Marriage Therapy Radio

Zach sits down with David and Lisa, long-time partners and leaders in the escape room world, to explore what thousands of hours of collaborative problem-solving have taught them about communication, conflict, and teamwork.

They talk about why escape rooms reward kindness over brilliance, why “being right” is a losing strategy, and how the habits that help teams escape under pressure are the same ones that help couples thrive in real life. From debriefing mistakes without blame to celebrating small wins—even when you lose—this conversation offers a surprisingly practical framework for building resilient, collaborative relationships.

Key Takeaways


Escape rooms reward communication and kindness, not intelligence or dominance


The fastest way to lose—both in games and relationships—is trying to win alone


Healthy teams normalize double-checking, feedback, and shared responsibility


Conflict works best when it happens after the pressure, not during it


Strong partnerships focus on learning from mistakes, not litigating them


Celebrating small wins matters—even when the overall outcome isn’t perfect


Mutual respect and curiosity are foundational to long-term collaboration

Guest Info

David & LisaPartners in life and business, David and Lisa are leading voices in the escape room community. They have played more than 1,300 escape rooms worldwide, built a global community of players, and help people experience collaborative play through reviews, tours, and industry leadership.

They are the team behind Room Escape Artist, a trusted resource for discovering high-quality escape rooms around the world, and they also run curated escape room tours that bring players together across cities and countries.


Website: https://roomescapeartist.com


Email: [email protected]

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Zach sits down with Courtney and Nathan Boyer, a couple married for over twenty years, parenting three kids, and living overseas on a U.S. military base in Germany.

Courtney and Nathan share the story of a major turning point in their marriage—when Courtney asked to open the relationship after years of suppressing her needs, identity, and desire. Raised in a strict religious culture, Courtney explains how she spent much of her marriage prioritizing her husband’s career and her role as a mother, slowly becoming resentful and disconnected from herself. Nathan, a military physician, reflects on how his drive for achievement and constant “next step” mindset left him unaware of how much was being lost along the way.

The couple walks through the six-month conversation that followed Courtney’s request—marked by resistance, fear, patience, and an honest willingness to walk away if they couldn’t find a way forward together. Nathan shares what it was like to realize he is deeply monogamous at his core, while Courtney names polyamory as an essential part of her identity rather than a lifestyle choice.

They also talk candidly about shame, public backlash, parenting through non-traditional choices, and the surprising ways opening the relationship strengthened their emotional and sexual connection. Throughout the conversation, Zach highlights the importance of long-form conversations, adult responsibility, and the courage it takes to renegotiate a marriage rather than quietly disappear inside it.

This episode is a nuanced, human look at love, consent, identity, and what it means to grow without abandoning one another.

Key Takeaways


Long-term marriages go through distinct cycles tied to life stages, not just emotions


Suppressing needs often leads to resentment, not stability


Identity shifts don’t happen overnight—they require long conversations


Consent includes the real option to walk away


Monogamy and polyamory can coexist in one marriage with clarity and care


Erotic energy and trust can grow through expansion, not just exclusivity


Adult relationships require ongoing renegotiation, not silent endurance

Guest Info

Courtney Boyer

Relationship coach, author, and creator behind The Monopoly Couple. Courtney writes and speaks about identity, desire, religious conditioning, and non-traditional relationships.


Website: https://www.courtneyboyercoaching.com/


Book: Opened (launching February 17)https://www.courtneyboyercoaching.com/store/p/opened


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themonopolycouple/

Nathan Boyer

Military physician and longtime partner to Courtney. 
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Zach sits down with Glenn and Jodie, a married couple whose relationship has been shaped by cancer, caregiving, entrepreneurship, and a shared commitment to facing life side-by-side.

Their story includes an early breast cancer diagnosis shortly after getting engaged, multiple recurrences over the years, and a present-day reality of living with cancer as a chronic condition. Through it all, Glenn and Jodie describe how the illness became something external to their marriage—an adversary they face together rather than a wedge between them.

They talk openly about caregiving, helplessness, perspective, and how repeated medical crises stripped away the impulse to sweat small things. Glenn reflects on learning how to show up when he couldn’t “fix” anything, while Jodie shares how being cared for reshaped her understanding of partnership and trust.

The conversation also explores the everyday friction of working together—different wiring, different priorities, and Glenn’s self-identified ADD—along with Zach’s reframing of conditions like cancer and ADHD as things couples must externalize rather than personalize.

They close by sharing the work they now do together through their businesses and podcast, Couples, Inc., where they help couples who run businesses navigate boundaries, roles, and relationship health.

