A true confession kicks this episode off: we accidentally lost half our date night to our phones. That slip becomes today’s lesson on technoference (little device interruptions) and phubbing (phone-snubbing your partner)—and why even “just a second” can quietly lower connection, satisfaction, and trust.

We break down the brain science (hello, dopamine loop), the common bias that makes your scrolling feel harmless but theirs feel hurtful, and simple fixes that work: no-phone zones, joint (not parallel) screen time, playful repair, and our 10-Minute Tech Check you can try tonight. Plus, a few tech-for-good ideas (card decks, sweet midday texts, shared playlists) to boost intimacy.

Part 2 drops Friday: social media’s impact on you—and your marriage. Follow, share with a friend, and leave a review to help other couples find Marriage IQ.

✨EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT:

We are sponsoring a big DATE NIGHT GIVEAWAY: We’re gifting five $100 date-night gift cards (use it for dinner, a concert—your call).

🔔Enter by subscribing to our Weekly Marriage Tips at ⁠⁠⁠⁠MarriageIQ.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Entries close November 18, 2025

🔥Winners announced November 28, 2025

Already subscribed? You’re in the drawing. Double your odds—have your spouse subscribe, too. And if this episode inspires a great date, tag us and share a pic—we’ll feature our favorites!

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FREE PDF DOWNLOADS : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.marriageiq.com/freebies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

What happens when your best intentions collide with your partner’s expectations?

In this real, unscripted Marriage IQ episode, Drs. Scott and Heidi Hastings unpack how miscommunication and emotional reactivity can derail even the best marriage moments—from heartfelt conversations to romantic retreats.They share a recent story of how cloudy weather, unspoken needs, and one vulnerable moment turned into conflict—and how they repaired it with empathy, humor, and new “rainy-day rules” for their relationship.
👉 Listen in for practical tools to turn misunderstandings into deeper connection—and to learn how to speak and listen with emotional intelligence.

✨EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT:

We are sponsoring a big DATE NIGHT GIVEAWAY: We’re gifting five $100 date-night gift cards (use it for dinner, a concert—your call).

🔔Enter by subscribing to our Weekly Marriage Tips at ⁠⁠⁠MarriageIQ.com⁠⁠⁠.

Entries close November 18, 2025

🔥Winners announced November 28, 2025

Already subscribed? You’re in the drawing. Double your odds—have your spouse subscribe, too. And if this episode inspires a great date, tag us and share a pic—we’ll feature our favorites!

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠⁠⁠

FREE PDF DOWNLOADS : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.marriageiq.com/freebies⁠⁠⁠⁠

What do spies and spouses have in common?

In this episode of Marriage IQ, we sit down with Jeremy Hurewitz — former foreign correspondent turned corporate intelligence specialist and author of Sell Like a Spy — to talk about what high-level spy skills can teach us about marriage.

You’ll learn:

✅How to get honest answers from your partner without starting a fight

✅The FBI-inspired way to calm an emotional argument before it explodes

✅Verbal mirroring and the “FM radio voice” trick that helps your partner feel safe

✅Radical empathy: caring for your spouse even in moments you don’t actually like them

✅How elite listeners make you feel like you’re the only person in the room — and how to practice that at home

We also get into body language, reading what’s really going on under the surface, and knowing whether your spouse is mad at YOU… or just mad at the situation.

If you’ve ever thought, “We’re talking, but we’re not connecting,” this one is for you.

📘 Check out our guest Jeremy Hurewitz’s book Sell Like a Spy here: https://www.selllikeaspy.net/book

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠⁠

FREE PDF DOWNLOADS : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.marriageiq.com/freebies⁠⁠⁠

Drs. Scott & Heidi Hastings unveil the Ultimate Marriage IQ Date Idea Collection—organized by season, budget, and connection level so you can pick the right date for right now. From everyday, low-cost adventures to cozy winter rituals, spring renewals, summer spontaneity, and fall reflections, you’ll get plug-and-play ideas across the Four Cornerstones: Identity, Intentionality, Insight, and Intimacy.

