Family Meeting
Psychology & Relationships
About
The Family Meeting Podcast is a podcast all about family relationships. Our goal is to help you have the family dynamic that you have always wanted. Thomas and Lysandra invite you to be a part of their family. They pull back the curtain on their family life to share practical tips and advice on everything from marriage, parenting, sex, and everything in between. For helpful posts, videos, podcast show notes, or to book them to speak at your next event, go to www.familymeeting.org.
Episodes
- FMP 297: Why Family Meetings End in Tears or Anger
Why do so many family meetings start with good intentions… but end in tears, anger, or emotional shutdown? Many parents want open communication with their kids, but without emotional safety, healthy structure, and wise communication, famil…
- FMP 296: The Unspoken Expectations That Create Resentment In Marriage
"I shouldn't have to ask." "If they really loved me, they would just know." "I do everything, and they do nothing." These are often signs "secret contracts", unspoken, unagreed-upon expectations we place on our spouse that quietly create f…
- FMP 295: How to Help Your Child If They Question Their Gender
What do you do when your child begins questioning their gender? For many parents, this can feel emotional, confusing, and overwhelming. You want to respond with both truth and compassion, but knowing how to navigate the conversation wisely…
- FMP 294: How Unhealthy Boundaries Are Ruining Your Family
Do you constantly feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or stretched too thin? For many families, the problem isn't just a busy schedule, it's poor boundaries. When you say yes to everything, carry responsibilities that aren't yours, or n…
- FMP 293: How to Prepare Your Kids for a Healthy Marriage
You're not just raising kids for today, you're raising someone's future spouse. In Episode 293 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra talk about how to raise children who grow up to be great husbands and wives. The habits, atti…
- FMP 292: Shared Financial Goals in Marriage
Money isn't just a financial issue in marriage. It's a unity issue. In Episode 292 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra talk about the importance of creating shared financial goals, and why so many couples struggle to get on…
- FMP 291: Should Kids Follow Their Heart?
"Follow your heart." It sounds inspiring, but is it actually wise? In Episode 291 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra tackle a popular cultural message and ask a deeper question: Should we really teach our kids to follow the…
- FMP 290: What to Do If You Want More Sex in Your Marriage
What do you do when you want more sex in your marriage… and your spouse doesn't? In Episode 290 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra address one of the most common and often unspoken challenges in marriage: desire mismatch. W…
- FMP 289: Discipline That Works
Tired of repeating yourself, raising your voice, or wondering if your discipline is actually working? In Episode 289 of The Family Meeting Podcast, we break down the heart, principles, and practical strategies behind our book Discipline Th…
- FMP 288: Compassion Fatigue In Marriage
What happens when you want to care… but you feel like you have nothing left to give? In Episode 288 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra talk about compassion fatigue in marriage, that place where emotional exhaustion replace…
- FMP 287: Helping Your Child Be Who God Created Them to Be
Do you ever feel the pressure to fix, shape, or polish every part of your child's personality? In Episode 287 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore what it means to allow your child to be who God created them to be, ev…
- FMP 286: Emotional Infidelity
Not all affairs are physical. Some begin quietly through conversations, emotional dependency, or unmet needs that slowly shift intimacy outside the marriage. In Episode 286 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra discuss emotion…
- FMP 285: Why Your Family Needs a Weekly Sabbath
What if one day a week could transform your family? In today's busy culture, families rarely slow down long enough to rest, reconnect, and refocus on what matters most. Work, activities, and endless schedules quietly push relationships and…
- FMP 284: Self-Awareness In Marriage
Most marriage conflicts aren't caused by bad intentions. They're caused by blind spots. In Episode 284 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore the power of self-awareness in marriage, what it is, why it matters, and how…
- FMP 283: Preparing Your Kids for Real-Life Situations
You can't protect your kids from every situation. But you can prepare them. In Episode 283 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra share real-life experiences, including a moment when a stranger approached the car and a situatio…
- FMP 282: Sexual Baggage in Marriage
Every marriage brings a past into the present. For many couples, that past includes experiences, expectations, wounds, or shame that quietly affect intimacy and connection today. When sexual baggage goes unspoken, it can create distance, i…
- FMP 281: Helping Your Kids Handle Rejection
Few things hurt parents more than watching their child feel left out or rejected by friends. In Episode 281 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra talk about how to help your kids navigate one-sided friendships, disappointment,…
- FMP 280: Is Clutter Creating Chaos In Your Relationship?
