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If communication is the foundation of connection how come relationships can feel distant, strained and disconnected?

What are you not talking about with your partner?

You know those times when:

• You want to share how you’re feeling, but you don’t know where to start, so you stay silent.
• Your partner brings up an issue, and instead of addressing it, you either shut down or get defensive.
• You feel like no matter what you say, it’s taken the wrong way, so you avoid the conversation altogether.
• Or maybe you’ve tried to open up, but it feels awkward, and you’re not sure if you’re doing it ‘right.’

In this episode we discuss how you can change this, have better conversations and deepen the connection in your relationship

Do you want to learn more ways to improve your relationship skills?

Check out our Online Mini Course:

'From Shut Down to Communication - 4 Relationship Boosting Strategies for Men'

Follow us + Join the Conversation

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

www.menandrelationships.com.au

Contact us - howard@menandrelationships.com.au

If this episode raises a need to get some counselling support Howard is available for consultations in Australia.

Check out his private practice:

Men and Relationships Counselling

Or reach out to a professional in your area.

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Do you get distracted? What kind of distractions get in the way of the kind of relationship u wan t?

Do u ever feel:

• Isolated
• Disconnected
• Mentally overloaded
• Missing intimacy
• Emotionally numb
• Internalising too many thoughts

These are some of the consequences of distraction and a lack of presence…. the cornerstone of the connection u create with the love of your life!

In this episode we unpack :

• Why does your presence matter?
• What do you get distracted by, how do u maintain your attention and stay close and connected to the person u love?

Do you want to learn more ways to improve your relationship skills?

Check out our Online Mini Course:

'From Shut Down to Communication - 4 Relationship Boosting Strategies for Men'

Follow us + Join the Conversation

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

www.menandrelationships.com.au

Contact us - howard@menandrelationships.com.au

If this episode raises a need to get some counselling support Howard is available for consultations in Australia.

Check out his private practice:

Men and Relationships Counselling

Or reach out to a professional in your area.

TRANSCRIPT

[00:00] Speaker A: Do you ever get distracted? What kind of distractions get in the way of the kind of partner that you are or the kind of relationship that you want? Do you ever feel isolated or disconnected or mentally overloaded, Missing intimacy and maybe even struggling with emotional numbing and internalizing your thoughts?

[00:20] These are some of the consequences of distraction and in particular a lack of presence. Not the presence you get on your birthday. It's how you are attentive and available. It's the cornerstone of the connection you have with the love of your life.

[00:36] So stay with me. In this episode we unpack. Why does your presence matter? What do you get distracted by? How do you maintain your attention and stay close and connected to the person you love?

[00:50] Welcome to mantalk, a podcast of real conversations about life, your life, our life, and the emotional well being of men. My name is Howard Todd Collins. I'm the director of Men and Relationship Counseling, a counseling practice.

[01:04] Thank you for being here. Sit back and relax wherever you are and join me for the latest episode of Men Talk.

[01:28] Hello. Hello. Wherever you may be. I don't know, some people listen to me just sitting in a comfortable chair or some people are walking along the beach with the dog, some people are in the car, on the train, on a bus, on a tube.

[01:44] I don't know, wherever you are, I hope that you are going well. This latest episode of the mantalk podcast is, I think, quite relevant to the way we live our lives.

[01:53] Most of us get distracted for all sorts of reasons. There's always something to read online, listen to the news and particular. A lot of people carry lots of thoughts and feelings and ideas and tasks and so on that are locked in in their brain.

[02:08] What is it that gets you distracted in particular? Now, I've no doubt like many blokes that I meet every day, you will relate to some of t

Download Your Free Guide - Better Conversations for Blokes - Quick and Simple Ways to Communicate With Your Partner

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Barriers to Communication - What does this actually mean?

How aware are you of what gets in the way of communicating effectively?

Why can it sometimes be so difficult to communicate in a relationship?

In this episode we’ll explore:

• What emotional barriers mean
• Why they exist
• How they impact your relationship

And, most importantly, how to overcome them. You will get 4 actionable steps you can start using right now!

Do you want to learn more ways to improve your relationship skills?

Check out our Online Mini Course:

'From Shut Down to Communication - 4 Relationship Boosting Strategies for Men'

Follow us + Join the Conversation

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

www.menandrelationships.com.au

Contact us - howard@menandrelationships.com.au

If this episode raises a need to get some counselling support Howard is available for consultations in Australia.

Check out his private practice:

Men and Relationships Counselling

Or reach out to a professional in your area.

Send us a text

As you strive to create a fulfilling and meaningful life it’s likely you may occasionally get in your own way!

You know those seemingly invisible chains that hold you back from reaching your full potential, in relationships, in your career, personal growth, in your health and fitness, and overall well-being.

Most of us have limiting beliefs that can create all kinds of self-inflicted obstacles.

This episode, the first of 2025 looks at how can you manoeuvre that mind of yours and leap over any obstacles with the grace, speed and skill of an Olympic Hurdler!

I introduce to you a couple of ways designed to shift your mindset.

