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Hello, I am a marital therapist, communications trainer and author. I have thirty-five years helping couples and individuals make better relationships. I have written twenty-plus self-help books which include the international best-sellers ‘I love you but I’m not in love with you’ and ‘How can I ever trust you again?’ My books have been translated into twenty languages. I trained with RELATE the UK’s largest counselling charity. Perhaps it has been turning sixty but I have become interested in spiritual as well as psychological questions. Who am I? What are my values – as opposed to my parents, my teachers and the wider society? What makes my life meaningful? What do I believe about life, the universe and everything? Although my clients might come to me because of destructive arguments, falling out of love and infidelity, they are also interested in having more meaningful relationships and a more meaningful life. So what is the meaningful life? Why do we so easily lose our way and get lost in depression, anxiety, doubt, addictions and obsessions: the swamplands of the soul? One thing I know for sure is that there is not one answer. Each of us has to find out for ourselves what makes our life meaningful. But we can learn from each other, share our experiences of how to navigate the journey, how to endure and learn from the swamp, and finally how to find solid ground. I have decided to use my original training in radio and journalism to interview witnesses for what makes life meaningful. Each week, I invite someone who is a therapist, academic, self-help coach or who has an enlightening personal story to share their knowledge or experiences. I hope our discussions will help you discover what makes your life meaningful and find more purpose and contentment.
Episodes
2 hours ago
2 hours ago
Most of us dislike or even fear conflict with loved ones. Without it, however, you won't achieve sustained intimacy with your partner.
This week, Andrew talks to writer, psychologist and Jungian analyst Polly Young-Eisendrath, the author of Love Between Equals: Relationship as a Spiritual Path. They explore the challenges and possibilities of building partnerships based on respect, freedom and real dialogue.
Andrew and Polly discuss:
- What “real dialogue” means—and how to practice mindful curiosity with your partner.
- How and why to stop avoiding conflict with your partner.
- Projective identification in relationships.
- What to do if you’re feeling defeated or distant in your relationship.
Polly Young-Eisendrath, Ph.D., is the founder of the Center for Real Dialogue in Vermont and the author of 19 books. Her work combines psychoanalytic thinking, mindfulness, and Buddhism to illuminate the inner work required to love with both strength and humility. She is also the host of the popular podcasts Enemies: From War to Wisdom and Waking Up is Not Enough: Flourishing in the Human Space.
If You’re Looking for More…
You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50: Join here
This week, supporters will hear:
⭐ The Benefits of a Conversation Between the Spiritual and Psychological
⭐ Three Things Polly Young-Eisendrath Knows to Be True
⭐️AND access to all our previous bonus content—a rich archive of insight and inspiration
Follow Up
Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin: Learn more here
Read Polly Young-Eisendrath’s book Love Between Equals: Relationship as a Spiritual Path
Visit Polly Young-Eisendrath’s website
Listen to Polly Young-Eisendrath’s podcasts:
Follow Polly Young-Eisendrath on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter.
Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things
Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools
Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50: patreon.com/andrewgmarshall
Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall
Monday May 26, 2025
Monday May 26, 2025
Are you one of the many people who end up shocked by the ultimate similarity of romantic relationships that felt very different starting out? Why is it that we find the same patterns repeating, the same problems coming up over and over?
In this classic episode, Andrew talks to author and attachment theory specialist Tara Blair-Ball. Tara explains how attachment theory - which is grounded in analysis of how we bonded to our mother as infants - can explain these patterns.
Andrew and Tara emphasise that rather than dwelling on the particular faults of partner A and partner B, we can try to understand how our earliest relationships in life have determined later ones. This will help us make the changes that can lead to more meaningful and more fulfilling relationships.
Tara Blair Ball is a Certified Relationship Coach, as well as the author of several books on love and relationships. Her content on relationship and dating has been viewed more than 6 million times.
If You’re Looking for More….
You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
This week supporters will hear:
- Three Things Tara Blair Ball knows to be true.
- AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees.
Follow Up
Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin.
Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things
Take a look at Tara Blair Ball’s website
Read Emerson Eggerichs’ book Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs
Read Gary Chapman’s book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts
Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools
Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall
Monday May 19, 2025
Monday May 19, 2025
What does it mean to be truly seen and accepted in your sexuality? For those who identify as bisexual—or who experience sexual fluidity—the path to self-understanding and relational honesty can be filled with challenges, uncertainty, and social stigma.
