Learn from experts and hear real stories of recovery on the Journals of a Love Addict Podcast
Do you…
Continually find yourself in dysfunctional relationships?
Undervalue yourself while putting others on a pedestal?
Have a pattern of dating emotionally unavailable partners?
Yes? I can totally relate.
On my podcast, Journals of a Love Addict, I share my personal story of love addiction recovery, and my experience as a therapist who works with love addiction.
I also talk with others who have struggled, as well as experts in trauma, addiction, and other areas of mental health.
My hope is to help listeners feel less alone as I spread awareness of what love addiction is really all about.
Music by JD Pendley
Episode 64: Align Your Mind with Britt Frank, LCSW
Have you ever felt like there are two parts of you at battle with each other: one that knows something is bad for you and another that wants to do it anyway? In this episode Jodi talks with therapist and author, Britt Frank, about her new book, Align Your Mind, and how parts work can be helpful in love addiction recovery.
Episode 63: Women Who Work Too Much with Tamu Thomas
In this episode, Jodi talks with burnout and productivity specialist, Tamu Thomas, author of Women Who Work Too Much, about toxic productivity, ambition and the cultural conditioning that shapes us. Tamu shares her personal experience with overfunctioning and how this led to a necessary life change; why women often end up being the "selfless caretakers"; how all of this leads us into a cycle of toxic productivity, and how we can change that...plus much more!
Episode 62: Three Stories
Storytelling can be a powerful tool in recovery, because as we look at the past we uncover memories that lead to feelings and aha moments; we connect dots that help us make sense of what has happened to us, and how it all led us here today. In this episode, Jodi shares three stories that have been on her mind and how these stories relate to her own recovery.
Episode 61: This Is Something
In this episode, Jodi talks about her recent experience with checking-out and attempting to avoid reality; our collective issue with self-esteem; and navigating hopelessness while holding onto empathy.
Episode 60: There’s Just Something About Her
Why do women turn on each other? This important question was posed in a recent Substack article, which addressed what Jodi has been wondering for a long time: Is it envy? Fear? Competition? Patriarchy? All of the above? Regardless of the underlying reasons, we might catch ourselves dismissively believing 'there's just something about her…In this episode, Jodi and her friend, Brooke, talk more about all of this.
Episode 59: Is This Really Love? with Leah Aguirre, LCSW
In this episode, Jodi talks with therapist and author, Leah Aguirre, LCSW, about her new book, Is This Really Love? Recognizing When You're in a Coercive, Controlling, and Emotionally Abusive Relationship--and How to Break Free. Jodi and Leah also discuss coercion and control; personality traits of an emotional abuser; and relationship green flags (signs that a relationship or partner is safe).
Episode 58: Emotional Sobriety with Allen Berger, PhD
In this episode, Jodi talks with Allen Berger, PhD, therapist and author of "12 Essential Insights for Emotional Sobriety". Dr. Berger defines emotional dependence, explains why it happens, and what emotional sobriety can look like.
Bonus Episode: Thank You Pia Mellody
This is a special tribute episode to the work of Pia Mellody who passed away May 7th at the age of 82. Pia was a pioneer in the field of trauma and addiction recovery; she developed a groundbreaking model of treatment, and authored several books including Facing Love Addiction and Facing Codependence.
Episode 57: The Reality of Betrayal with Lindsay Haverslew, CSAT
In this episode Jodi talks with betrayal trauma therapist, Lindsay Haverslew, about the reality of betrayal trauma. Jodi and Lindsay share personal experiences with betrayal, and discuss signs that a partner is emotionally unavailable, tips for identifying a trustworthy person, and much more.
Episode 56: What I Deserve with Kelly Willis
In this episode, Jodi talks with singer-songwriter, Kelly Willis. Jodi shares the personal significance of Kelly's album, 'What I Deserve' and how it provided hope during a particularly painful time in her life; and Kelly discusses how her childhood as an army brat, growing up without her mother, and early disappointments in the music industry shaped that album.
Episode 55: Double Nickels
In this episode, Jodi begins the process of imperfectly unpacking what she's learned throughout nearly a decade of recovery (and 55 years of life): the insidious power of cultural messages; why being a "good girl" keeps us stuck; and how all of this prevents us from speaking up, being real, and getting to know our true strength.
Episode 54: A Mind That Never Stops w Aly Dearborn
In this episode, Jodi talks with Aly Dearborn, a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist with specialized training in recognizing female presentations of ADHD and Austism. Aly and Jodi discuss the shared symptoms of love addiction, ADHD and Autism; the estrogen connection and why girls and women are often misdiagnosed; and Aly shares her personal experience with love addiction and being an adult diagnosed ADHD/Autistic.
Episode 53: And Now We Discern
In this episode, Jodi discusses the the importance of discernment and the power of pausing; why the symptoms of codependence and love addiction lead to undervaluing our instincts while overvaluing the opinions of others; and how pausing can reveal the most useful information of all.
Episode 52: Home Again with Anna Christie
Love addiction is more than 'just' love addiction: It's a set of symptoms fed by cultural messages that lead girls and women to believe they are unworthy, unwell, unlovable--and all of this starts early in life
Episode 51: Sketchy Psychics
In this episode, my friend Brooke and I share stories of seeking comfort from psychics, why we might look for guidance in such places, and put so much trust in someone we don't even know.
Episode 50: A Recovery Story with Heidi Kingston, LCSW
In this episode, I talk with another therapist in recovery, Heidi Kingston, regarding her personal experience with love addiction, the ups and downs of her own recovery journey, and what she's learned along the way.
Episode 49: Going Deeper with Heather Cronemiller
In this episode, I talk with Heather Cronemiller, a therapist in recovery and co-author of "Going Deeper For Women: How The Inner Child Impacts Your Sex & Love Addiction". Heather shares her experience with fantasy and the search for a soulmate, and what ultimately led her into recovery.
Episode 48: Pain Shopping
In this episode, my friend, Brooke, and I discuss the concepts of pain shopping and comfort-seeking behaviors; and share our personal experiences with both.
Episode 47: A Therapist's Story with Leah Hoffman
It can be easy to assume that therapists have it together in life and relationships, but when it comes to attachment--and love addiction--no one is immune. And because hearing from a therapist who 'gets it' can be very helpful for those of us in recovery, I invited therapist and coach, Leah Hoffman, to the podcast to share her recent experience with the cycle of love addiction and what she's learned from it.
Episode 46: Setting Boundaries That Stick with Jules Taylor Shore
In this episode, I talk with therapist and boundaries expert Juliane (Jules) Taylor Shore about her new book, "Setting Boundaries That Stick" (you may remember Jules from EP31, "All About Boundaries"). Jules shares six steps to setting an external boundary, the importance of a pause and paying attention to feelings, why hard conversations are so challenging, why we struggle with self-compassion, and why growth comes with grief.