Staying Married Is the Hardest Part: Infidelity, Empathy, and the Glue That Holds Us Together

What does it really take to make a long-term marriage work and why do so many couples struggle to stay connected over time? In this episode, I sit down with psychologist and author Dr. Bonnie Comfort to explore the hard truths and hopeful tools behind enduring love. With over 30 years of experience working with couples, Dr. Comfort offers a candid look into the complexities of modern marriage, the emotional minefield of infidelity, and why empathy, not perfection, is the real glue that holds relationships together. We talk about the cultural conditioning that encourages women to be overly pleasing, the evolving power dynamics in long-term relationships, and how to navigate the inevitable incompatibilities that arise between two people over time. Dr. Comfort's latest book, Staying Married Is the Hardest Part, is a compassionate, unflinching exploration of what it means to choose each other over and over again, even when it's not easy. In this conversation, we explore: - The infidelity trap and what it reveals about a relationship - The "glue" that helps couples weather storms and stay committed - The surprising risks inherent in couples' therapy - How empathy becomes a sustaining force in long-term love - Why cultural messaging still trains women to please at their own expense - How to make peace with the inevitable incompatibilities in marriage - The shifting power dynamics that unfold over decades together Meet Dr. Bonnie Comfort: Dr. Bonnie Comfort is a clinical psychologist, author, and expert in marital therapy. She holds an MSW from the University of Manitoba and a PhD from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in Los Angeles. Her psychological thriller Denial was published in seven countries and translated into four languages. Her newest book, Staying Married Is the Hardest Part, offers a raw, honest take on the emotional and psychological complexities of committed relationships. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her long-time partner. Connect with Dr. Bonnie Comfort: Website: Instagram: @bonniecomfortauthor Facebook: Bonnie Comfort LinkedIn: Bonnie Comfort Buy her book Staying Married Is the Hardest Part: here Pre-order my book Stronger In The Difficult Places: drzoeshaw.com/book Free Downloads: Download the Steps to Healing from Complex Shame™ PDF : here Get the First Chapter of Stronger in the Difficult Places: here Connect with me: Dr. Zoe Shaw on Instagram Dr. Zoe Shaw on Facebook Dr. Zoe Shaw Website

You can listen to Staying Married Is the Hardest Part: Infidelity, Empathy, and the Glue That Holds Us Together online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Staying Married Is the Hardest Part: Infidelity, Empathy, and the Glue That Holds Us Together is an episode from Stronger in the Difficult Places by Dr. Zoe Shaw.

This episode is 31:58 long.

This episode was published on Aug 2, 2025.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Stronger in the Difficult Places when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.