This week, Andrew talks with DIANE HASSALL, a Relationship and Psychosexual Psychotherapist, about how we explore and express our sexual identities within intimate partnerships. Together, they consider how to stay true to yourself, even when your sexuality doesn’t conform to the narrow definitions the culture has offered you.
Andrew and Diane discuss:
⭐ What bisexuality and sexual fluidity really mean
⭐ How to have honest conversations with your partner about identity and attraction
⭐ The importance of curiosity and compassion when exploring new facets of yourself
Diane Hassall is an Accredited Member of the College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSRT) and the founder of the therapy practice, Your Time to Talk. She specialises in working with clients exploring gender, sexual, erotic and relationship diversity, and also trains and supervises other therapists in psychosexual and relationship work.
If You’re Looking for More…
You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
This week, supporters will hear:
⭐ The Importance of Sexual Fantasies
⭐ Three Things Diane Hassall Knows to Be True
⭐️AND access to all our previous bonus content—a rich archive of insight and inspiration.
Follow Up
Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin: Learn more here
Visit Diane Hassall’s therapy practice: yourtimetotalk.net
Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things
Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools
Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall
Monday May 12, 2025
Monday May 12, 2025
How can we learn to be at ease in our bodies so that we can be fully “in the moment” during sex? Anxiety about body image is one of the biggest obstacles to a happy, fulfilled sex life. Many people seek therapy to help them relax and enjoy sex with their partner, others struggle on in low-sex or no-sex relationships.
In this classic episode, Andrew talks to KATE MOYLE, a psychosexual and relationship therapist, about the knots we tie ourselves up in over how we look. Our culture’s esteem for youth and beauty, (expressed in social media images of physical perfection) can make it very hard to inhabit our normal, imperfect bodies. Yet the self-confidence we need to enjoy sex is grounded in how we feel, not how we look.
As well as her work as a therapist, Kate Moyle is host of The Sexual Wellness Sessions Podcast, and also appeared on BBC Three’s Sex on the Couch. Kate helps people to work through challenges in their sex lives and relationships; moving towards a place of sexual health, happiness and wellbeing. Her podcast hosts discussions that focus on normalising sex and relationships talk, and tackling the topics that are often left out of mainstream conversation; and she is a regular media contributor on the topic of sex and relationships.
If You’re Looking for More….
You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
This week supporters will hear:
- Three Things Kate Moyle knows to be true.
- AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees.
Follow Up
Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin.
Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things
Listen to Kate Moyle’s The Sexual Wellness Sessions Podcast
Take a look at Kate’s website
Follow Kate on Instagram @katemoyletherapy
Read Andrew’s book Have the Sex You Want: a Couple’s Guide to Getting the Spark Back
Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools https://courses.andrewgmarshall.com/relationship-tools
Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall
Monday May 05, 2025
Monday May 05, 2025
Society would grind to a halt without the work done by unpaid carers - yet they are too often left to feel invisible, unsupported and alone.
In this episode, Andrew talks to PENNY WINCER, the author of Tender: The Imperfect Art of Caring, about how to provide care for loved ones without burning out yourself.
Penny shares her deeply personal story of caring for her mother, who lived with mental illness, and later for her autistic son. She sheds light on the complexity of care—the beauty, the exhaustion, and the personal costs.
Andrew and Penny discuss:
- Asking for help
- Dealing with isolation
- How being a “young carer” can shape adult relationships
- The importance of self-compassion.
Penny Wincer is a Melbourne born, London dwelling, author and non-fiction writing coach. She has written for Red Magazine, iPaper, BBC Radio 4 and The Telegraph. Penny’s first book Tender was published by Coronet Books in 2020. Her second non-fiction book, Home Matters, was published in August 2024.
If You’re Looking for More…
You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions.
This week supporters will hear:
- Three Things Penny Wincer knows to be true.
- How to balance what YOU want to do with the pressures of life.
- Subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content—a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees.
Follow Up
Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin
Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things
Read Penny Wincer’s book Tender: The Imperfect Art of Caring, and her latest book, Home Matters
Follow Penny Wincer on Instagram @pennywincer
Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools
Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Monday Apr 28, 2025
When did you last learn to do something totally and utterly new? Tom Vanderbilt, author of Beginners: the Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning, was awestruck by his young daughter’s insatiable need to know how to do almost everything. He was inspired by her to embark on a year of learning purely for its own sake.
