Do you ever feel stuck in the same cycle of conflict with your partner?
Are you exhausted from having the same argument over and over and feeling lonely with the person you love?
You don’t have to stay stuck in the same cycle. Every couple experiences conflict. But when the same arguments keep happening, it can leave both partners feeling frustrated, misunderstood, and unsure how to find their way back to each other.
Join other couples for Unstuck, a four-week group where you’ll learn practical skills to navigate shame, fear, hurt, and sadness in your own marriage relationship.
You may recognize some of these struggles:
Having the same argument over and over without feeling like anything changes.
Wanting your partner to understand you, but finding yourself blaming, defending, or shutting down.
Feeling hurt or alone while struggling to explain what’s happening inside you.
Watching a small disagreement turn into distance, tension, or a much bigger conflict.
Wanting to repair after an argument but not knowing where to begin.
Living under the silent rule of “don’t rock the boat” or walking on eggshells. Trading authentic passion for polite, functional survival.
These patterns can be painful, but you can learn to find connection in the midst of these patterns. You will learn to recognize what happens inside each of you, and between you, so you can learn to respond differently.
Understand Your Cycle. Learn New Skills. Reconnect.
Unstuck offers couples an opportunity to slow down, recognize the patterns that keep them feeling disconnected, and practice a different way of responding to each other.
Together, you’ll have the opportunity to:
+ Identify and express the feelings and needs underneath your reactions.
+ Recognize the cycle you and your partner get caught in during conflict.
+ Understand how defensiveness, blame, withdrawal, and other protective responses affect your connection.
+ Listen to your partner with curiosity, even when you see things differently.
+ Take responsibility for your part in an interaction without taking responsibility for everything.
+ Practice ways to repair after conflict and find your way back to connection.
What to Expect Each Week
Each two-hour gathering includes three parts:
Learn: Your facilitators introduce a practical skill or relationship concept.
Observe: A volunteer couple works with the therapists through a real-life example while the other couples observe and learn. This is volunteer only! You won’t be asked to talk about anything you aren’t comfortable talking about.
Reflect: The group comes together in a circle to process what it was like to observe the experience. What feelings it brought up in you and how it connects to your own relationship.
Meet the Facilitators
Mark Schmahl, MA, LMFT
Mark is a a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and is passionate about helping people live fully in their relationship with themselves, others, and God. He uses an evidence based approach to help couples, families, and individuals accomplish their goals and live the life they were made to live.
His therapeutic perspective has been shaped by the Spiritual Root System, Restoration Therapy, Relational Life Therapy, and Attachment Theory.
Read more about Mark here.
Beth Ann Mergens, LCSW
Beth Ann is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, wife, and mother to five amazing children. Over the last 15 years she has navigated the ups and downs that come with raising kids a variety of ages, the tension of both releasing and nurturing a professional life, and living intentionally in marriage and multiple pregnancy losses.
She believes there is meaning and connection in your own personal story, and she can help you see the broken fragments with understanding and hope.
Read more about Beth Ann here.
3 Simple Steps to Join us!
Reach out or register.
Keep scrolling to find the registration link or email Mark with any questions. Email Mark here.Connect with the facilitators.
We’ll discuss the group format, answer your questions, and help you determine whether this group is a good fit for you and your partner.Join us for four weeks.
Come ready to learn, reflect, and practice alongside other couples who also want to strengthen their relationships.
Details
Dates: Wednesdays, January 27, February 3, 10, 17, 2027
Time: 5:30-7:30PM
Location: Voice of the Heart Center
805 S. Church St., Suite 9, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
Cost: $800/couple for all four (4) weeks
Need more information? Email Mark Schmahl!
Join other couples for Unstuck, a four-week group where you’ll learn practical skills to navigate shame, fear, hurt, and sadness in your own marriage relationship.
There Is More Happening Beneath the Argument
When conflict shows up in a relationship, it’s easy to focus on the words being said or the details of the disagreement. But underneath our reactions, there are often feelings, needs, fears, and stories we may not know how to express. One partner may pursue or press for an answer, while the other becomes defensive or withdraws. Before long, both can feel alone, even while wanting to be close.
At Voice of the Heart Center, we believe that learning to recognize and express what is happening in your heart can create opportunities for deeper connection. In Unstuck, you and your partner will learn to see the cycle you get caught in, better understand what is happening inside each of you, and practice ways to respond with greater honesty, curiosity, and care.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Unstuck is for couples who want to better understand their relationship patterns, communicate more effectively, and build a stronger connection. This group isn’t designed for couples in crisis mode or recent infidelity or trauma. If you are experiencing any of this, we would love to help you get connected with a therapist.
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Each week includes teaching, a guided experience with a volunteer couple, and group reflection. You’ll also have opportunities to reflect on what you’re learning and consider how it applies to your relationship.
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You’ll be invited to participate in ways that feel appropriate to you. Serving as the volunteer couple is optional, and you may pass on a question or discussion.
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Participants will be asked to respect one another’s privacy and keep what is shared in the group confidential. Because other participants are present, complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. The facilitators will discuss confidentiality and its limits before the group begins.
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No. Couples do not need to be in crisis to benefit from learning about their patterns and practicing relationship skills. In fact if your relationship is in a crisis please reach out to connect with a therapist. A conversation with the facilitators can help determine whether the group is a good fit for your circumstances.
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Four two-hour group sessions, facilitated teaching and discussion, learning powerful skills to help in your marriage.
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Payment for all four sessions will be paid upfront. If you can’t make one of the four sessions due to illness or a scheduling conflict that’s okay, but the price will be the same.
Details
Dates: Wednesdays, January 27, February 3, 10, 17, 2027
Time: 5:30-7:30PM
Location: Voice of the Heart Center
805 S. Church St., Suite 9, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
Cost: $800/couple for all four (4) weeks
Need more information? Email Mark Schmahl!
Join other couples for Unstuck, a four-week group where you’ll learn practical skills to navigate shame, fear, hurt, and sadness in your own marriage relationship.