In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Rabbi Shlomo Slatkin, licensed couples therapist and Imago therapy specialist, to explore why we unconsciously choose partners who mirror our childhood wounds—and how this is actually the path to healing.

What You'll Learn:✨ Why we're attracted to partners who can't easily give us what we need most✨ How childhood wounds shape our adult relationships✨ The real reason behind communication breakdowns in marriage✨ Why safety (not love) is the foundation of lasting relationships✨ The 5 steps to create a happy and healthy marriage✨ When a marriage is truly "too far gone" (and when it's not)✨ How political and social tensions are affecting modern relationships

Key Timestamps:0:00 - Introduction1:14 - Shlomo's personal journey into couples therapy4:16 - The biggest problem couples face6:06 - How childhood wounds impact communication8:36 - Why we choose partners who trigger us14:38 - The Imago dialogue communication technique19:14 - The 5 steps to a happy marriage26:08 - When is a marriage too far gone?30:37 - 3 things couples can do right now37:12 - How modern tensions affect relationships43:48 - Why intensive therapy works better49:09 - Where to find Shlomo

About Shlomo Slatkin:Rabbi Shlomo Slatkin is a licensed therapist specializing in Imago Relationship Therapy with nearly 25 years of marriage experience. He offers private intensives, group workshops, and online courses through The Marriage Restoration Project.

Connect with Shlomo:🌐 Website: themarriagerestorationproject.com

Resources Mentioned:📚 Five Steps to a Happy and Healthy Marriage (book & online program)

www.maurodaviddi.com

What if I told you the worst time to talk about your relationship problems is when you're actually upset?

My guest today, Raffi Bilek from Baltimore Therapy Centre, completely changed how I think about communication. He shares the exact framework he uses with couples - the LOVE method - that transforms arguments into connection.

We dive deep into:

• Why waiting to talk is actually the smartest move
• The 3 most important words in marriage (game-changer!)
• How to handle gridlock when you're both stuck
• Breaking the "never go to bed angry" myth
• Real talk about intimacy, parenting conflicts, and in-law drama

Raffi brings 15 years of experience and his book "The Couples Communication Handbook" to give you practical tools you can use today. No fluff - just real strategies that work.

This conversation reminded me why I love this work. Every relationship has friction - we're two different brains trying to share one life. But with the right skills? Magic happens.

Progress over perfection, always.

Can a marriage really be saved after years of disconnection, affairs, or contemplating divorce? Relationship counselor Mauro Daviddi says absolutely yes.

Join host Leigh in this deeply practical conversation with Perth-based couples therapist Mauro Daviddi, who shares the Gottman Method principles and attachment theory strategies that have transformed hundreds of relationships.

What You'll Learn:

• The Four Horsemen that predict divorce with 90% accuracy
• Why most couples wait 6 YEARS before seeking help (don't be one of them)
• The simple daily practice that rebuilds intimacy
• How childhood experiences shape your relationship patterns
• Real techniques: I-statements, gentle startup, and strategic breaks during conflict
• Success stories of couples going from "roommates" to passionate partners

About Mauro Daviddi:Italian-Australian relationship counselor specializing in Gottman Method and attachment-based therapy. After witnessing his parents' chaotic marriage and divorce, Mauro dedicated his life to understanding what makes relationships work. He's helped countless couples rebuild friendship, trust, and passion—even after affairs and years of disconnection.

Perfect for: Anyone in a relationship, married couples, those considering separation, or anyone who wants to understand relationship dynamics better.

"The grass isn't greener on the other side—it's browner. We're far stronger together than apart."

Podcast: Progress Over Perfection | Website: maurodaviddi.com

Understanding Attachment Styles in Relationships with Therapist Melissa Shaw

In this enlightening episode, host Mauro Daviddi sits down with Denver-based couples therapist Melissa Shaw to explore attachment theory and how it impacts our romantic relationships.

Melissa breaks down the four main attachment styles - anxious, avoidant, disorganized, and secure - using memorable metaphors like "the puppy" and "the turtle" to help you identify your own patterns. You'll learn how childhood experiences shape the way we connect in adulthood and discover why anxious and avoidant partners are often drawn to each other.