Tom had a truly unique year - a circuitous journey of learning, in which he attempted to learn chess, singing, surfing, drawing and juggling. These skills were chosen on the basis of difficulty and lack of marketability.
Tom found that his new sense of curiosity opened him up to a profound happiness and a deeper connection to the people around him. By reinventing himself in small ways, life began to seem more magical.
In this classic episode Andrew and Tom talk about just why it is that so many of us stop learning new skills as adults. While we’re encouraging our children to be adventurous and to try new things, are we ourselves afraid of failure? Have we forgotten the pleasure and rewards of starting from scratch?
If You’re Looking for More….
You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
This week supporters will hear:
- Three Things Tom Vanderbilt knows to be true.
- AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees.
Follow Up
Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin https://andrewgmarshall.com/mens-retreat/
Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things https://andrewgmarshall.com/download/
Learn more about Tom Vanderbilt’s book Beginners: the Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning
Follow Tom Vanderbilt on Instagram @tomvanderbilt
Andrew and Tom also discuss Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein.
Take a look at Andrew’s new online relationship course: My Best Relationship Tools https://courses.andrewgmarshall.com/relationship-tools
Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall
Monday Apr 21, 2025
Monday Apr 21, 2025
In a world that often rewards toughness and detachment, could empathy actually be a hidden superpower?
This week, Andrew speaks with psychiatrist and bestselling author Dr. Judith Orloff about how empathy can become one of the most powerful tools for healing, personal growth and connection.
Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and energy medicine, Judith explains how anyone can deepen their empathic abilities, protect themselves from burnout, and create stronger, more authentic relationships.
Andrew and Judith discuss:
⭐ What it really means to be an empath (and how to tell if you are one)
⭐ Strategies to prevent empathy overload
⭐ The importance of boundaries for empaths.
Dr. Judith Orloff is the New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Empathy and The Empath’s Survival Guide. Her upcoming children’s book The Highly Sensitive Rabbit, helps sensitive kids embrace their empathic gifts as a strength. Dr. Orloff is a psychiatrist, an empath and intuitive healer, and is on the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Faculty.
If You’re Looking for More…
You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50: Join here.
This week, supporters will hear:
⭐ What is Healthy Giving?
⭐ Three things Judith Orloff knows to be true
⭐️AND access to all our previous bonus content—a rich archive of insight and inspiration
Follow Up
Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin.
Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things
Read The Genius of Empathy: Practical Skills to Heal Your Sensitive Self, Your Relationships, and the World by Judith Orloff.
Preorder Judith Orloff’s new book for children, The Highly Sensitive Rabbit
Visit Judith Orloff’s website: www.drjudithorloff.com
Follow Judith Orloff on social media:
- Instagram: @judith.orloff.md
- Facebook: @DrJudithOrloff
- Twitter/X: @JudithOrloffMD
Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall
Monday Apr 14, 2025
Monday Apr 14, 2025
Today, the “four pale horsemen” of war, famine, pestilence and death have broken into our comfortable lives once again.
As the climate emergency and shortage become normalised, how do we live through crisis after crisis without falling into fear and anxiety on the one hand, or agitated reaction and rage on the other?
Do we face the horsemen, go into denial or settle for the dull throb of numbness? And how do we maintain contact with the heart, with soul, with love and compassion?
In this week's classic episode, Andrew speaks with award-winning poet, author and teacher William Ayot about:
⭐️The burdens men carry
⭐️The healing power of ritual
⭐️Male loneliness and how men’s groups help
⭐️Confronting shame and anger
As well as his writing and poetry, William Ayot leads workshops and seminars on personal development topics and creates and conducts private rituals and ceremonies. William is also the co-founding director of Olivier Mythodrama and worked around the world for ten years, teaching leadership through story, theatre practice and ritual. He founded NaCOT- The National Centre for the Oral Tradition, and hosts the poetry series On the Border.
If You’re Looking for More….
You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
This week supporters will hear:
- Creating a daily ritual for a deeper connection to life.
- Three Things William Ayot knows to be true.
- AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees.