Ever notice how clutter seems to bother one spouse way more than the other? It's not just personality, it may be biology. In Episode 280 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore research showing that household clutter can…
- FMP 279: Help! My Kids Fight All The Time!
If you feel like a referee in your own home, you're not alone. In Episode 279 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra tackle one of the most common parenting challenges: kids who fight all the time. From constant arguing to phys…
- FMP 278: The Daily Debrief: A 20-Minute Habit That Will Change Your Marriage
What if 20 minutes a day could change the direction of your marriage? In Episode 278 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra introduce the Daily Debrief, a simple, intentional conversation that helps couples process the day, rel…
- FMP 277: Why Chores Help Your Children Succeed in the Future
What if the path to your child's future success starts with taking out the trash? In Episode 277 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore why chores play a critical role in helping children succeed professionally later in…
- FMP 276: Why Worry Is Wrecking Your Marriage
What if most of what you worry about in your marriage never actually happens? A study cited by Cornell University found that 85% of the things people worry about never happen. And of the remaining 15% that do, nearly 80% of people say the…
- FMP 275: What Makes Family Fun, Hard, and Worth It
Family life is beautiful, complicated, loud, messy, and absolutely worth it. In Episode 275 of The Family Meeting Podcast, the Osterkamp girls take over the mic to share their honest perspective on what makes family fun, difficult, and imp…
- FMP 274: Making Christmas Super Special
The moments your family remembers most aren't always the gifts, they're the experiences you share together. In Episode 274 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra talk about how to make Christmas super special using games. From…
- FMP 273: Sex Struggles Married Couples Face
Sex is one of the most sensitive, and misunderstood, areas of marriage. When intimacy struggles go unspoken, couples often feel alone, ashamed, or disconnected. In Episode 273 of The Family Meeting Podcast, we talk honestly about the real…
- FMP 272: How to Get Your Kids to Listen Without Raising Your Voice
If the only way your kids listen is when you yell… something's not working. The good news? It can change. In Episode 272 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra break down how to get your kids to listen without raising your voic…
- FMP 271: Loving Through Chronic Illness Part 2
Chronic illness doesn't just affect the person who lives with it, it affects the marriage, the home, the daily rhythms, and the emotional world of both spouses. In Episode 271 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra open an hone…
- FMP 270: Loving Through Chronic Illness
Chronic illness doesn't just affect the person who lives with it, it affects the marriage, the home, the daily rhythms, and the emotional world of both spouses. In Episode 270 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra open an hone…
- FMP 269: Family Vacation in the Florida Keys
Sunshine, snorkeling, and saving money, this episode has it all! In Episode 269 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra share their family's recent vacation to the Florida Keys, from the planning process to the priceless moments…
- FMP 268: Parenting Kids in a Culture of Bed Rot
Scrolling in bed for hours. Avoiding responsibility. Calling it "self-care." Welcome to the culture of bed rot, where rest has turned into withdrawal, and comfort has replaced purpose. In Episode 268 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas a…
- FMP 267: Are You A Responsive Spouse?
