We’re talking about healthy relationships on this episode of Back Doc Talk.
What does that have to do with back and spine health? A lot. 
With power couple and relationship coaches Jocelyn and Aaron Freeman at the helm, this episode examines how back and spine issues can affect your relationship and vice versa. 
Physical pain influences how we feel and how we interact with others, and developing a conscious awareness about how that affects our loved ones is critical.
Aaron dissects the difference between pain and suffering, while Jocelyn explains the importance of setting expectations. 
A sudden injury can change your life considerably, and dealing with the pain can feel like a burden to a partner. One way to address this is by more clearly defining roles and responsibilities when a family member is dealing with pain. This helps ensure there’s a discussion around expectations and to avoid leaving family members disappointed. 
Helping a partner who is managing pain is a balancing act — one that can be strengthened by better understanding how your partner communicates. No one is a mind reader! 
Tune in to this episode to discover how you can improve communication about back pain and prevent spine issues and injuries from wreaking havoc on your relationship.
 
? Featured Experts ?Name: Aaron and Jocelyn Freeman 
What they do: Aaron and Jocelyn are a power couple in the relationship world, helping couples navigate the highs and lows of married life. Through their sold-out events all over Arizona, their book, and coaching classes, Aaron and Jocelyn are in the business of healthy relationships. They are the founders of the https://www.meetthefreemans.com/empowered-couples-university (Empowered Couples University), which helps couples harness important communication skills and invest in their relationship. 
Company: https://www.meetthefreemans.com (Meet the Freemans) 
Words of wisdom: “[T]he place to really start to make a differentiation here, between the impact on the person that has the ailment, and is actually in physical pain versus the spouse. It is the difference...between pain being of the body and suffering being of the mind.” 
Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-and-jocelyn-freeman-bab8ab21/ (LinkedIn) | https://www.facebook.com/MeetTheFreemansAuthors/ (Facebook) | https://www.meetthefreemans.com/empowered-couples-podcast (Podcast)
 
⚓ Anchor Points ⚓Top takeaways from this Back Talk Doc episode 
★    Open communication is your greatest tool. To prevent pain from creating havoc on your relationship, open and honest communication is essential for couples. This applies directly to how spouses and partners deal with their loved ones being in pain. How to navigate that is critically important, not only for suffering but for support.
★    Understanding you and your partner’s personality type is crucial. Whether you are a reserved or assertive communicator will affect how you handle a challenge — like pain in your relationship. Knowing whether you need to ask more questions (or fewer!) can be critical in navigating pain management and care of a loved one. Jocelyn and Aaron developed a quiz to determine your personality type. Take it at http://mycouplesquiz.com (mycouplesquiz.com). 
★    ‘Depositing’ thanks and ‘withdrawing’ energy. Using a bank account as a metaphor to describe the transfer of energy and emotions between couples is a useful way to think about pain and stress. When you’re the one in pain, “depositing” gratitude into your partner’s bank account can greatly help your recovery process. On the other hand. “withdrawing” too much of their energy can cause resentment. Balancing this and understanding you’re not a burden is a hard lesson to learn, but an important one.
 
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