marriage

53 | Three Marriage Tensions You Must Master


When we are not satisfied with something in our marriage, it’s up to us to do something about it. Because that’s when things change when someone is ready to make the effort to figure out what and how to change the patterns in the relationship. Often we have an idea that it’s just one “thing” that we are after. “Things” however almost always exist on a continuum. For instance, there’s no vision if we don’t have enough of both light and darkness because no contrast means there’s nothing to see. If we are not growing, we are going backward, that’s the law of nature.

Today’s podcast talks about three tensions. Three “things” that are in opposition. But they aren’t really in opposition; it’s more like they are different ends of the same thing or part of the same continuum. One of the “things” is Independence versus Intimacy. These are in tension in marriage. There’s always at least one area where we want more of one or the other.

Want to become more Empowered?

Sign-up for email support here:

Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.
karen and curtis herbert as a midlife coaches

We are Karen and Curtis Herbert, founders of The Empowered Catholic Podcast. Empowerment is a word we use for getting the whole person in alignment with the Spirit. How could that change your life?

Start the journey

Learn more about working with us here:


When we are not satisfied with something in our marriage, it’s up to us to do something about it. Because that’s when things change when someone is ready to make the effort to figure out what and how to change the patterns in the relationship. Often we have an idea that it’s just one “thing” that we are after. “Things” however almost always exist on a continuum. For instance, there’s no vision if we don’t have enough of both light and darkness because no contrast means there’s nothing to see. If we are not growing, we are going backward, that’s the law of nature.

Today’s podcast talks about three tensions. Three “things” that are in opposition. But they aren’t really in opposition; it’s more like they are different ends of the same thing or part of the same continuum. One of the “things” is Independence versus Intimacy. These are in tension in marriage. There’s always at least one area where we want more of one or the other.

Want to become more Empowered?

Sign-up for email support here:

Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.
karen and curtis herbert as a midlife coaches

We are Karen and Curtis Herbert, founders of The Empowered Catholic Podcast. Empowerment is a word we use for getting the whole person in alignment with the Spirit. How could that change your life?

Start the journey

Learn more about working with us here:

Subscribe and Listen on Major Platforms