The Growth Gap: Reading the Signals in Your Marriage with Emily Reuschel
Mon Feb 02 2026
I recently sat down with Emily Reuschel on her Wild and Waking podcast to talk about something I call the growth gap. What happens when one partner outpaces the other in personal development work?
It was such a great conversation that I wanted to share it here with you too, because this is such a common pattern I see with my clients. Here's the thing: you've been reading all the books, listening to podcasts just like this one, doing all the inner work - because of course you have, and maybe your partner chooses to evolve differently than you.
And that gap, that difference in growth pace and in growth focus, can feel incredibly isolating and frustrating. But what if I told you that the growth gap isn't the actual problem? What if the real issue is what you're doing with that gap?
Emily and I dive deep into why personal growth can actually create more tension in your relationship at first, and then what to do about it. The counterintuitive truth about why your partner's lack of interest in therapy or coaching or a workshop might not be the deal breaker that you think it is. How to stop turning your relationship into a project you're trying to fix. The power of leading from your side of the street without carrying the whole emotional load.
This is one of those episodes where you really want to grab your journal and maybe listen to it once and then go back and take notes because we're going to be practical, we're going to be strategic, and of course we're going to be soulful and have fun all at the same time.
✨ Episode at a Glance
What the growth gap is and why it happens when one partner evolves and the other resists change
The "Power of One" framework and how one person's transformation can shift the entire relationship
Why the mindset of "I go first" changes everything
The difference between your partner being scared vs. thinking growth is dumb (and why it matters)
How to communicate your insights without triggering defensiveness
Why asking for consent before sharing what you learned is essential
The concept of do-overs and how one client's family transformed it into "rewinds"
How men and women process differently (and why understanding this helps)
When to adjust your expectations vs. when it's time to call it
Why quality matters more than length in relationships
RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
The Questions for Couples Journal
Private Coaching with Maggie
Free Workshop: The Growth Gap
Marriage Mindset Makeover
Emily Reuschel's website
Listen to Ep 172 on Wild & Waking with Emily Reuschel and Maggie
Follow Emily in Instagram @emilyreuschel
More
I recently sat down with Emily Reuschel on her Wild and Waking podcast to talk about something I call the growth gap. What happens when one partner outpaces the other in personal development work? It was such a great conversation that I wanted to share it here with you too, because this is such a common pattern I see with my clients. Here's the thing: you've been reading all the books, listening to podcasts just like this one, doing all the inner work - because of course you have, and maybe your partner chooses to evolve differently than you. And that gap, that difference in growth pace and in growth focus, can feel incredibly isolating and frustrating. But what if I told you that the growth gap isn't the actual problem? What if the real issue is what you're doing with that gap? Emily and I dive deep into why personal growth can actually create more tension in your relationship at first, and then what to do about it. The counterintuitive truth about why your partner's lack of interest in therapy or coaching or a workshop might not be the deal breaker that you think it is. How to stop turning your relationship into a project you're trying to fix. The power of leading from your side of the street without carrying the whole emotional load. This is one of those episodes where you really want to grab your journal and maybe listen to it once and then go back and take notes because we're going to be practical, we're going to be strategic, and of course we're going to be soulful and have fun all at the same time. ✨ Episode at a Glance What the growth gap is and why it happens when one partner evolves and the other resists change The "Power of One" framework and how one person's transformation can shift the entire relationship Why the mindset of "I go first" changes everything The difference between your partner being scared vs. thinking growth is dumb (and why it matters) How to communicate your insights without triggering defensiveness Why asking for consent before sharing what you learned is essential The concept of do-overs and how one client's family transformed it into "rewinds" How men and women process differently (and why understanding this helps) When to adjust your expectations vs. when it's time to call it Why quality matters more than length in relationships RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: The Questions for Couples Journal Private Coaching with Maggie Free Workshop: The Growth Gap Marriage Mindset Makeover Emily Reuschel's website Listen to Ep 172 on Wild & Waking with Emily Reuschel and Maggie Follow Emily in Instagram @emilyreuschel