135: Keeping Your Marriage Strong When Life Gets Tough
Podcast Guest: Dave and Julie Bulitt
June 2nd, 2025
Listen to the Show:
In this Episode
In this episode of the Stronger Marriage Connection, divorce attorney David Bulitt and family therapist Julie Bulitt—married for over 38 years—share real-world wisdom on staying committed, connected, and resilient through the toughest seasons of marriage. With experience both in their professions and personal life (including parenting four daughters and overcoming serious challenges like addiction and financial struggles), the Bulitts offer honest advice on communication, connection, and bouncing back from betrayal. Tune in for practical tools like the “No Tech 90,” the power of daily check-ins, and how small habits build strong relationships. Perfect for couples navigating life’s complexities together.
“The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of the Utah Marriage Commission.”
Time Markers
00:00 – Meet Dave and Julie Bulitt
03:59 – Keys to lasting marriage
05:45 – How careers shaped home life
09:24 – Parenting and financial challenges
10:53 – Leaning in during conflict
11:31 – Book inspiration: beach conversation
14:12 – Core five conversations explained
19:30 – Work bleeding into marriage
20:44 – No Tech 90 strategy
24:47 – Why couples drift apart
27:13 – Can't shelf a relationship
28:45 – Daily, weekly, monthly rituals
31:06 – Overcoming betrayal and hardship
33:49 – Influence of couple friends
35:22 – Clarity is real kindness
38:46 – Fun and assuming intentions
40:05 – Where to find the Bulitts
41:13 – Final takeaways from both
Insights
Julie’s
Make your relationship a priority.
Dave Bullit’s
Look forward, don't look back. So don't keep bringing up what had happened before so that history somehow repeats itself. Push that in the rear-view mirror and kind of push your relationship forward. Look forward. Don't look back.
Liz’s
Clarity is kindness.
Dave’s
David’s perspective as a divorce attorney was eye-opening. While infidelity and finances do cause problems, he emphasized that the real relationship killer is often a lack of connection—when couples stop communicating intentionally and making time to show love. That insight really hit home.
About Julie and Dave:
A licensed clinical social worker, Julie Bulitt has spent more than 25 years working with individuals, couples and families. Her private practice focuses on family, couples and individual therapy, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and Executive Functioning coaching. In addition to her private practice, Julie presently serves as the in-house therapist for Warner Bros/ Discovery’s DC metro location and as a clinical supervisor for The Center for Adoption Support and Education in suburban Maryland.
David Bulitt is a partner in the Washington DC Metro law firm of Joseph, Greenwald & Laake, PA. He has repeatedly been chosen as one of the Washington area’s top divorce lawyers by multiple publications, recognized as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” and a Washington DC Metro “Super Lawyer.” Praised as “the lawyer who epitomizes stability and old fashioned common sense” by Bethesda Magazine, David has a particular interest in families with special needs children as a result of personal experiences in his own family. He is a published author of two fiction novels, multiple articles in legal publications and has appeared as a special guest on several local television shows.
David and Julie are closing in on 40 years of marriage. They have four daughters and three grandchildren. Most recently, the couple launched Conversations for Couples – The Podcast (https://audioboom.com/channels/5118597-conversations-for-couples) They are the authors of two commercially published and award winning books, The Five Core Conversations for Couples in 2020 and Secrets of Strong Couples in 2023.
Frequent speakers at corporate events and couples retreats, David and Julie share their insights – garnered from decades of professional and personal experiences – in an intimate, yet informal and humor filled fashion.
The Bulitts are regular guests on television, podcasts and radio. What they have listened to, struggled through, and learned about saving a marriage, keeping a family together, or knowing when to call it quits, when to turn to professionals, or when to try tough love, it’s all fair game – on their podcast, in their books, speaking events, presentations and coaching sessions.
Dave and Julie's Resources:
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Dr. Dave Schramm:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/DrDaveUSU
Facebook Marriage Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/770019130329579
Facebook Parenting Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/542067440314642
Dr. Liz Hale: