Episodes

  • New Year, Same Patterns? Let’s Set Real Love Intentions

    New Year, Same Patterns? Let’s Set Real Love Intentions
    Jan 7 2026
    New year… same patterns?In this Real Love Scenario episode, Dre and Rhonda unpack what it really means to set intentions for love in the new year — for both singles and couples.
    We talk about how to stop repeating old patterns, let go of pressure, and build a deeper relationship with how you love — not just whoyou love.
    💭 Topics We Explore:
    • Intentions vs. resolutions (clarity, not pressure)
    • Pattern-based dating vs. purpose-driven dating
    • How to set love goals that are actually healthy
    • What intentional partnership looks like (beyond vision boards)
    • Rhonda’s tips for singles & Dre’s advice for couples

    🔁 Pattern or Intention?“I just want to see what happens” = Pattern“I want consistency, not just chemistry” = Intention“I’m choosing peace this year” = Let’s break that one down…
    💚 For Singles:
    • Date with clarity, not urgency
    • Vet for alignment, not just attraction
    • Take breaks without giving up

    💞 For Couples:
    • Improve communication, not just commitment
    • Repair, don’t avoid conflict
    • Be intentional with time, affection, and appreciation

    ✍🏽 Try This:Choose one word for your love life this year.Write 3 intentions, not outcomes.Ask yourself: What can I give, not just what do I want?
    🧠 Wrap line: “You don’t need a new relationship — you need a new relationship with how you love.”
    💬 Drop your word for the year in the comments!
    ✅ Like, comment, subscribe, and follow us @RealLoveScenario for weekly real talk on love, growth, and healing.
    👉 Want us to answer your real love scenario? Submit it here:https://www.relationshiprestored.com/reallovescenario
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • “Why Does Loneliness Hit So Hard?”

    “Why Does Loneliness Hit So Hard?”
    Dec 17 2025
    Why does loneliness hit so hard—even when life looks full?In this episode of Real Love Scenario, we explore the emotional difference between being alone and feeling lonely, and why even high-achievers or people in relationships can feel isolated.
    We share personal stories of post-breakup lows, “busy-but-empty” seasons, and long stretches of singleness—and offer real strategies to work through them with clarity and care.
    💡 The 4 C’s to Help You Through It:
    • Clarity – Name the feeling: “I’m lonely,” not just “I’m bored”
    • Care – Practice self-compassion and nourish your body
    • Community – Strengthen small and deep connections
    • Calendar – Anchor your week with human touchpoints (calls, events, service)

    🟢 Green Flags: Initiating hangouts, joining groups, honest check-ins🔴 Red Flags: Doomscrolling, numbing with situationships, isolating
    ✅ Try this: “I’m in a lonely patch—can we plan a walk or call this week?”
    💬 Comment below: When do you feel loneliest, and what helps you get through it?
    ✅ Like, comment, subscribe, and follow us @RealLoveScenario for more real talk on healing, connection, and love.

    👉 Want us to answer your real love scenario? Submit it here:https://www.relationshiprestored.com/reallovescenario
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    47 mins
  • Love Bombing or Real Love? How to Spot the Difference

    Love Bombing or Real Love? How to Spot the Difference
    Nov 13 2025
    Is it real love… or just love bombing in disguise?In this episode of Real Love Scenario, we unpack the manipulative tactic known as love bombing — and help you spot the difference between genuine affection and emotional overload.
    On the surface, it might feel like a fairytale — constant texts, big gifts, fast “I love yous.” But underneath, it could be a way to control and confuse.
    🎯 What We Break Down:
    • What love bombing really is (and isn’t)
    • Why it’s more about control than care
    • How to test the tempo, transparency, and track record
    • Signs you’re being love bombed vs. loved
    • How to slow things down without losing connection

    🛑 Red Flags:
    • Over-the-top gestures early on
    • Gift-giving as a form of guilt or control
    • “We’re soulmates” in week 2
    • Isolation masked as devotion

    💚 Green Flags:
    • Consistent behavior over time
    • Healthy pacing and mutual decision-making
    • Affection that leaves room to breathe

    💬 Drop a comment: Have you ever been love bombed? What were the signs?
    ✅ Like, comment, subscribe, and follow us @RealLoveScenario for weekly deep dives on dating, healing, and real relationships.
    👉 Want us to answer your real love scenario? Submit it here:https://www.relationshiprestored.com/reallovescenario
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    51 mins
  • Why So Many Black Men Struggle to Be Vulnerable in Relationships

    Why So Many Black Men Struggle to Be Vulnerable in Relationships
    Nov 5 2025
    Why is it so hard for Black men to be vulnerable in relationships?

    In this powerful episode of Real Love Scenario, Dre and Rhonda have an honest conversation about the emotional walls many men carry — and what it takes to break them down.
    We explore the pressure Black men face to always be strong, silent, and in control — and how these expectations lead to isolation, miscommunication, and frustration in love.

    🔑 Topics We Cover:
    • How societal norms and male friendships impact emotional expression
    • Why vulnerability is seen as weakness — and how to reframe it
    • The role women can play in creating emotionally safe spaces
    • How unspoken expectations hurt both partners
    • What emotional safety really looks like in healthy love

    💬 Real Talk: We can’t build intimacy without vulnerability. And we can’t be vulnerable without safety.

    🟢 Green Flags: Active listening, emotional honesty, mutual empathy🔴 Red Flags: Dismissiveness, “man up” culture, emotional shutdowns

    📢 Comment below: What does emotional safety look like for you in a relationship?

    ✅ Like, comment, share, and subscribe for more real conversations about love, healing, and partnership.

    👉 Want us to answer your real love scenario? Submit it here:https://www.relationshiprestored.com/reallovescenario
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    50 mins
  • Therapy in Relationships: Do You Have to Be Healed Before You Date?

    Therapy in Relationships: Do You Have to Be Healed Before You Date?
    Oct 29 2025
    Do you have to be healed before you date—or can love help you heal?In this episode of Real Love Scenario, we explore the complex relationship between healing, therapy, and dating. Do we need to “fix” ourselves first—or is growth something we can do together?
    We unpack what healing actually means, how therapy can shift your dating life, and why self-awareness is one of the sexiest traits in any relationship.
    🧠 The 4 H’s Framework:
    • History – family patterns & past wounds
    • Habits – conflict styles, emotional triggers
    • Healing – therapy, community care, faith
    • Help – access to care, finding culturally competent therapists

    🟢 Green Flags: Accountability, growth without prompting, active self-reflection🔴 Red Flags: “That’s just how I am,” weaponizing therapy talk, no willingness to try
    💡 Remember: You don’t need to be perfect—you just need to be committed to growth.
    💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments:Can love really help you heal? Or do we need to heal alone first?
    ✅ Like, comment, share, and subscribe for weekly real-talk on love and relationships.
    📘 Share your favorite mental-health or healing resource below!
    👉 Want us to answer your real love scenario? Submit it here:https://www.relationshiprestored.com/reallovescenario
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    46 mins
  • HOW Soon Is Too Soon to Ask...What Are We?’

    HOW Soon Is Too Soon to Ask...What Are We?’
    Oct 15 2025
    👉 Want us to answer your real love scenario? Submit it here: https://www.relationshiprestored.com/reallovescenario


    How soon is too soon to ask, “What are we?”    On this episode of Real Love Scenario, we’re unpacking one of the most vulnerable—and important—conversations in dating: defining the relationship.
    Is it a vibe… or are we actually building something? We’ll break down the key definitions, green flags, and red flags when it comes to exclusivity, timelines, and clarity.
    🧠 We explore the 4 C’s:
    • Clarity – shared definitions of “exclusive” and “relationship”
    • Capacity – are they actually available emotionally and mentally?
    • Compatibility – values, goals, lifestyle pace
    • Consistency – do the actions match the words?