Your marriage is only as strong as your level of responsiveness. In Episode 267 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore the power of being a responsive spouse, emotionally, verbally, and physically. From laughter and lis…
- FMP 266: Making God Conversations Natural in Everyday Parenting
Faith isn't meant to live only in church, it's meant to live in your home. In Episode 266 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra share how to make talking about God a natural part of parenting. Instead of awkward, forced conver…
- FMP 265: More Play: The Importance of After-Sex Care
Great intimacy doesn't end when sex does. In Episode 265 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra dive into the importance of after-sex care, what happens in the minutes and hours after intimacy. Too often, couples miss this vita…
- FMP 264: Why Playing Pretend With Your Kids Is Vital
It might look like simple fun, but pretend play is one of the most powerful tools for your child's early development. In Episode 264 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore why playing pretend with your kids isn't just s…
- FMP 263: How Coming from a Divorced Home Affects Your Marriage
The family you come from shapes the family you build. In Episode 263 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore how growing up in a divorced home affects your marriage. From trust issues to conflict styles to fears of aband…
- FMP 262: Families Staying Strong in the Midst of Foster Care
Foster care is one of the most beautiful and challenging callings a family can walk through. It stretches your faith, tests your patience, and sometimes leaves you feeling overwhelmed, but it also reflects the very heart of God, who welcom…
- FMP 261: Emotional Maturity vs. Emotional Integrity Part 2
Emotions are a gift from God, but how we express them can either build up or tear down. In Episode 261 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore the difference between emotional maturity (controlling and managing emotions)…
- FMP 260: Emotional Maturity vs. Emotional Integrity Part 1
Emotions are a gift from God, but how we express them can either build up or tear down. In Episode 260 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra explore the difference between emotional maturity (controlling and managing emotions)…
- FMP 259: Dropping Your Kid Off at College
Few parenting moments feel as bittersweet as dropping your child off at college. It's the moment years of raising, guiding, and praying culminate in a new season of independence, not just for your child, but for you as a parent. In Episode…
- FMP 258: External Marriage Threats
Sometimes the greatest dangers to your marriage don't come from within, but from outside influences trying to pull you apart. In Episode 258 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra discuss the external threats that can slowly we…
- FMP 257: Internal Marriage Threats
Most marriages don't fall apart because of outside pressure. They weaken from the inside. In Episode 257 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra unpack the internal marriage threats that quietly erode love, trust, and unity. Lef…
- FMP 256: Loving Your Child Enough to Say No: Boundaries, Discipline, and Biblical Parenting
Saying "yes" feels easier in the moment, but real love is strong enough to say "no." In Episode 256 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra talk about why loving your child sometimes means setting limits, holding boundaries, and…
- FMP 255: Sleeping With The Enemy
Sex is meant to connect, not divide. In Episode 255 of The Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra tackle a difficult but crucial topic: what happens when physical intimacy in marriage feels disconnected, obligatory, or even adversaria…
- FMP 254: How Parental Hypocrisy Undermines Your Influence
Your kids are watching, and they see more than you think they do! In episode 254 of the Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra confront a hard but necessary truth: parental hypocrisy destroys credibility. When our actions don't line u…
- FMP 253: Can Your Spouse Tell You the Truth?
Can your spouse tell you anything, without fear of defensiveness, dismissal, or drama? In episode 253 of the Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra tackle a powerful questions every couple needs to ask: "Am I safe to speak to?" Using…
- FMP 252: 5 Signs You're a Lawnmower Parent
Are you clearing every obstacle from your child's path... and accidentally stunting their growth? In episode 252 of the Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra break down the 5 signs that you might be a lawnmower parent, someone who st…
- FMP 251: 6 Ways To Be Your Spouse's Biggest Fan
Behind every confident spouse is someone who believed in them when it mattered most. In episode 251 of the Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra talk about what it means to your your spouse's biggest fan, in private, in public, and i…
- FMP 250: What You Should Never Say to Your Kids
Your words shape your child's world—more than you know. In this special milestone 250th episode of the Family Meeting Podcast, the four Osterkamp girls take over the mics to talk about what you should never say to your children. We're shar…
- FMP 249: Breaking the Cycle: How to Stop Generational Patterns and Build a New Legacy
You don't have to repeat what was handed to you. In episode 249 of the Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra open up about the power—and responsibility—of breaking generational cycles in your family. Whether it's anger, addiction, em…
- FMP 248: How to Speak the Truth with Love: Say What You Mean Without Being Mean
Words build homes—or break them. In episode 248 of the Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra dive into a vital communication principle every Christian family needs to master: Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it in…