Shownotes
Episode takeaways:
Holding the Fort Abroad — real stories, practical tools, emotional support
Series description
A podcast series for the partner managing life at home while their spouse/partner travels for work. Based on my Holding the Fort Abroad book.
If you are the one away or anyone supporting families where one parent works away, this episode is a must listen to understand what a holding the fort parent is going through. .
If you are carrying the parenting load, emotional load, decision fatigue or feeling alone in your relationship, each episode shares a short reading from my book Holding the Fort Abroad, some behind the scenes, and practical ways to feel more supported and less alone.
Episode 3: Strengthening Long Distance Relationships (LDR): Building a Joint Life Beyond Logistics
What is going on?
LDR is a big topic
- Effects of distance on the couple relationship
- Coming back together again and leaving well
- Conflict and Repair
- Different media to communicate
- Technology for connection and intimacy
- Trust
- Different couple stages: new couples, long term couples, with children, with no children, how many times you see each other, how far apart you are
- Timezones
- Benefits/Reasons
A lot of generic advice on social media
Three main points:
1. Create a Joint Life
- Book Excerpt: Chapter 3 pp63-67
- Work on a Project together
- Make Plans
- Share daily trivia
2. More than logistics
- Book Excerpt: Chapter 3 pp73-77
- Share an activity
- Play!
- What do you talk about?
- What kind of couple are you?
- Write letters
3. Know yourself and know your partner
Resource Centre link
If you want to go deeper and find out more, you can find more tip sheets and workshops in my Resource Centre Apart But Together: Resources for Split Location Families
Reflection prompts
- What currently makes us feel like a team rather than two people managing separate lives?
- What is something new we could build together even while apart?
- When was the last time we had a conversation that was not about calendars, children, travel, finances, or problems to solve?
- Under stress, do I tend to pursue connection, withdraw, become controlling, over-function, or shut down?
If you want the full list of questions, you can download it here.
In the next episode
Chapter 4: ‘When Storms Come’
Further resources
HTFA Podcast Episodes:
