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Love, Unboxed. For the Hopeful Romantic

Love, Unboxed. For the Hopeful Romantic

Written by: Dr Colleen Mullen
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About this listen

 A relationship advice podcast for the high-functioning, heart-weary romantic. Hosted by therapist and relationship expert Dr. Colleen Mullen, each episode explores real listener questions about dating, love, and the emotional patterns that keep us stuck. Through relatable stories, expert insights, and actionable advice, you’ll learn how to stop repeating old dynamics and start creating the kind of love you actually want—because you can win in love, too. Leave your question for Dr. Colleen at LoveUnboxedPodcast.com. Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships Self-Help Social Sciences Success
Episodes
  • How to Stop Falling for Potential: 5 Ways to Avoid Relationship Mud

    How to Stop Falling for Potential: 5 Ways to Avoid Relationship Mud
    Sep 7 2025
    How to Stop Falling for Potential: 5 Ways to Avoid Relationship MudHave you ever stayed too long in a relationship because you believed in who your partner could be instead of who they were? You’re not alone. In this episode, Dr. Colleen Mullen explores the painful but common trap of “falling for potential”—and how to step out of it for good.Drawing on personal experience, client stories, and research like Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love, Dr. Colleen explains why chasing chemistry and promise often blinds us to the reality in front of us. You’ll learn:Why it’s easy to give great relationship advice to friends but ignore red flags in your own lifeHow to recognize when you’re stuck in “relationship mud”Five strategies to reset your approach, including setting clear standards, walking away early, spotting love bombing, journaling for reality checks, and prioritizing compatibility over chemistryWhether you’re dating, starting something new, or reflecting on past relationships, this episode is packed with insight and practical steps to help you choose better, sooner.Resources Mentioned:Mindful Reflections: A Daily Journal for Better Mental Health (Dr. Colleen’s guided journal)Upcoming Dating Workshop- How to Date Differently (Nov 2025) — join the waitlist & my mailing list at DrColleenMullen.com More Resources from Dr. Colleen My Mindful Reflections: A Daily Journal for Better Mental Health (get it on Amazon) - This is a journal designed by Dr. Colleen. You can use it to track your emotions, highlight special moments, learn from difficult ones , let go of daily steam through daily narrative pages , and even learn to give yourself permission to take a break.Do you want to hire Dr. Colleen to help you? Please check out her work at DrColleenMullen.com. Upcoming Workshops "Date Differently" - for singles who want to break free from past relationship obstacles. "Love Them More " - for those in committed relationships who want to protect their relationship from future obstacles. SUPPORT THE SHOW! AMAZON.COM Use code LoveUnboxed-20 at checkout when you make your regular purchases on Amazon or visit Dr. Colleen's Amazon storefront. You won't pay anything extra, but Dr. Colleen will make a small commission on what you purchase.TBD: Patreon- FInd out the perks of joining the Hopeful Romantic community!DisclaimerThis show exists only for educational and/or entertainment purposes. Although Dr. Mullen is a licensed therapist, in the capacity of her show-hosting duties, she is not your therapist. This show is not meant as a replacement for therapy. Dr. Colleen creates stories of people who are not meant to mimic, copy, or otherwise represent any specific person. These are characters she creates using various data points from multiple people. Any likeness to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidence. Resources for Finding a Mental Health Professional in the U.S. Therapy DenPsychology TodayMental Health MattersTherapy for Black GirlsDial 211 to be connected to a Social Services Helpline in your area that can provide you with information on mental health resources in your area.The National Suicide Prevention Helpline. or call 988 If you or someone you care about is thinking about suicide, they are there to help. Dr. Colleen's online voicemail line is powered by SpeakPipe
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    24 mins
  • Loving Someone WIth ADHD: How to Support Your Partner

    Loving Someone WIth ADHD: How to Support Your Partner
    Aug 4 2025
    🧠💛 Loving Someone with ADHD isn’t about fixing them — it’s about understanding them. In this episode of Love, Unboxed, Dr. Colleen breaks down what it looks like to love and support a partner with ADHD. She shares her own late diagnosis and how treatment helped her reframe shame into strategy — a powerful reminder that ADHD doesn’t mean broken. It just means different. All of a sudden, there was a reason for the clumsiness, always running late, taking things too personally, or never really hitting the mark of her goals. She realized life could be different. She tells how the symptoms can present through the story of Ellen and Justin, and shares how you can support your partner with ADHD. In this episode, we explore the misunderstood symptoms, emotional toll, and what it means to show up with empathy without losing yourself in the process. 🎧 If you’ve ever felt unseen in your relationship — or wondered why your partner’s attention, follow-through, or emotional regulation seems unpredictable — this episode is for you. 👉 Subscribe now so you never miss an episode, and leave your relationship dilemma or drama as a voicemail at loveunboxedpodcast.com. Your story might inspire the next episode. More Resources from Dr. Colleen - My Mindful Reflections: A Daily Journal for Better Mental Health (get it on Amazon) - This is a journal designed by Dr. Colleen. You can use it to track your emotions, highlight special moments, learn from difficult ones , let go of daily steam through daily narrative pages , and even learn to give yourself permission to take a break. - Do you want to hire Dr. Colleen to help you? Please check out her work at DrColleenMullen.com. Upcoming Workshops "Date Differently" - for singles who want to break free from past relationship obstacles. "Love Them More " - for those in committed relationships who want to protect their relationship from future obstacles. SUPPORT THE SHOW! 1. AMAZON.COM Use code LoveUnboxed-20 at checkout when you make your regular purchases on Amazon or visit Dr. Colleen's Amazon storefront. You won't pay anything extra, but Dr. Colleen will make a small commission on what you purchase. 2. TBD: Patreon- FInd out the perks of joining the Hopeful Romantic community! Disclaimer This show exists only for educational and/or entertainment purposes. Although Dr. Mullen is a licensed therapist, in the capacity of her show-hosting duties, she is not your therapist. This show is not meant as a replacement for therapy. - Dr. Colleen creates stories of people who are not meant to mimic, copy, or otherwise represent any specific person. These are characters she creates using various data points from multiple people. Any likeness to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidence. - Resources for Finding a Mental Health Professional in the U.S. 1. Therapy Den 2. Psychology Today 3. Mental Health Matters 4. Therapy for Black Girls 5. Dial 211 to be connected to a Social Services Helpline in your area that can provide you with information on mental health resources in your area. 6. The National Suicide Prevention Helpline. or call 988 If you or someone you care about is thinking about suicide, they are there to help. Dr. Colleen's online voicemail line is powered by SpeakPipe
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    57 mins
  • Me, You, and the Friend I Can’t Stand: Navigating Tension with Your Partner’s Bestie

    Me, You, and the Friend I Can’t Stand: Navigating Tension with Your Partner’s Bestie
    Jul 5 2025
    EPISODE 10: “Me, You, and the Friend I Can’t Stand: Navigating Tension with Your Partner’s Bestie”Do you feel like your partner’s friend never liked you, and it’s only gotten more awkward over time?You’re not imagining it, and you’re definitely not alone.In this episode of Love, Unboxed, I answer a listener’s question about how to handle a long-standing strain with her husband’s close friend—a man who seems to dislike her and has a way of making group gatherings uncomfortable. She likes his girlfriend, enjoys game nights with friends, and doesn’t want to make waves... but Tom's behavior continues to get under her skin.It’s a dilemma I hear often: What do you do when you don’t get along with your partner’s best friend?Together, we’ll unbox:Why this dynamic happens more often than we admit.The real emotional toll of being the “bigger person”.How confirmation bias, territorial friendships, triangulation, and social identity theory all play a role.Two real-world examples—one that ended in resentment, and one that sparked positive change.Five therapist-approved tools to protect your emotional safety and talk to your partner without conflict.You’ll also hear me (lovingly) roast my brother Frank as an example of confirmation bias—because yes, being a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan is a personality trait in our family.🔧 Relationship Tools You'll Learn:How to name exactly what bothers youHow to talk to your partner (not vent—strategize)How to create healthy boundaries around social eventsWhy being “the gracious one” shouldn’t mean emotional burnoutHow to tell if this is just irritation—or something deeper🎙 Whether you’re Marie or someone navigating a similar situation, this episode will help you feel less alone and more empowered.🧠 Research Referenced:Confirmation Bias: Nickerson, R.S. (1998)Friendship Processes: Fehr, B. (2004)Structural Family Therapy: Minuchin, S. (1974)Triangulation Theory: Bowen, M. (1978)Social Identity Theory: Tajfel & Turner (1979)💌 Submit your own relationship question at:LoveUnboxedPodcast.com🎧 Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | wherever you get your podcasts💛 If you liked this episode, please subscribe, share, and leave a review. It means so much and helps more hopeful romantics find us. More Resources from Dr. Colleen My Mindful Reflections: A Daily Journal for Better Mental Health (get it on Amazon) - This is a journal designed by Dr. Colleen. You can use it to track your emotions, highlight special moments, learn from difficult ones , let go of daily steam through daily narrative pages , and even learn to give yourself permission to take a break.Do you want to hire Dr. Colleen to help you? Please check out her work at DrColleenMullen.com. Upcoming Workshops "Date Differently" - for singles who want to break free from past relationship obstacles. "Love Them More " - for those in committed relationships who want to protect their relationship from future obstacles. SUPPORT THE SHOW! AMAZON.COM Use code LoveUnboxed-20 at checkout when you make your regular purchases on Amazon or visit Dr. Colleen's Amazon storefront. You won't pay anything extra, but Dr. Colleen will make a small commission on what you purchase.TBD: Patreon- FInd out the perks of joining the Hopeful Romantic community!DisclaimerThis show exists only for educational and/or entertainment purposes. Although Dr. Mullen is a licensed therapist, in the capacity of her show-hosting duties, she is not your therapist. This show is not meant as a replacement for therapy. Dr. Colleen creates stories of people who are not meant to mimic, copy, or otherwise represent any specific person. These are characters she creates using various data points from multiple people. Any likeness to any person, living or dead, is purely coincidence. Resources for Finding a Mental Health Professional in the U.S. Therapy DenPsychology TodayMental Health MattersTherapy for Black GirlsDial 211 to be connected to a Social Services Helpline in your area that can provide you with information on mental health resources in your area.The National Suicide Prevention Helpline. or call 988 If you or someone you care about is thinking about suicide, they are there to help. Dr. Colleen's online voicemail line is powered by SpeakPipe
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    33 mins
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