Episode 42: Talking About Blocking with Leah Aguierre, LCSW

Have you ever needed to block someone? Maybe you ended a relationship and no longer wanted to see their social media activity, or maybe you found yourself needing to have a hard boundary with a former friend. In today's world, considering that most of us are accessible on multiple platforms, it's not uncommon to block another person...BUT, that doesn't mean it's always easy to do (for a number of reasons).

Blocking is an important topic, so I invited trauma therapist, Leah Aguierre--someone who talks openly about the subject on social media--to join me for a conversation. On this episode Leah and Icover why we struggle with the idea of blocking, four reasons why blocking can be helpful in certain situations, and we share personal experiences with blocking.

Show notes & resources:

You can learn more about Leah here leahaguierrelcsw.com and on Instagram @leahaguirrelcsw

Jodi's website: jodiwhiteonline.com

Disclaimer: This podcast is shared for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for mental health treatment with a licensed mental health professional or to be used in place of the advice of a physician. If you are struggling please don't delay in seeking the assistance of a licensed mental health practitioner or healthcare professional. If you're in crisis please visit NAMI.org or call 1-800-273-TALK for 24-hour assistance.

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'?

Nicole Lewis-Keeber (therapist, coach & author) has done just that, and she talks with me in this episode of the podcast about The Three Whys. I also share an early experience that took me away from my Why, and a little about the process of getting back to it.

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, a Pia Mellody-trained psychologist specializing in love & sex addiction, who also has personal experience with love addiction recovery. 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?

In this episode, Kelly McDaniel (author of "Ready to Heal" and "Mother Hunger") is back to talk with me regarding what intimacy really is, and the reason why in love addiction--although we might crave closeness--we struggle to tolerate authentic intimacy.

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. In this docuseries, Brooke Shields discusses the highs and lows of her career, and provides insight into the complex relationship with her mother.

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). Even if you haven't watched the documentary, you'll get something out of this one.

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. I also share a recent painful experience that forced me to slow down in order to examine (and accept) reality, and to embrace the grief that came with all of it.   

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...

In this episode I talk with Becky Vollmer about her new book, "You Are Not Stuck: How Soul-Guided Choices Transform Fear Into Freedom" which provides relatable steps for getting back to authenticity. We also discuss our similar experiences with first careers; the importance of knowing what we do and don't value; and how yoga can help us tap into our True Self.

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.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Kenneth Adams, therapist, and author of "When He's Married to Mom", about mother-enmeshed men: What is childhood like for them? What are their adult relationships like? And how to recover from enmeshment and have functional adult relationships (with both partners and parents).

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?

In this episode, I discuss The Hero and Lost Child, and how these roles contribute to love avoidance or addiction. And I talk with London-based coach, Mary Toolan, regarding the role known as the toxic family's dustbin: The Scapegoat.

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: She not only tells her story, but she calls love addiction what it is. In this episode, I talk with Charlene about her personal experience with love addiction and recovery, as well as what she's learned about herself and how recovery has changed her life.

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. Jules takes this complex topic and explains it in a user-friendly way, so we can better understand ourselves and others.

Episode 29: The Science of Stuck with Britt Frank

What does it mean to 'feel stuck'? And, what exactly IS a feeling, anyway?

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. Britt also shares her experience with addiction and recovery, as well as her thoughts on what keeps us stuck in our love addiction.

Episode 28: Third Degree Mother Hunger with Jennifer Acker

If you listen to the podcast you've likely heard me talk about Mother Hunger and the role it plays in love addiction. But there's an extreme form of this attachment injury: Third Degree Mother Hunger- which happens when a daughter grows up frightened of her mother.

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, as well as recovery resources. I also discuss my new awareness of the role that betrayal played in my love addiction.

Episode 26: A Recovery Story with Kelly Henderson of Velvet's Edge

We all have a story to tell, and when it comes to love addiction our stories are as unique as they are similar. It's as if love addiction comes with a script and how it plays out depends upon who's directing.

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.

Episode 25: An Interview with Buck Dodson of Gay Men's Life Lab

Love addiction and codependence come with patterns of dysfunction, as we unconsciously try to resolve (and act-out) the past through our current relationships.

In this episode, I talk with therapist and coach, Buck Dodson, regarding his personal experience with codependence and dysfunctional relationships, as well as his professional experience working with gay men's issues. Buck is also the host of his podcast Gay Men's Life Lab.

Episode 24: Functional Adulting with Daniel Gowan

There's lots of talk about adulting and being a 'mature adult', but what does all of that even mean? Are we adults because we have responsibilities, or we're parents, or (we think) we behave maturely?

In this episode, I invite Daniel Gowan back to discuss Pia Mellody's concept of the Functional Adult. We also cover Pia's five core symptoms of codependence (aka the five 'buckets'), reparenting, and how to live in action vs. reaction.

Episode 23: The Power of What-if

Have you ever looked back on a past relationship and wondered "What if?: what if things had worked out differently, or I'd been more this/that, or the timing had been better?"

For those of us with a history of love addiction, those 'what-ifs' can lead us into fantasy and obsession (and sometimes right back into a dysfunctional relationship). But not all relationships end badly...so why not try again? In this episode, Brooke is back to share another dating experience--one that started with a 'what-if' and led to a lot of useful information.

Episode 21: Talking Therapy & Trauma with Tyndal Schreiner

Mental health is an important topic, and thanks to social media its become a more widely discussed topic than in previous years. But while these platforms can provide lots of information, there's also misinformation--especially when it comes to how we talk about trauma and 'healing'.

In this episode, I talk with Tyndal Schreiner, a fellow Texas therapist, about being a therapist on Instagram and the importance of professional boundaries. We also discuss the process of becoming a therapist and a few valuable lessons they learned along the way.

Episode 20: An Interview with Guru Singh

What does 'home' mean to you? Is it a sense of safety? Belonging? Connection?

In this episode, I talk with my teacher, Guru Singh, about our first meeting 24 years ago, and how it helped me create a new perspective of what home is and changed the trajectory of my life. We also cover relationships, addiction, spirituality, boredom, and much more in one epic hour of conversation.