Cate & Ty Break It Down

Episode: ENCORE Relationship Real Talk
Date: December 17, 2025
Hosts: Catelynn and Tyler Baltierra (from MTV's 16 and Pregnant & Teen Mom)

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and unfiltered episode, Cate and Ty settle into a whirlwind trip to New York City and dive deep into fan-submitted relationship questions. Their discussion covers the challenges of maintaining intimacy in longstanding relationships, the pain caused by infidelity and betrayal, the struggle of stay-at-home parents, and the importance of communication and vulnerability within families. Throughout, the couple shares candid stories from their own marriage, offers support (and tough love) to listeners, and advocates for women’s agency and empowerment within relationships.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Life in New York & Reflections on Reality TV

• Nostalgia about Visiting NYC: Cate and Ty reminisce about their first trip to New York at age 16 for MTV (01:30–02:33). They reflect on how real and raw their early reality TV experience was compared to today’s drama-centric, manufactured reality shows.
  • “Isn’t it weird to think about—we were minors for 1, 2, 3 years of filming Teen Mom?” – Catelynn, (02:27)
  • “Sixteen years ago… reality TV did look different.” – Tyler, (02:46)
• Shift in Reality TV: Cate comments on how overly dramatic and toxic shows like Temptation Island have become compared to their early, more authentic reality TV experience.
  • “Now reality TV is just, like, all drama… drama.” – Catelynn, (03:09)

2. Parenting, Logistics, and Recording the Podcast

• Balancing Work and Parenthood: Cate and Ty discuss the difficulty of leaving home as parents for work and the lack of outside support, highlighting how even simple logistics require planning and teamwork.
  (04:40–06:13)
  • “It's hard when you're trying to do this work and you have to leave your state...practices, art class, doctor's appointments…” – Tyler, (05:29)
• Commitment to Family-Centered Solutions: They're seeking to record more in Detroit to avoid long absences, underscoring their priority of being present for their kids.

3. Fan Q&A – Real Talk About Relationships

A. Keeping Intimacy Alive in Long-Term Relationships

• Fan Question: After 23 years of marriage and with an empty nest, a listener wants to reconnect sexually with her husband. (07:44–14:29)

• Cate’s & Ty’s Advice:

  • Intimacy is More Than Sex: Focus on emotional closeness—date nights, cuddling, random affection, and PDA help rekindle desire.
    • “Intimacy also starts out of the bedroom.” – Catelynn, (11:16)
  • Communication is Key: They suggest creating ‘safe words’ or codes to communicate tiredness or disinterest in sex without hurting one another’s feelings or feeling rejected.
    • “You can create any kind of code word... a sigh and like a ‘Oh, I just can't wait to go to bed tonight.’” – Tyler, (09:21)
      • [09:13] “We kind of have this thing where… all we have to say is ‘I'm just super tired,’ and we know—oh, okay.”
  • Be Playful & Spontaneous: Scheduling sex can work for some, but for others it removes spontaneity and can make intimacy feel transactional.
    • “Scheduling it also feels doomed or feels not exciting… I want to connect with you in a real way, not as a duty.” – Tyler, (14:01)

• Memorable Moment:

  • [13:29] “Are we nymphos or what? Sorry, TMI!” – Catelynn jokes openly about their own active sex life.

B. Betrayal & Cheating — Massage Parlors, Escorts, and Emotional Affairs

• Fan Question: A woman pregnant with her second child discovers her partner’s repeated visits to massage parlors with “happy endings” and messages to escorts; he insists he “never went through with it.” (21:44–29:09)
• Cate’s Response:
  • Zero Tolerance for Cheating:
    • “If I ever found out you were going to happy ending massages—done. And messaging escorts—even if you didn't meet up with an escort, I would leave. Absolutely.” – Catelynn, (22:49)
    • “That is completely a form of cheating—whether you're touching the girl or not.”
  • Emotional and Physical Cheating: Ty and Cate both agree that any form of seeking satisfaction—physical or emotional—outside the relationship is a breach of trust.
    • “Messaging, sexting, anything—you're operating outside of our thing.” – Tyler, (24:02)
• Ty’s Perspective:
  • “A good dad would come to her and say, I'm not happy with this…” – Tyler, (27:48)
  • “Any guy who's willing to sacrifice his whole family unit for a happy ending—are you kidding me?” – Tyler, (27:14)
• Support for the Listener:
  • Both urge her to build a support system and consider leaving for her own wellbeing and mental health.
  • “You need to leave. There’s no way I’d be able to sleep next to him.” – Catelynn, (26:51)
• Deeper Insight: They raise the issue of exploitation and sex trafficking in the massage industry, encourage reporting such establishments, and highlight societal failures around sex education and addiction.
  • “Your husband is contributing to sex trafficking and you need to shut that down.” – Tyler, (32:22)