    🔥 Topics We Cover:
    • Exclusivity vs. official relationship vs. sexual boundaries
    • Best & worst “DTR” (Define the Relationship) stories
    • The infamous “delete the apps” moment
    • Timelines that work… and ones that don’t
    • Scripts to open the convo without pressure

    🟢 Green flags: Steady plans, “we” language, friend/fam integration🔴 Red flags: Avoiding the convo, vibe-only energy, hot–cold behavior
    💬 Tell us your timeline in the comments:Team 6 Weeks / Team 3 Months / Team When-It-Feels-Right
    🗣 Favorite prompt to try:“I’m not asking for a grid post—just clarity about us and deleting the apps.”
    ✅ Like, comment, subscribe, and follow us @RealLoveScenario.Vote in our IG poll and share your best DTR moment below!
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    54 mins
  • Money & Relationships: What Every Couple Needs to Know

    Money & Relationships: What Every Couple Needs to Know
    Oct 8 2025
    👉 Want us to answer your real love scenario? Submit it here:https://www.relationshiprestored.com/reallovescenario

    We’re not just splitting bills — we’re breaking cycles.In this episode of Real Love Scenario, we explore the powerful connection between money and love in the Black community — from unspoken financial expectations to rewriting generational patterns.
    Whether you’re dating, committed, or trying to build legacy, this episode gives you the tools and language to approach money with clarity, honesty, and care.
    💵 Topics We Cover:
    • First money talks, credit surprises, and family obligations
    • Wealth gaps, entrepreneurship, and breaking financial shame
    • How to merge love + money without losing trust or freedom
    • The 4 P’s: Past, Partnership, Practical, Protection

    🟢 Green flags: Transparency, shared budgets, financial literacy, prenups & plans🔴 Red flags: Secret debt, financial control, avoiding money convos
    🛠️ Try This:
    • When dating: “Before we merge anything, let’s align on goals and guardrails.”
    • Once committed: Schedule regular Money Dates with a 60-minute agenda that includes hard numbers, future plans, and accountability check-ins.

    💬 Tell us in the comments: What’s your favorite budget tool or financial literacy book that changed your relationship with money?
    ✅ Like, comment, share, and subscribe for more real conversations about love, growth, and partnership.
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    49 mins
  • Is Ghosting Better Than Telling the Truth? Let’s Talk.

    Is Ghosting Better Than Telling the Truth? Let’s Talk.
    Oct 1 2025
    👉 Want us to answer your real love scenario? Submit it here:https://www.relationshiprestored.com/reallovescenario

    Is silence kinder than a “no”… or just easier?On this episode of Real Love Scenario, we’re tackling the breakup epidemic known as ghosting — and asking whether it’s a self-protective act or just emotional avoidance.
    We define the difference between ghosting, the slow fade, and healthy closure — and break down what each one really costs on the path to love.
    💔 Topics We Cover:
    • Ghosting vs. clean break vs. slow fade
    • The wildest breakup lines we’ve heard (and said 👀)
    • How to deliver kind, honest closure without doing damage
    • Why ghosting hurts more than it protects
    • When blocking is self-care

    💡 The 4 C’s of Healthy Closure:Clarity (say what you mean)Courage (lean into discomfort)Compassion (truth without cruelty)Cost (ghosting erodes self-trust too)
    🟢 Green flags: Timely “no,” fair reasoning, no dragging🔴 Red flags: Breadcrumbs → silence, post-intimacy ghosting, avoidant exits
    ✅ Give the grace of a clear, kind no.Try the 24-hour closure rule — and remember: blocking is an option if someone won’t let go.
    💬 Drop a comment: What’s the best or worst breakup line you’ve received?
    ✅ Like, comment, subscribe, and follow us @RealLoveScenario for more real conversations on love, growth, and healing.
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    43 mins