Starter Marriage

Starter Marriage

New York Times best-selling author and relationship coach, Allison Raskin, has spent the last few years researching what it really means to get married in today’s society. And now she is expanding her investigation with hands on experience as she navigates her first (and hopefully last) marriage with her husband and co-host, John Blakeslee. Pulling from the latest research, other couples and various experts, the duo will examine modern marriage from every angle including how it impacts the world on a societal level (think trad wives) and on the most personal (like losing a parent). Allison, a well-known mental health influencer, is used to sharing her life online, so opening up about the intimate details of her marriage to help others understand their own felt like a no-brainer. John, a former undercover CIA officer, who isn’t used to sharing his life so publicly, needed a little more convincing. But, hey, isn’t marriage all about compromise? For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com We wanna make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4 Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy

Episodes

July 7, 2025 70 mins
Being single isn't failure. For some, it's freedom. Social psychologist and author of Single At Heart, Bella DePaulo joins the show to dismantle the myth that marriage is life's ultimate goal, making the case that for many, the single life can be the most authentic path. And yes, couples might have something to learn from that. Then, John faces a tough choice: if Allison runs off to Quebec to chase her dream, does he follow her... ...
Mark as Played
John is concerned that having a baby will totally disrupt their marriage. Thank goodness the co-authors of Baby Bomb: A Relationship Survival Guide For New Parents were available to help Allison and John navigate this new chapter. Therapists Kara Hoppe, MFT and Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT, discuss how Allison and John can continue to take good care of each other despite the major changes babies bring. Also, were the Ratliffs happily mar...
Mark as Played
June 23, 2025 63 mins
So many couples focus on the story of how they got together as a testament to whether their marriage was "meant to be." In this episode, Allison and John describe all the ways their early relationship broke the mold of what to look for--from John being worried that Allison was unstable to Allison not wanting to have to get to know someone new after her broken engagement. But despite not having a traditionally romantic journey to th...
Mark as Played
Allison is culturally Jewish while John is a lapsed Catholic. What does this mean for the religious future of their child? Couples therapist, Genesis Games joins the show to help the couple navigate having an interfaith marriage. Is it possible to find a middle ground to raise a curious child rather than a religious one? Also, Allison confesses to being weary of Catholicism while John reveals he thinks consciousness is a construct,...
Mark as Played
June 9, 2025 63 mins
How do you navigate your partner’s mental health without losing yourself in the process? In this episode, Allison and John interview Sheva Rajaee, founder and director of The Center for Anxiety and OCD in Southern California. Sheva offers expert guidance on how couples can strike a balance between helping their partners and maintaining healthy boundaries. Allison talks candidly about her OCD’s  impact on their marriage, and John op...
Mark as Played
June 2, 2025 64 mins
Rain on your wedding day is supposed to mean good luck, but for Allison and John, it meant they were about to have the worst year of their lives. From John experiencing a life-changing set-back in his career, to Allison losing her beloved mother to a rare neurological disease, their time as newlyweds was anything but peaceful. But in the inaugural episode of the podcast, John and Allison dissect how this rough patch ultimately stre...
Mark as Played
May 19, 2025 1 min
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Mark as Played

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