We always enjoy talking with Craig Brannan (and not just because of his great accent!). He has done years of doctoral studies on shame – how it can start with childhood experiences and then show up in counterproductive ways in core long-term adult relationships. 

Craig references the work of Brene Brown during this episode.  Brene Brown has done years of research on shame and vulnerability, and her TED talk on the issue went viral (check it out here): 

https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

Visit her website (brenebrown.com) to understand the breadth of her work in this area. 

Craig mentions how valuable it can be to work through relationship problems with a counsellor. He references Sarah and Justin Piercy’s blog which is called United and Untied. Their insightful post on getting counselling proactively as a couple is here:

http://unitedanduntied.com/why-we-love-marriage-counselling/

Besides counselling, Craig also mentions books such as Love And Respect by Emmerson Eggerichs (loveandrespect.com) which is a New York Times bestseller and considered a marriage classic. The other one we mention is John Gottman’s book called The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work (www.gottman.com). 

Lastly, Craig mentions Stan Tatkin’s book Wired for Love (sorry, we mistakenly refer to it as Wired for Intimacy in the episode). This book is a fascinating exploration of how understanding our partners’ attachment style can improve your relationship. You can find it here: 

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1608820580/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XtFpEbWFADN8P

We hope Craig Brannan’s insights into shame and its impacts will help you and your partner move forward in your relationship!