Follow Up
Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin
Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things
Visit William Ayot’s website for information on bespoke rituals, poetry etc
Visit William Ayot and Juliet Grayson’s online library of poetry and talks on shame, men’s issues and relationships
Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Have you tried everything to fix your relationship, but nothing seems to work? Are you torn between staying and giving it one more try, or finally walking away?
This week, Andrew talks with renowned couples therapist MICHELE WEINER-DAVIS about how to navigate one of the hardest decisions in a relationship: When is it time to stop trying?
Michele is the creator of the “Divorce Busting” approach, which aims to empowers individual to make concrete, positive changes in their relationships—even when their partner isn’t on board. Her work is deeply hopeful, but she also understands that sometimes, despite our best efforts, it may be time to let go.
Together, Andrew and Michele explore:
- Coping with different levels of sexual desire in your relationship
- Why one partner often wants change more than the other
- Common differences in how men and women communicate
- Working together in therapy to make the "final call".
Michele Weiner-Davis is an internationally renowned relationship expert, best-selling author, marriage therapist, and professional speaker who specializes in helping people change their lives and improve important relationships. She is the author of eight books including Healing from Infidelity: The Divorce Busting Guide to Rebuilding Your Marriage After an Affair, and The Sex-Starved Marriage: A Couple's Guide to Boosting Their Marriage Libido. Michele’s work has also been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and on the BBC.
If You’re Looking for More….
You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
This week supporters will hear:
- How to Get Through to the Man You Love - Without Nagging.
- Three Things Michele Weiner-Davis knows to be true.
- AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees.
Follow Up
Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin
Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things
Visit Michele Weiner Davis’s website: Divorce Busting
Read some of Michele Weiner Davis’s books:
- Divorce Busting: A Revolutionary and Rapid Program for Staying Together
- Healing from Infidelity: The Divorce Busting Guide to Rebuilding Your Marriage After an Affair
- The Sex-Starved Marriage: Boosting Your Marriage Libido
Follow Michele Weiner Davis on social media:
- Facebook: Michele Weiner-Davis
- X (formerly Twitter): @DivorceBusting
Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall
Monday Mar 31, 2025
Monday Mar 31, 2025
Are you living a life you really believe in, or are you filling in time until your “real life” begins? Are you waiting on marriage, a better job, a new exercise regime or a beautiful house to create an authentic life?
Humans do need to have goals and plans, but it is also destructive to ignore those inner voices telling us what would bring us individual meaning.
In this classic episode, Andrew and PHILIP CARR-GOMM discuss how to start developing your authentic self right now, rather than endlessly kicking that important ball further down the road.
Philip Carr-Gomm is an expert in psychosynthesis, an “awe-inspiring territory that has the power to transform us”. He believes that something magical happens when the worlds of modern psychology and ancient spiritual teachings are brought together. Philip has studied Druidry extensively and from 1988-2020 was the leader of The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. He has a degree in Psychology and has trained in psychotherapy, play therapy, Montessori education, yoga nidra, mindfulness meditation and Sophrology. Philip recently created an online school, The Art of Living Well, to offer courses combining psychological and spiritual understanding.
If You’re Looking for More….
You can subscribe to The Meaningful Life (via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts) and hear a bonus mini-episode every week. Or you can join our Supporters Club on Patreon to also access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
This week supporters will hear:
- Three Things Philip Carr-Gomm knows to be true.
- AND subscribers also access all of our previous bonus content - a rich trove of insight on love, life and meaning created by Andrew and his interviewees.
Follow Up
Attend Andrew's new men's retreat, Reconnect With Yourself, this autumn in the Brandenberg countryside near Berlin https://andrewgmarshall.com/mens-retreat/
Get Andrew’s free guide to difficult conversations with your partner: How to Tell Your Partner Difficult Things https://andrewgmarshall.com/download/
Take a look at Philip Carr-Gomm’s website
Find out more about the courses offered at Philip’s online school, The Art of Living Well
Follow Philip on Instagram at @philipcarrgomm and on Facebook at @philip.carrgomm
Join our Supporters Club to access exclusive behind-the-scenes content, fan requests and the chance to ask Andrew your own questions. Membership starts at just £4.50.
Andrew offers regular advice on love, marriage and finding meaning in your life via his social channels. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube @andrewgmarshall