation toward others, how gratitude becomes a marriage-strengthening language across all nine types, and one simple gratitude challenge you can do this week to reconnect.Gratitude doesn’t eliminate conflict, but it strengthens the bond you need to work through it — and the Enneagram gives you the roadmap to speak gratitude in a way that heals and unites.

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Gratitude is not just a feeling; it is a practice that has the power to transform your marriage from the inside out. In this episode of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather unpack how choosing gratitude, especially when it does not come naturally, can rewire your mindset, rebuild connection, and shift the emotional climate of your relationship. Through honest stories, practical examples, and real moments from their own marriage, they explore how resentment, entitlement, comparison, and hurt quietly block connection, and why consistent appreciation becomes the antidote that restores unity, joy, and intimacy. Whether you are in a difficult season or simply want to strengthen the bond between you and your spouse, this episode gives you the tools to practice gratitude in meaningful ways that change how you see your partner, how you communicate, and how you show up for each other every day.

Imperfectly Married is a weekly podcast where real talk meets real marriage. Hosted by Michael and Heather Brown, who have been married for more than 25 years, the show blends honest conversations, personal stories, faith-based wisdom, and practical tools to help couples grow closer, communicate better, and build marriages grounded in love and grace. Imperfectly Married is all about encouraging couples to pursue connection, overcome challenges, and discover beauty in every messy, meaningful season of marriage.

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Grief doesn’t just happen to you—it happens between you. In this Enneagram Edition of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather unpack how each of the nine Enneagram types experiences, expresses, and heals through grief in marriage.From the Type 1 perfectionist trying to “grieve the right way,” to the Type 7 enthusiast avoiding pain through distraction, to the Type 9 peacemaker retreating for peace—each type faces loss in their own unique way.You’ll learn:How each Enneagram type processes pain and loss differentlyHow to support your spouse’s grief with compassion, not confusionWhy vulnerability, not strength, is the key to healing togetherBiblical truths that bring comfort and restoration in seasons of sorrowIf you or your spouse are walking through grief, this conversation will help you find understanding, grace, and renewed closeness in your marriage. Because you don’t have to grieve the same way to grieve side by side.Find us online: Website: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/ Merch: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/store Instagram: imperfectlymarried_thepodcast Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576918626044 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imperfectly_married

Grief changes everything — including your marriage. In this episode of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather open up about walking through the pain of losing loved ones, the death of dreams, and the hidden grief that often goes unspoken in relationships.They share how grief can show up emotionally, physically, and spiritually — and how to support your spouse when you both hurt in different ways.In this episode you’ll learn:How to grieve differently without growing apartThe dangers of suppressing grief and how to process it togetherWhat it means to love each other through pain you can’t fixWhy grace is the most important gift in seasons of lossThis is a raw, faith-filled, and deeply comforting conversation for anyone walking through sorrow — reminding you that your story isn’t over, it’s being rewritten together.Find us online:Website: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/Merch: https://imperfectlymarriedpodcast.com/storeInstagram: imperfectlymarried_thepodcast Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576918626044TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@imperfectly_married

What does real friendship look like in marriage? In this episode of Imperfectly Married, Michael and Heather unpack how each of the nine Enneagram types builds, strains, and restores friendship within marriage.

From the Type 1 perfectionist learning to relax, to the Type 7 enthusiast slowing down, to the Type 9 peacemaker finding their voice—every couple will see themselves somewhere in this conversation.

You’ll learn how each Enneagram type loves, connects, and communicates, the biggest friendship challenges for every type, and simple ways to bring more laughter, grace, and presence into your marriage. They also share why friendship—not just romance—is what keeps you choosing each other, and how faith and self-awareness work together to bring healing and depth.

Whether you’re new to the Enneagram or already know your number, this episode will help you grow closer, communicate better, and rediscover joy in your marriage friendship.

Subscribe for more Imperfectly Married episodes and share this one with your spouse or a couple who loves learning together. Because no marriage is perfect—but yours is worth fighting for.