In this eye-opening episode of Honey, We Need to Chat, Amy and Blair dive deep into the other side of the mental load conversation, exploring what it might feel like to be the partner on the receiving end, from real life stories.

Are they really ignoring the invisible labour… or just overwhelmed in their own way?

Featuring real Reddit stories and brutally honest forum comments, this episode unpacks emotional labour, communication breakdowns, unspoken contracts, resentment, parenting stress, and gender dynamics in relationships.
Whether you're the one carrying the mental load or the one being asked to step up, this episode will stretch your understanding and help you navigate these tensions with more curiosity, compassion, and clarity.

📌 Topics Covered:
• What is mental load, really?
• Why your partner might shut down or seem defensive
• The myth of 50/50 mental labour
• “Optional martyrdom” and emotional overfunctioning
• How to build mental load literacy in your relationship

🔁 Don’t forget to listen to our original episode on Mental Load for foundational context!

➡️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book a Free Clarity Session with Amy! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

📺 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📥 Get free tools + coaching support: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠honeyweneedtochat.com⁠⁠

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You finally brought up the mental load. You found the words. You mustered the courage. And then… nothing. Maybe they shut down. Maybe they pushed back. Maybe the conversation just fell flat.

In this powerful follow-up to our original Mental Load episode, we unpack what happens when that invisible labour finally gets named, but the conversation doesn’t land.

Whether you're met with defensiveness, silence, or a flat-out dismissal, this episode walks you through what to do when your partner isn’t ready to engage.

We cover:

• What mental load really is (and how it differs from task load)

• Why your partner might resist or shut down the conversation

• How to zoom out and see the bigger system at play

• Practical tools to move forward—even if you're carrying it alone for now

This isn’t about blame. It’s about building bridges, one small shift at a time. If you’ve ever said “I’ve tried to talk about it… but nothing changes,” this one’s for you.

➡️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Book a Free Clarity Session with Amy! ⁠⁠⁠⁠

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

📺 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📥 Get free tools + coaching support: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠honeyweneedtochat.com⁠⁠

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What’s the feeling you can’t even name, let alone share?

In this episode of Honey, We Need to Chat, we’re diving deep into the emotional undercurrents that silently shape our reactions, create disconnection, and quietly erode intimacy.

We explore the concept of unbearable feelings, those overwhelming emotions like shame, hyper-responsibility, fear of being too much or not enough, and how they manifest in relationships through bottling, numbing, stonewalling, over-functioning, and explosive reactions.

We get raw about their own patterns, childhood roots, and the real-life impact these invisible feelings have on communication, parenting, and connection.

With practical questions, examples, and a free downloadable resource to help you identify your own hidden emotional drivers, this is an episode you’ll want to reflect on, revisit, and share with your partner.

🎧 Whether you’re curious about emotional intimacy, want to communicate better, or just feel stuck in unhealthy patterns, this conversation will give you tools and language to move forward- together.

➡️ ⁠⁠⁠Book a Free Clarity Session with Amy! ⁠⁠⁠

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

📺 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠

📥 Get free tools + coaching support: ⁠⁠⁠⁠honeyweneedtochat.com⁠⁠

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