Several noted relationship experts have raised red flags of warning regarding marriage and opposite-sex friendships—are their warnings antiquated, or are they worth considering? How close is too close? These are the challenging questions Marlee Arnold and Julie Baumgardner are addressing in today’s episode of The WinShape Marriage Podcast. As you might imagine, there isn’t a black-and-white answer to the question, “Can opposite-sex friendships exist in marriage?”, but there are clear guardrails to consider to keep you and your spouse from entering the danger zone. This episode will guide you through healthy boundaries and considerations to keep top of mind related to this controversial topic.

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Time Stamps:

(1:37) Can opposite-sex friendships exist in marriage?

(4:05) Boundaries and scenarios related to opposite-sex friendships such as lunch with a coworker

(8:50) Are there any things that should be off-limits when talking/having conversations with friends of the opposite-sex?

(11:00) How to know if you’re in the danger zone

(12:44) How to talk to your spouse if you’re uncomfortable with an opposite-sex friendship

(15:45) Boundaries and scenarios related to friendships with other couples

(17:38) What to do if you’ve started developing feelings for an opposite-sex friend

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Links:

“NOT ‘Just Friends,’” Shirley Glass https://www.amazon.com/Not-Just-Friends-Rebuilding-Recovering/dp/0743225503

“Anatomy of an Affair,” Dave Carder https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Affair-Attractions-Addictions-Marriage/dp/080241673X 

“Close Calls,” Dave Carder https://www.amazon.com/Close-Calls-Adulterers-Protecting-Marriage/dp/0802442110

“Torn Asunder,” Dave Carder https://www.amazon.com/Torn-Asunder-Recovering-Extramarital-Affair/dp/0802471358

WinShape Marriage Website https://marriage.winshape.org/

WinShape Marriage Instagram https://www.instagram.com/winshapemarriage/

Ask a marriage question to be answered on the show. https://marriage.winshape.org/podcast/

Spark deeper conversation with your spouse related to the episode with our free discussion questions. https://marriage.winshape.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/04/WSMPodcastDiscussionQuestions-Ep6.pdf

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Relevant Resources:

“Can Opposite-Sex Friendships Exist in Marriage?” https://marriage.winshape.org/resource/opposite-sex-friendships/

“How To Find a Marriage Counselor” https://marriage.winshape.org/resource/how-to-find-a-marriage-counselor/