Do you ever find it hard to express love to your partner? You know you love them and how important they are in your life, but for some reason, you can’t bring yourself to express it out loud. In most cases, it’s not the present that’s holding you back … it’s your past, specifically the things you experienced as a child.

In this Language of Love session, I spent time speaking with Connie. She loves her partner, but can’t express it to them. She grew up in a home where trauma was a constant companion, leading her to emotionally shut down to feel safe. We get into her past, revealing the little girl who still resides inside the grown woman, too scared to love out loud. And we begin charting a course for healing.

In this episode, we’ll discuss:

The many ways the expression of love is modeled (or not) in our families growing up.
The lingering effects of a childhood without reciprocal love on difficulty with attachment.
How being raised by an addict affects self expression in love and fosters insecure or avoidant attachment.
The path to healing attachment wounds

Resources and Links

Dr. Laura Berman

Additional Resources

You’ve tried and tried, but you’re not getting the answers you need. Here’s the good news, the world is full of valuable resources. If you’re looking for someone specializing in Talk Therapy or Family of Origin of Family Addiction Issues, visit Psychology Today (www.psychologytoday.com), to find a provider in your area. If you’re interested in Somatic Healing, visit Trauma Healing (www.traumahealing.org) or Hakomi Institute (www.hakomiinstitute.com). Both of these websites will guide you to resources near you.

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And a Child Still Leads You