Does your marriage ever feel more like a business partnership than a friendship? In Episode 16 of The Vibrant Marriage Podcast, licensed therapist and relationship coach Rachel Engels unpacks why the slow drift toward the "roommate dynamic" is so common — and what you can do about it without it feeling like a massive overhaul.

Rachel explores four reasons couples lose closeness over time, including the neuroscience of dopamine and oxytocin, the survival-mode trap, the often-unequal burden of relationship maintenance, and the fear of vulnerability. Then she offers four practical, low-stakes ways to start rebuilding friendship and fun in your marriage this week.

When the news cycle feels overwhelming, it doesn't just affect your mood — it affects your marriage. In this solo episode, Rachel breaks down why you and your spouse may cope with current events very differently, what emotional dysregulation actually looks like in your relationship, and practical tools to help you stay close even when the world feels chaotic.