Great relationships are not built in a day—they’re built daily. These wise words come from today’s guest psychologist Abby Medcalf, PhD. She joins us to explain her theories on programming our own brains to have healthier and more enjoyable relationships.

Highlights of our discussion include:

• The Newsweek article from 8.12.20 about the common missteps people make on the brink of divorce
  • Title: I Work With Couples About to Divorce, Here Are Their Top 5 Problems
  • Author: Licensed Therapist Susan Pease Gadoua,
  • Summary: Susan finds most couples on the precipice of divorce share one or more of the following 5 behaviors:
    1. They work against each other, not with each other
    2. They don’t communicate with each other about their needs and feelings
    3. They stop spending time together
    4. They begin to see the solution to their problems as being outside the marriage
    5. They do not seek helpThe Newsweek article from 8.12.20 about the common missteps people make on the brink of divorce:

• Abby Medcalf Backstory & Bio
  • Born and raised in NYC
  • In long term recovery since the 80’s
    • Heroin addict by the age of 12.
  • Recovery led her into counseling which led to working with executives in large companies who were having drug and alcohol issues.
  • Abby holds the following degrees:
    • Masters in Counseling
    • MBA
    • PhD in Organizational Psych and which has served her well working with people and helping them create lasting changes.
  • Lives in Berkeley, CA
    • Moved to the Bay Area of California at 30 to finish PhD.
    • She got married, had kids and says she “got stuck here, but I still rock the NY vibe hard (I’m in stilettos every day which doesn’t exactly fit in here in crunchy Berkeley). 
  • Motherhood, Relationship Status, Loves & Issues
    • Son, Max (16) & Daughter Macartney (14)
    • Divorced from their dad (LAW - move past this quickly – she doesn’t want to get into why they split)
    • They co-parent like champs though.
    • Abby is currently in a long-term relationship and says she is “totally in love” even after all this time
      • She gets along great with his kids and his ex-wife
    • Loves to cook for people she loves
    • Admits to having control issues, which she works on daily.
• About Abby's Podcast Relationships Made Easy
  • • Are you feeling like you make changes in your life and relationship but then they don’t stick? Are you worried that things will never get better because your partner won’t make any changes? Info about her podcast “Relationships Made Easy”
    • These are just some of the questions Dr. Abby Medcalf will answer so you can make your relationship feel easy, connected and happy. Armed with humor, a ton of research and 25 years of hands-on experience Dr. Abby will teach you simple, actionable tools and strategies that you can use today to make your relationship the best it’s ever been.
• Contact Info for Abby:
  • Website =AbbyMedcalf.com
  • IG = @AbbyMedcalfThriving
  • Podcast = Relationships Made Easy
  • Book = @Amazon