In this episode of Getting Open, married couple Allison Raskin (author, mental health advocate) and John Blakeslee (former CIA officer, screenwriter) join Andrea Miller to talk about marriage, mental health, faith differences, and identity crises. From CIA secrets to financial struggles, and fertility to therapy, their candor offers powerful insights into modern love.

Chapters:
00:00 - Coming up: Marriage fights, financial stress, mixed faith dynamics & CIA surprises
02:00 - Meet the guests: Allison Raskin & John Blakeslee
04:39 - Launching their new podcast 'Starter Marriage'
06:18 - The power of direct communication in marriage
12:17 - How to bring up hard conversations lovingly
21:47 - Why premarital counseling changed their foundation
33:47 - Interfaith marriage challenges & raising kids without religious pressure
44:04 - Their biggest challenge: financial insecurity and shifting careers
52:59 - Grief, composting, and creative transformation
55:23 - Why their first year of marriage was the hardest
59:03 - How often do they fight?
01:03:14 - Resolving conflict through questions
01:08:12 - CIA questions: are you a spy? life undercover, real vs. fiction
01:14:41 - It doesn’t need to last forever to be meaningful

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“Getting Open w/ Andrea Miller” is a new podcast aimed at helping people truly open up to one another and to themselves by digging into hard truths and varying perspectives. We offer expert-approved relationship advice to help you grow emotionally through sharing compelling stories, vulnerable discussions, and personal insights we hope will spark inspiration.

Subscribe to YourTango’s Youtube channel to make sure you catch new episodes of “Getting Open with Andrea Miller” Tuesdays at 3 PM ET. You can also listen anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.

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Do you have a relationship issue or topic you’d like to discuss?
Would you be interested in talking to our audience?
Email us at gettingopen@yourtango.com

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#marriageadvice #modernlove #couplestherapy

marriage podcast, mixed religion relationship, interfaith marriage struggles, financial stress in marriage, OCD in relationships, premarital counseling, emotional safety in couples, relationship conflict resolution, curiosity in marriage, CIA real life stories, identity loss, mental health in marriage, modern marriage dynamics, relationship communication tips, starter marriage podcast, Allison Raskin John Blakeslee

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