One of the episode's highlights is Melissa's explanation of internal versus external processors - a concept that has literally saved marriages for her clients. She shares real case studies, including the couple on the brink of divorce who transformed their relationship after just one session of understanding their processing differences.

The conversation also explores the connection between attachment styles and inner child work, the specific traumas that create each attachment pattern, and how to recognize when you're sabotaging your own relationships. Melissa even discusses the controversial topic of narcissism as an attachment disorder.

Whether you're anxiously attached and need to learn to sit on your hands, or avoidantly attached and need to speak your process out loud, this episode offers practical, actionable tools you can use immediately.

Guest: Melissa Shaw, Owner of Knot CounselingWebsite: KnotCounseling.co

In this conversation, Mauro Daviddi interviews Joshua McDonald, founder of Native Earth, a service designed to support individuals with disabilities through personalized experiences and mentorship.

Joshua shares his journey, the evolution of Native Earth, and the importance of creating meaningful connections with clients.

He discusses the challenges faced by Indigenous communities and the need for a growth mindset to address historical injustices.

The conversation emphasizes the significance of adventure, respite, and community engagement in fostering independence and well-being for individuals with disabilities.

More info about the service. https://nativeearth.co/

To contact me for your counselling sessions

maurodaviddi.com

In this episode, Mauro talks with Lesli Doares (The Hero Husband Project) about the skills that sustain love:

Why relationships aren’t “natural,”

How to swap “Why + You” for I-Statements,

The Four Horsemen,

Boundaries without aggression, and why listening to understand is the fastest way to re-open a partner’s heart.

Topics: men asking for help, emotions & courage, sexless marriages, daily connection rituals, affairs as symptoms—not causes.

Guest: Lesli Doares — theherohusbandproject.com | coach@theherohusbandproject.com
Host: Mauro Daviddi — maurodaviddi.com (Perth, WA)
If the episode helped, follow the show and share it with a friend.

Chapters
00:00 Intro •

01:04 Coaching vs therapy •

08:34 Hero Husband Project •

11:07 Why men avoid help •

13:48 “Happy wife, happy life?”

• 16:12 Emotions & strength

• 24:42 What’s changed in 20 years

• 27:16 “Why + You” trap

• 28:02 I-Statements

• 32:34 Relationship stages

• 38:27 Silent male suffering

• 43:11 Coaching = action

• 45:10 Daily connection

• 55:17 One tool: listen to understand

• 56:25 Where to find Lesli

💬 "Does love retire?"
In this heartfelt and often humorous episode, Mauro Daviddi—relationship counsellor and host of Progress Over Perfection—takes us deep into a world many avoid talking about: love, intimacy, and dating after the age of 70.

Through personal stories, real client conversations, and audience reflections, Mauro challenges the myths about aging and romance. From 86-year-old Bill who still wants to connect intimately with his wife, to community members navigating dating apps like Elite Singles and Meetup, this episode reminds us: romance doesn’t expire.

Whether you're in a long-term marriage, single and searching, or just curious about what keeps love alive across decades, this is a must-watch.

🔑 Key Topics Covered:

• Why people still want intimacy after 70

• What makes long-term love last

• Dating apps for seniors: how to use them safely

• Common fears about love in later life

• Friendship as the foundation for lasting connection

• Audience stories about sex, dating, loss, and laughter

📌 Remember: Love doesn’t age. It just changes rhythm.

🧠 For more episodes about real relationships, intimacy, and emotional healing, subscribe to Mauro’s channel.
📲 Like, share, and hit the bell so you never miss an episode!

In this deeply personal episode of Progress Over Perfection, Mauro Daviddi is joined by Amanda Lovitt for an open and emotional discussion about growing up with a narcissistic mother.

Amanda takes us through her childhood, the emotional manipulation she experienced, the toll it took on her confidence and relationships, and the long process of healing through journaling, NLP, and finally setting boundaries.

Together, we explore:

• The unseen abuse from narcissistic mothers

• How childhood wounds impact adult relationships

• Recognizing patterns of transactional love

• Creating healthy love despite a painful past

• The powerful connection between narcissistic parenting and domestic violence

If you've ever struggled with parental trauma or questioned the dynamics in your own family, this episode offers clarity, comfort, and the message that healing is possible.

🎧 Progress Over Perfection — the podcast that changes your life forever.