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 45: The Hard Parts
It's hard to be still sometimes, especially in a culture that constantly tells you to get moving, to achieve, and perform. In this episode, I talk about a few of the hard parts of recovery…
Episode 44: Most Codependable
Love addiction comes with a set of symptoms leading to a pattern of dysfunctional relationships. Then, after each relationship we say "I'll never do that again", fully intending to make some changes, but... In this episode, I discuss these cultural beliefs--how they fuel love addiction and how they can meddle with life in recovery, too.
Episode 43: LYLAS
The term 'love addiction' is often referred to in the context of romantic relationships, but did you know that the symptoms can apply to platonic relationships, too?
In this episode, I talk about my history with undervaluing myself in friendships and overlooking red flags to belong and be the "best friend". I’m joined by my friend Brooke (from "A Breakup Story"), to discuss the complexity of female friendships past and present.
Episode 42: Talking About Blocking with Leah Aguierre, LCSW
To block or not to block? It’s a big question. In this episode, I’m joined by trauma therapist Leah Aguierre as we explore the reasons why the decision to block can be difficult, despite its commonality in our digitally-connected world. Tune in to understand the complexities and advantages of setting digital boundaries.
Episode 41: The Three Whys with Nicole Lewis-Keeber
You may have heard about the importance of your 'why'--that thing that motivates you and provides a sense of purpose in life and work. But what if that concept was broken down even further, into three parts that took you deeper into that 'why'?
Episode 40: That Therapist with Dr. Lara Dye
If you're a listener of the podcast, then you've heard me talk about 'that therapist'--the one I worked with in 2016, who taught me about love addiction, supported me through withdrawal, and played a vital role in my early recovery. That therapist is Dr. Lara Dye. And, because she was such an important part of my recovery journey, I invited Dr. Dye to talk with me for this episode of the podcast.
Episode 39: Intimacy Intolerance with Kelly McDaniel
What is intimacy? If you Google the term you might find varying--yet similar--definitions...but what does it mean to YOU?
Episode 38: Pretty Baby (A Mother Hunger Conversation)
Have you seen the Hulu documentary, "Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields"? It paints a powerful portrait of Brooke's sexualization as a child actor, and brings attention to the waters in which young women swim from a young age. On this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by my friend, Brooke, to discuss "Pretty Baby" through the lens of Mother Hunger (because we can't understand love addiction without talking about Mother Hunger).
Episode 37: A Case of Cathexis
In love addiction we often feel like we're in love, but is it really love? And what is genuine love, anyway?
In this episode, I discuss the concept of cathexis--the thing we often confuse with genuine love--and the role it played in my love addiction.
Episode 36: You Are Not Stuck with Becky Vollmer
Do you ever feel like what you're doing in the world isn't aligned with who you are? Like maybe you're going through the motions of 'supposed to' instead of living from your true purpose? If so, you're not alone...
Episode 35: When He's Married To Mom with Dr. Kenneth Adams
When we're enmeshed with a parent we might feel responsible for taking care of them emotionally, and guilty if we don't do what they expect of us. And while enmeshment is often uncomfortable, it may also come with feeling special and can be very challenging to recognize and overcome.
Episode 34: All About the Scapegoat with Mary Toolan
Are you familiar with the concept of assigned family roles; roles assigned in childhood that are either falsely empowering or disempowering? Maybe you've heard of The Hero, The Lost Child, or The Scapegoat? But what does all of this mean?
Episode 33: Dirty Secrets
In this episode, my friend, Brooke, joins me to talk about the recent Victoria's Secret documentary; and how the company's marketing in the early 2000s led to confusing messages about beauty and furthered the cultural double bind women experience.
Episode 32: From Unlovable to Recovering with Charlene deGuzman
There are books and podcasts about love addiction, and people talk on social media about it… but there aren't many movies that address the topic. That's why Charlene deGuzman's film, Unlovable, is so unique.
Episode 31: All About Boundaries with Jules Taylor Shore
We hear a lot about "having boundaries" or "setting boundaries" or "respecting boundaries"... but what does any of this really mean? To answer this question, I invited trauma therapist and boundaries expert, Jules Taylor Shore, to talk all about boundaries.
Episode 30: Like a Tornado of Sticks & Poo
Love addiction gets messy. It's full of intensity, shame, and regression that leads us to behave regretfully, or as I say, 'like a tornado of sticks and poo'.
Episode 29: The Science of Stuck with Britt Frank
In this episode, I talk with Britt Frank, therapist and author of "The Science of Stuck: Breaking Through Inertia to Find Your Path Forward”, about the definition of stuck; the difference between feelings, emotions, and thoughts; fantasy and fairy tales.
Episode 28: Third Degree Mother Hunger with Jennifer Acker
For this episode, I invited fellow Mother Hunger facilitator and therapist, Jennifer Acker, to share her personal Third Degree Mother Hunger story.
Episode 27: All About Betrayal Trauma with Michelle Mays
We might think we know the meaning of the term "betrayal", but what actually happens when we're truly betrayed by the person closest to us?
In this episode, I talk with therapist and betrayal trauma expert, Michelle Mays, about the complexity of this relational trauma.
Episode 26: A Recovery Story with Kelly Henderson of Velvet's Edge
In this episode, I’m joined by Kelly Henderson from the podcast, Velvet's Edge, to share her personal experience with love addiction and recovery- and we realize our stories are very similar.