EXCLUSIVE: Sam Wood 'hated the idea' of marriage counselling before he went. He now swears by it.

It's been 10 years since we all watched Sam Wood fall in love with single mum Snezana on The Bachelor.

From the outside, looking at their life on social media raising their four daughters, you might think they have it all figured out.

But as Sam shared on Mamamia's This Glorious Mess, they face the same challenges we all do.

"Everyone thinks, 'Oh, you guys have got it all worked out.' We don't have it worked out. We are a dog's breakfast. It's a madhouse, and it's stressful, and we're exhausted and we're probably like everybody else," he said.

"Instagram doesn't necessarily portray the snapshot that is the life we live inside our house."

Watch: Sam Wood on This Glorious Mess. Post continues below.

And it's no wonder when you think about the realities of running his business — 28 By Sam Wood — and raising four daughters. They have Evie, 19, Willow, seven, Charlie, five, and Harper, two.

Sam revealed some of their most challenging times as parents came during lockdown When Evie was a teenager.

"I absolutely think of myself as Evie's dad, not stepdad," Sam said.

"And a really testing time for Evie and my relationship, and in turn for Snez and I, was COVID. Evie was working herself out as a 14, 15, 16-year-old, she was pretty challenging, as most girls of that age are, during that stage.

"So it was a pressure-cooker environment and I thought she needed more discipline, and Snez didn't, and that put a strain on our relationship. And we do butt heads a lot on boundaries and what they need."

This disagreement over parenting styles led them to seek outside help — something Sam was initially resistant to.

"We went and did some couples sessions," he said.

"And that was a really interesting and beneficial experience, because all of a sudden there's an impartial perspective."

Snezana and Sam Wood. Image: Instagram @snezanawood

"People hear couples counselling, marriage counselling, and they think it's doom and gloom, but it's actually about learning communication techniques. I really didn't want to go and see someone. I got defensive as soon as it was suggested," Sam admitted.

"I was like, 'But what's wrong with us? Why do we need that? What do we need to fix?' I didn't go kicking and screaming, but I wasn't wrapped in the idea, even walking in the door.

"It actually flipped over time, though, because I hated the idea of it, but then I actually really saw the benefit of it. After three or four sessions, I think Snez was more like, 'That was really good, wasn't it? I'm glad we did it,' almost like we're done with it. And I was more of the line that we should keep doing it for a little while.

You can listen to the full interview with Sam Wood on This Glorious Mess. Post continues below.

"They were so calming and so good at getting you to be vulnerable, and so good at letting us speak in turn. Like Snez and I often get agitated. And what starts out with good intent can turn into a bit of a petty argument, and it just never got to that stage, because you're with other people."

The experience transformed how Sam viewed therapy.

"It was a really proactive, positive experience. Our relationship was good, but that really made our relationship better."

Sam says they now used what they've learned in their parenting, too.

"It's about understanding where the other person's coming from, and having discussions outside of the madness," he said.

"Having a really nice 10-minute conversation about what's going on, not in front of the kids, and not being distracted by the kids, has been really powerful for us."

These check-ins have become a crucial parenting tool.

"I think the most important thing that we do is we have private conversations once the kids are in bed about things that we're seeing and discovering. And it goes both ways," he said.

Snezana and Sam Woods with through four daughters. Image: Instagram @samjwoods

Above all, he appreciates how foundational their relationship is to everything else.

"There's nothing more calming than when your relationship is good. Just the way you can handle the challenges that the kids throw at you and the stress that work throws at you," he said.

"When your relationship is good, eight out of tens feel like three out of tens."

Sam Wood is one of Australia's leading health and fitness experts and the founder of 28 By Sam Wood, one of Australia's most trusted at-home online fitness programs.

Feature Image: Instagram @SnezanaWood