C. Stay-at-Home Moms & Manipulation in Traditional Gender Roles

• Fan Question: A stay-at-home mom, extremely isolated and overwhelmed, shares that her husband calls her offensive names and says he only stays with her for the children. She feels broken and trapped (34:05–46:56).
• Cate’s Empathy & Advice:
  • “It’s so sad…women that stop everything to be a stay-at-home mom…now you're saying that you don't love me and hate me and you're only with me because of the kids.” – Catelynn, (36:02)
  • Urges her to seek out family, friends, or state support and to leave if she can.
  • “If my husband was calling me a bitch and saying he doesn’t want to be with me if it wasn’t for the kids, I’d be gone.” – Catelynn, (40:04)
• Ty’s Take on Traditional Family Roles:
  • “First, especially for stay-at-home moms—don't get it twisted. Personal hygiene is not a break from being a mom—it’s a necessity.”
    • [38:24] “A shower is not a fucking break. Okay?”
  • Questions the societal glorification of “perfect housewives” and condemns men who manipulate women into “servant” roles.
    • “I think normal guys don’t want a servant or an extra mom to baby them.” – Tyler, (43:47)
• Empowerment Message:
  • “As women, come on now—we are all badass bitches. Stand up and use your fudgeing voice.” – Catelynn, (54:57)

4. Parenting, Sex Education, and Breaking the Cycle of Shame

• Teaching Kids Honest Sex Ed: Cate and Ty discuss open communication with their children about bodies, sex, and consent, using correct terminology and letting conversations be child-led.
  • “Our children are taught from a very young age that it’s a penis and a vagina… I want them to be aware of it scientifically.” – Catelynn, (59:00)
  • “You need to feel safe to talk to somebody about it.” – Tyler, (59:59)
• Breaking Generational Shame: Both stress the impact of shame in sex education, advocating for frank and age-appropriate conversations so children grow into empowered adults.
  • Nova’s confidence in asserting her strength as a girl: “We grow bones, we grow bodies and then deliver them. I guarantee you that I’m stronger than you.” – (55:46)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On relationship communication:
  • “You can create any kind of code word… I don't care if it's an emoji.” – Tyler, (09:21)
• On traditional gender roles:
  • “Cooking and cleaning for your family—do it if it brings you joy. But if it’s building resentments, stop.” – Catelynn, (45:30)
• On empowering their daughters:
  • “Your body can grow organs, grow bones, create human beings… There is no other powerful thing that a human can do but a woman.” – Tyler, (55:12)
• On women’s agency:
  • “Please please please get a support system. Please seek some therapy just for yourself… Lean on family and friends and get away from these misogynistic—I'm sorry, but they all sound disgusting.” – Catelynn, (53:05)
• On facing red flags:
  • “Go back in time and ask yourself if you saw any red flags. There are always like red flags… Clock them.” – Tyler, (53:10)
• On vulnerability and safety:
  • “Thank you to the people that were vulnerable enough to write to us and ask us questions.” – Catelynn, (60:13)

Suggested Timestamps for Key Segments

• Reflections on reality TV: 01:27–04:03
• Juggling work trips and parenthood: 04:40–06:13
• First listener Q—keeping intimacy alive: 07:44–14:29
• Second listener Q—betrayal and happy ending massages: 21:44–29:09
• Third listener Q—being a trapped stay-at-home mom: 34:05–46:56
• Honest sex education with kids: 56:44–59:59
• Closing empowerment and call for support: 54:57–56:21

Tone & Language

The episode maintains a warm, candid, and empathetic tone with bursts of humor, plenty of realness, and strong language in moments of emotional emphasis. Cate and Ty maintain openness about their personal lives and struggles, encouraging vulnerability and empowerment among their listeners.

Conclusion

Cate and Ty use their platform and lived experience to offer genuine, nonjudgmental advice on relationships—both the hardships and the joys. Their central message: Every person deserves respect, honesty, and agency within their relationship; red flags should never be ignored; and women, especially, should feel empowered to speak up, set boundaries, and seek happiness for themselves and their families.