GET THE INTIMACY in 5 MINUTE GUIDE!

If you’ve ever found yourself lying next to your partner at night feeling more like co-parents than lovers, wondering why you feel disconnected despite still loving each other then this episode is for you.

In this week's episode of The Parenthood and Relationship Podcast, we’re diving deep into the invisible force that could be draining your emotional closeness without either of you realizing it: emotional labor in parenting.

Maybe you're not arguing. Maybe your schedules are full. Maybe the kids are thriving. And yet, something feels off. You catch yourself thinking, “Is it the sex? Is it that we don’t talk like we used to?” But when you try to fix it with a date night or a long talk, it doesn’t always hit the spot.

Why?

Because intimacy isn’t just about sex or deep conversations. It’s about feeling seen, held, and recognized, especially in the chaos of family life. And emotional labor in relationships, especially for parents, is often what’s causing the slow drift that no one talks about.

We’ll explore why emotional labor in relationships becomes heavier after children arrive and why couples start to experience emotional distance in marriage, even when the love hasn’t gone anywhere. You’ll learn how everyday tasks (from packing school lunches to remembering grandparents' birthdays) create an emotional load that’s rarely acknowledged, and how that load impacts closeness, connection, and desire.

This episode also unpacks the sneaky feeling of being “fine but not great.” That quiet ache of feeling like roommates in marriage is one of the most common things I hear from couples, and it’s often the beginning of a slippery slope toward disconnection - not because the relationship is broken, but because your version of intimacy needs to evolve.

If you’ve been asking yourself how to reconnect after kids, or if you’re searching for what intimacy after parenthood really looks like (hint: it’s not always candlelit dinners), you’re in the right place.

I’ll also guide you through three tiny yet transformative rituals you can start this week; no scheduling, therapy, or “fixing” required. These are invitations to start noticing each other again, to shift from performance to presence, and to slowly rebuild emotional intimacy in long-term relationships that have been weathered by parenting.

Whether you're a few months into parenting or many years in, this is a powerful listen that brings empathy, relief, and direction. It’s not about blame. It’s about awareness. Because once you understand how emotional labor in parenting shows up in your home and heart, you’ll start to see your relationship through a more compassionate lens.

If you’re wondering how to reconnect with your partner, especially when life is too busy for grand romantic gestures, you’ll walk away feeling less alone, more understood, and equipped with practical tools that fit into your real life.

So if you’re ready to go from surviving to reconnecting, press play. You’ll hear real talk, tangible practices, and a perspective that honors your role as a parent and a partner.

Because you can still have love, warmth, and connection, even in the messy middle.

GET THE INTIMACY in 5 MINUTE GUIDE!

💌 Don’t forget: This week’s newsletter includes an exclusive tool to help you track small emotional wins get it at markellakaplani.com/newsletter.

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Full Transcript HERE.

— Want to take our relationship to the next level? 👉Here are my top Resources 👉 Link to my Newsletter 👉 Join the Reconnect with Your Partner Challenge

📩 Get in touch with me (Instagram @markella.kaplani; website; e-mail: info@markellakaplani.com) 📢 Listen, share, and leave a review! Your support means the world! ---

Markella Kaplani, M.A. Clinical-Counseling Psychologist Parenthood & Relationship Coach www.markellakaplani.com

Have you ever felt like you're the one holding your relationship and family together — not just with tasks, but with emotional glue? Like you're the radar, the planner, the peacekeeper… and no one really notices?

In this episode of The Parenthood and Relationship Podcast, we name it: emotional labor. But not the oversimplified version you see in viral posts. We go deeper into the invisible roles we inherit, the silent deals we never consented to, and the part of you that believes: “If I don’t hold it together, we’ll fall apart.”

You’ll explore the subconscious scripts that dictate your behavior, not to blame anyone, but to bring clarity, choice, and intimacy back to the forefront of your relationship. Because when we rewrite those scripts, we free ourselves and our partners from patterns that no longer serve.

Today we explore:

• What emotional labor actually is; beyond the to-do list
• How your childhood shaped the emotional role you play in relationships
• The silent “contracts” you never agreed to but still uphold
• How naming the pattern is the first step toward emotional intimacy

💌 Don’t forget: This episode includes a journaling prompt and a free worksheet to help you unpack and gently rewrite the emotional roles you’ve taken on. Get it at markellakaplani.com/newsletter.

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Full Transcript HERE.

— Want to take our relationship to the next level? 👉Here are my top Resources 👉 Link to my Newsletter 👉 Join the Reconnect with Your Partner Challenge

📩 Get in touch with me (Instagram @markella.kaplani; website; e-mail: info@markellakaplani.com) 📢 Listen, share, and leave a review! Your support means the world! ---

Markella Kaplani, M.A. Clinical-Counseling Psychologist Parenthood & Relationship Coach www.markellakaplani.com