Family & Relationships The Communication Mistakes Most Couples Make With Therapist Jenn Mann By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. Learn about our editorial process Published on April 25, 2022 Print Verywell / Julie Bang Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Meet Dr. Jenn Mann Why Jenn Mann Is Mentally Strong What You’ll Hear on the Show What You’ll Learn About Mental Health and Mental Strength Quotes From Jenn More About the Podcast Every Monday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, interviews authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspirational people about the strategies that help them think, feel, and do their best in life. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Meet Dr. Jenn Mann Jenn Mann is a licensed marriage and family therapist who is best known for being the host of VH1’s hit shows, "Couples Therapy with Dr. Jenn" and "Family Therapy with Dr. Jenn." She’s the author of several bestselling books including "The Relationship Fix: Dr. Jenn’s Guide to Improving Communication, Connection & Intimacy." Why Jenn Mann Is Mentally Strong Dr. Jenn spent five years on the United States Rhythmic Gymnastics National Team. She competed in many international competitions and she performed exhibitions at the 1984 Olympic Games. From a young age, she realized what an asset her mindset could be and she ultimately chose to pursue a career in mental health. She uses her knowledge to help a variety of people, including those who are struggling with mental health issues, couples who want to improve their relationships, and athletes who want to enhance their performance. What You’ll Hear on the Show The link between communication and connection What the pandemic has taught us about relationships and quality time What it means to stonewall your partner and why this is so destructive What it means to give someone ‘cheap forgiveness’ and how this erodes the relationship The dangers of becoming resentful How to regain connection once you feel like it’s been lost How to know when you and your partner could benefit from therapy The types of boundaries couples should set and how to communicate those boundaries What to do when trust is broken Why eye contact is so important in relationships How Has the Pandemic Affected Your Relationship? Readers Weigh In What You’ll Learn About Mental Health and Mental Strength Healthy relationships and mental strength are a two-way street. Relationships can either bolster your mental strength or detract from it. And it takes mental strength to create and maintain a relationship’s health. It’s often tempting to ignore small problems. It takes courage and strength to address them—even though it feels uncomfortable. But, addressing issues and working on the relationship is key to keeping the relationship healthy over the long-term. Quotes From Jenn Jenn Mann Let's spend 20 minutes a day just sitting and talking and [get] that face-to-face time. It is one of the most valuable things that you can do in a relationship. — Jenn Mann "We're also in a culture and a world that makes it very easy to not talk through things. It's way easier to go look at your phone, to look at Instagram, to turn on the TV, to take on extra assignments at work, to go shopping, to do something with your friends, to do a million different things, to avoid dealing with the pain, to avoid dealing with resolving the issue, and to avoid dealing with uncomfortable conversations that [you] need to have." "There really should be a life skills class in elementary school or high school that not only teaches [you] about how to balance a checkbook but also how to communicate when you've been triggered, how to talk to your partner when they really upset you." "You will never be in a good, safe, healthy situation with someone who's in the throes of addiction and not dealing with it." How Bad Relationships Affect Your Health More About the Podcast The Verywell Mind Podcast is available across all streaming platforms. If you like the show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Reviews and ratings are a great way to encourage other people to listen and help them prioritize their mental health too. Editor’s Note: Please be mindful that this transcript does not go through our standard editorial process and may contain inaccuracies and grammatical errors. Thank you. For media or public speaking inquiries, contact Amy here. Download the Transcript Links and Resources Follow Dr. Jenn on Instagram: @DrJennMann Check out Dr. Jenn’s books Visit her website: DoctorJenn.com If You Liked This Episode, You Might Also Like These Episodes Why It Benefits You to Become a Better Listener With Psychiatrist Mark Goulston Friday Fix: How Money Affects Your Mental Health How to Have Better Conversations With Author Celeste Headlee What Is Couples Therapy? By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? 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