They are:

Thought Reversals

Psychological Flexibility

Click this link Acceptance and Commitment Therapy referenced in this episode to find out more.

Do you want to learn more ways to improve your emotional health relationship skills?

Download a free guide:

Better Conversations for Blokes - Quick and Simple Ways to Communicate with Your Partner

Check out our Online Mini Course:

'From Shut Down to Communication - 4 Relationship Boosting Strategies for Men'

Follow us + Join the Conversation

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

www.menandrelationships.com.au

Contact us - howard@menandrelationships.com.au

If this episode raises a need to get some counselling support Howard is available for consultations in Australia.

Check out his private practice:

Men and Relationships Counselling

Or reach out to a professional in your area.

Download Your Free Guide - Better Conversations for Blokes - Quick and Simple Ways to Communicate With Your Partner

Send us a text

Men often find themselves too busy and distracted from connecting with their partners. There are many reasons for this.

However, there are 4 hidden reasons why many men get distracted - which are harder to spot, because men don’t talk about them.

This episode uncovers some internalised patterns that can distract men, how they impact men's emotional wellbeing and some ideas of what men can do about it .

Do you want to learn more ways to improve your emotional health relationship skills?

Download a free guide:

Better Conversations for Blokes - Quick and Simple Ways to Communicate with Your Partner

Check out our Online Mini Course:

'From Shut Down to Communication - 4 Relationship Boosting Strategies for Men'

Follow us + Join the Conversation

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

www.menandrelationships.com.au

Contact us - howard@menandrelationships.com.au

If this episode raises a need to get some counselling support Howard is available for consultations in Australia.

Check out his private practice:

Men and Relationships Counselling

Or reach out to a professional in your area.

Download Your Free Guide - Better Conversations for Blokes - Quick and Simple Ways to Communicate With Your Partner

Send us a text

We live in a world that glorifies hustle culture—where the value of hard work and being busy is emphasized, but emotional health often takes a back seat. Many men find themselves caught between the desire to provide and the toll it takes on their mental well-being.

We’re conditioned to power through stress without talking about how we feel, but that just creates more pressure.

This episode is dedicated to all you blokes out there who know, deep down, that your mental health is suffering when the demands of life begin to overwhelm you and you metaphorically lose your balance

In this Movember Episode I’m going to expand on:

• How a loss of balance impacts Men’s Emotional Health and Relationships
• Some of the limiting beliefs that get in the way
• 5 steps designed to help you find more balance.

Do you want to learn more ways to improve your emotional health relationship skills?

Download a free guide:

Better Conversations for Blokes - Quick and Simple Ways to Communicate with Your Partner

Check out our Online Mini Course:

'From Shut Down to Communication - 4 Relationship Boosting Strategies for Men'

Follow us + Join the Conversation

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

www.menandrelationships.com.au

Contact us - howard@menandrelationships.com.au

If this episode raises a need to get some counselling support Howard is available for consultations in Australia.

Check out his private practice:

Men and Relationships Counselling

Or reach out to a professional in your area.

Download Your Free Guide - Better Conversations for Blokes - Quick and Simple Ways to Communicate With Your Partner

Send us a text

Life can be full of curveballs, uncertainties and moments that we simply haven’t planned for!

Stress and anxiety are hard to ignore.

If you've been feeling or ever felt worried, stressed, nervous, anxious and your brain has a mind of it’s own racing with overthinking, or looping thoughts - this episode is for you!

We look at a bloke's experience of stress and anxiety, how it impacts life and relationships.

Tune in to listen to how men get in their own way and what do to differently.

Do you want to learn more ways to improve your emotional health relationship skills?

Download a free guide:

Better Conversations for Blokes - Quick and Simple Ways to Communicate with Your Partner

Check out our Online Mini Course:

'From Shut Down to Communication - 4 Relationship Boosting Strategies for Men'

Follow us + Join the Conversation

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

www.menandrelationships.com.au

Contact us - howard@menandrelationships.com.au

If this episode raises a need to get some counselling support Howard is available for consultations in Australia.

Check out his private practice:

Men and Relationships Counselling

Or reach out to a professional in your area.

Download Your Free Guide - Better Conversations for Blokes - Quick and Simple Ways to Communicate With Your Partner

Send us a text

Good communication is vital for a healthy relationship. Obvious right!

Why do some men struggle with communicating with their partner?

This episode provides the practical skills to not only communicate better but to build stronger connection in your relationship.

Do you want to learn more ways to improve your relationship skills?

Download a free guide:

Better Conversations for Blokes - Quick and Simple Ways to Communicate with Your Partner

Check out our Online Mini Course:

'From Shut Down to Communication - 4 Relationship Boosting Strategies for Men'

Follow us + Join the Conversation

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK

www.menandrelationships.com.au

Contact us - howard@menandrelationships.com.au

If this episode raises a need to get some counselling support Howard is available for consultations in Australia.

Check out his private practice:

Men and Relationships Counselling

Or reach out to a professional in your area.