This episode is a grounded, hopeful look at what it means to fight the right thing—and to stay on the same team over the long haul.

Key Takeaways


Externalize the problem – Cancer, ADHD, and other conditions aren’t your partner; they’re what you face together.


Caregiving is connection – Showing up consistently matters more than having solutions.


Perspective changes priorities – Repeated health crises reduced conflict around “small stuff.”


Different wiring isn’t disrespect – Productivity styles and attention differences require collaboration, not blame.


Mindset precedes tactics – Tools only work when used without resentment or superiority.


Play the long game – Healthy relationships focus on reducing the same pain points year over year.


Being on the same team is intentional – Unity doesn’t happen automatically; it’s practiced.

Guest Info

Glenn & Jodie Glenn and Jodie are married partners in life and business. They co-own Living Pink Communications, a marketing firm inspired by Jodie’s ongoing experience with breast cancer, and host the Couples, Inc. podcast, which supports couples who run businesses together.

Website: https://livingpinkcommunications.com/

Podcast: https://couplesincpodcast.com

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Zach sits down with couples therapist and author Colette Jane Fehr and her husband Steve Fehr for a candid conversation about second marriage, difference, repair, and what therapy really does—and doesn’t—solve.

Colette and Steve met later in life after very different first marriages and divorces. She’s an emotionally expressive, extroverted therapist from New York; he’s a reserved, analytical CPA from Kentucky. On paper, they couldn’t be more different—but from their first night talking for hours at a diner, something clicked.

They talk openly about blending families with four teenage daughters, the strain that season put on their marriage, and how therapy became not a last resort but an ongoing resource. Steve reflects on learning—slowly—to speak up before resentment builds, while Colette names her own pattern of over-explaining and chasing understanding when she feels disconnected.

The conversation explores how repair actually works in real marriages: who apologizes first, why pauses matter, how shame gets in the way, and why growth is measured in years—not moments. They also share what they’re navigating now: demanding careers, a major book launch, and the need to reinvest in their relationship after a season of borrowing against it.

This episode is an honest look at what long-term partnership looks like when both people stay willing to learn, practice, and keep showing up—imperfectly.

Key Takeaways


Therapy isn’t a referee – Real change happens when each person does their own work, not when someone “wins.”


Quiet creates distance – Avoiding small conversations leads to resentment and emotional shutdown.


Pausing prevents damage – Taking space can be protective when emotions run hot.


Repair matters more than perfection – Apologies don’t require total agreement—just ownership.


Different nervous systems need different timing – One partner may need space while the other seeks immediate connection.


Growth is gradual – Being better than five years ago counts—and so does staying open to future growth.


Relationships require reinvestment – Work seasons drain connection unless time and intention are restored.

Guest Info

Colette Jane Fehr Couples therapist, speaker, podcast host, and author of The Cost of Quiet, releasing February 2026 https://www.colettejanefehr.com/new-book. Colette specializes in helping individuals and couples break patterns of avoidance and learn self-connected communication.

Website: https://www.colettejanefehr.com

Steve Fehr CPA and finance professional with over 30 years of experience. Steve brings a grounded, analytical perspective to conversations about communication, emotional labor, and long-term partnership.

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Zach looks back on a standout year of conversations by revisiting some of the most meaningful, memorable, and instructive moments from past episodes.

 Zach introduces each segment, offering context and reflection on why these moments matter and how they connect to the bigger picture of relational health. Across these clips, you’ll hear stories of intimacy rebuilt, grief held with humor, trust repaired, creativity sustained, and partnerships strengthened through intentional work.

Whether you’re catching up, revisiting favorites, or discovering episodes you missed, this episode offers a thoughtful snapshot of what the show has been exploring all year: how real people do the real work of staying connected.

Couples featured in this episode include:


Susan & Tim Bratton — Episode 394https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-394


Kimberly Crossman & Tom Walsh — Episode 396https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-396


Karen Whitehouse & Helen McLaughlin — Episode 401https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-401


Tarah & EJ Kerwin — Episode 368https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-368


Baya Voce & Emmy Bush — Episode 374https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-374

Additional episodes mentioned by Zach:


Victoria Shalet & Adam James — Episode 379https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-379


Brian & Toby — Episode 392https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-392


Billy & Melissa Hokacker — Episode 384https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-384


Jennifer & Andres — Episode 391https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-391


Zach’s Mom & Stepdad — Episode 383https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-383


Ira & Andrea — Multi-Episode Arc (Episodes 307–399)https://marriagetherapyradio.com/ep-397

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