🎁 GIVEAWAY: We’re gifting five $100 date-night gift cards (dinner, concert—your call).

Enter by subscribing to Weekly Marriage Tips at MarriageIQ.com

⏰ Entries close November 18, 2025

🏆Winners announced November 28, 2025

Already subscribed? You’re in the drawing. Double your odds—have your spouse subscribe too.

💰BONUS: Grab the free printable PDF of today’s ideas under Freebies at MarriageIQ.com—sort by season, budget, or connection level and go!

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Date night isn’t a luxury—it’s maintenance for a scintillating marriage. In this playful episode, Drs. Scott & Heidi Hastings pull back the curtain on 30 years of Friday nights: what’s worked, what hasn’t, and why consistent dates keep you out of “roommate mode.”

You’ll hear their first-kiss story (fireworks were involved), the budget hacks they used in med school, and a stack of Marriage IQ ideas across the Four Cornerstones—Identity, Intentionality, Insight, and Intimacy.

✨EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT:

We are sponsoring a big DATE NIGHT GIVEAWAY: We’re gifting five $100 date-night gift cards (use it for dinner, a concert—your call).

🔔Enter by subscribing to our Weekly Marriage Tips at ⁠⁠MarriageIQ.com⁠⁠.

Entries close November 18, 2025

🔥Winners announced November 28, 2025

Already subscribed? You’re in the drawing. Double your odds—have your spouse subscribe, too. And if this episode inspires a great date, tag us and share a pic—we’ll feature our favorites!

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

FREE PDF DOWNLOADS : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.marriageiq.com/freebies

Why do so many men struggle to express emotion—and what happens to marriages when they do?

What happens when your childhood story starts running your marriage? Therapist and podcast host Malisa Hepner knows that answer firsthand. With a 10/10 ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) score and a lifetime of chaos, Malisa learned how unresolved trauma quietly scripts adult relationships—until we rewrite the story.

In this powerful episode, Malisa joins Dr. Heidi and Dr. Scott Hastings to unpack how early wounds shape identity, love, and self-worth—and how healing begins when we stop performing for approval and start cultivating self-compassion. You’ll discover:
💡 Why “quiet” marriages can feel unsafe for trauma survivors
💡 How to recognize when you’re projecting pain instead of perceiving reality
💡 Why real accountability isn’t shame—it’s self-love in action
💡 And the simple mindset shift that transforms reactivity into peace

This episode will speak to anyone who’s ever felt “too much,” “not enough,” or stuck in survival mode inside their relationship.

🎧 Tune in for a masterclass in healing, insight, and radical self-responsibility—because you can’t have peace in your marriage if you don’t have it in your spirit.

We love hearing from you!

Have a question, topic idea, or feedback?

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠hello@marriageiq.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠⁠⁠

FREE PDF DOWNLOADS : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.marriageiq.com/freebies

In Part 2 of our Myth Busting series, Heidi and Scott take a research-driven (and very real) look at the narratives that quietly sabotage marriages—especially in faith-based homes.

We unpack why “righteous = immune to hardship,” “waiting for marriage = great sex,” “sacrifice is always good,” “money will fix us (or we must wait till we’re ‘stable’),” “church attendance = trust,” and “betrayal means the marriage is over” don’t always hold up.

You’ll hear what the science says, what Heidi’s dissertation revealed, and practical ways to build honesty, sexual agency, and resilient intimacy.We love hearing from you!

Have a question, topic idea, or feedback? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠hello@marriageiq.com⁠⁠⁠

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/marriage.iq?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MXVnYWlpYnVtcmtvaQ==⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558652547411⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageIQ/⁠⁠⁠

FREE PDF DOWNLOADS : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.marriageiq.com/freebies⁠