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Parenthood and maintaining a healthy relationship are ambitious endeavors. Being fully aware, you armed yourself with all the latest books, articles, podcasts, and resources, committed to being present and strong for your family. Yet, despite embracing every piece of advice and strategy in your search for reassurance, there are times you find yourself wondering why the harmony, connection, and closeness you envisioned seem out of reach. If this rings true, let me tell you: it’s not you! It’s what they didn’t tell you. The parenting guidance and strategies we read online lack depth. They hardly ever address the transition into parenthood and the profound impact this has on our identity, partnerships, and ability to show up as the parent we wish to be for our children. But guess what? We’re about to turn that around. Hi there, I’m Markella Kaplani. A clinical-counseling psychologist, a parenthood and relationship Coach, a matrescence coach and facilitator, a former special educator, and a parent myself. In my 15+ years in counseling and coaching, I know this to be true: once a parent is truly supported, not only through being given techniques to overcome parenting challenges, but on a personal and relational level, then the entire family can thrive. So, welcome to the Parenthood and Relationship Podcast! Here, we learn to grow individually, normalizing and validating the processes of matrescence and patrescence (i.e. struggling with identity, mom guilt, dad guilt, postpartum rage, work-life balance, etc). We also grow together by unraveling how parenthood affects marriage and what stands in the way of following the actionable parenting strategies that we know are helpful. So, if you’re feeling ready, let me hold your hand while we tackle intriguing, yet difficult topics, with compassion and curiosity. Interested to know more? - Reach out via email at info@markellakaplani.com with your questions, and - Visit www.markellakaplani.com to access FREE resources and check out ways to work with me personally. Let’s do this! --- 🔎 Is Parenthood Making or Breaking Your Relationship? FIND OUT NOW! https://www.markellakaplani.com/couplesquiz 🖥 Reconcile the ’old’ identity with the ’new’ Grab your FREE Matrescence Mini-Course https://www.markellakaplani.com/videoseries 👥 Join our Circle: www.facebook.com/groups/parenthoodandrelationship/ 🤝 Would you like a more personalized touch? I can offer Parenthood and Relationship Coaching. info@markellakaplani.com www.markellakaplani.com Book an introductory session to explore our chemistry and whether I am the right fit for you: http://tidycal.com/markellakaplani/intro-session
Episodes
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Sunday Dec 14, 2025
Holidays are supposed to bring us closer… but if I’m honest, for a lot of couples, they do the opposite. They quietly surface tension, resentment, and those unspoken power dynamics no one wants to name.
Have you ever paused mid-holiday chaos and thought, wait… whose holiday is this really?
Whose traditions are being centered?
Whose are politely tolerated?
And what happens when the family traditions we grew up with no longer fit who we’ve become, especially after kids?
That question is what led me to record this episode of The Parenthood and Relationship Podcast.
In it, I talk about family traditions after kids and why they can suddenly become such a sensitive issue in relationships.
Using psychology, family systems work, and real stories from couples I work with, I invite you to rethink holidays not as sacred rules you have to follow, but as living rituals you get to shape together.
We talk about holiday traditions conflict, cultural invisibility, and those unexamined “this is how it’s always done” norms that carry a lot more weight than we realize.
We also look at mental load during the holidays, and why some traditions feel grounding and comforting, while others quietly leave one partner feeling unseen or pressured.
You’ll hear how couples navigate interfaith relationships, intercultural differences, and intergenerational expectations, and how shifting from obligation to intention can genuinely reduce stress and strengthen connection, not just during the holidays, but in the relationship overall.
This isn’t about creating a perfect multicultural celebration or doing more. It’s about designing family rituals that feel like home for everyone in the family.
In this episode, we explore:
- Why inherited holiday traditions can create tension after parenthood
- How cultural dominance and invisibility affect couple relationships
- The psychology of family rituals, bonding, and stress regulation
- How co-creating traditions supports belonging, identity, and couple connection
If you’re juggling different family backgrounds, feeling pressure to “make everyone happy,” or noticing resentment creep in every holiday season, this episode offers insight and practical, grounded steps, without guilt, perfectionism, or performing the holidays “right.”
Think of it as a gentle reset. One that asks:
What would it look like if our holidays actually reflected who we are now?
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Full Transcript HERE.
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Your support means the world!
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Markella Kaplani, M.A.
Clinical-Counseling Psychologist
Parenthood & Relationship Coach
www.markellakaplani.com
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