🎙️ Episode 82: Is It Ever Okay to Lie to Someone You Love?

Is it ever okay to lie if your intentions are good?

What if your spouse tells the same story over and over again? Do you gently tell them they've already shared it... or pretend it's the first time because you love seeing their excitement?

In this solo episode, Zack Carter explores a surprisingly difficult ethical and relational question inspired by a Reddit post. Along the way, he examines John Gottman's research on bids for connection, discusses Santa Claus, Disney characters, storytelling, and why honesty and love aren't always as simple as they seem.

Ultimately, the conversation leads to a deeper question:

What does the person you love actually want from you?

Instead of assuming, perhaps the healthiest relationships are built by simply asking.
In this episode, you'll learn:
✅ What John Gottman's "bids for connection" reveal about healthy marriages
✅ Why small moments of responsiveness matter more than most couples realize
✅ Whether kindness can ever justify dishonesty
✅ How situations like Santa Claus, Disney characters, and movies differ from deception in close relationships
✅ Why good intentions don't automatically create healthy relationship patterns
✅ A practical question every couple should ask before making assumptions about what their partner wants

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💬 Comment below:
Would you rather your spouse tell you that you've already shared a story... or let you tell it again because they enjoy seeing you light up? Where do you draw the line between kindness and honesty?

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Click here to view the episode transcript.

About the Lion Counseling Podcast
The Lion Counseling Podcast helps high-performing men develop the clarity, resilience, and emotional strength needed to lead well at home, at work, and in life. Through conversations on psychology, relationships, leadership, trauma, faith, and personal growth, Mark Odland and Zack Carter help listeners escape unhealthy patterns and build lives of courage, purpose, and integrity.

New episodes premiere every Tuesday.