People who care for loved ones suffering from addiction or mental health issues are frequently labeled and even pathologized as part of the problematic and addictive cycle. Dr. Robert Weiss would like to honor, validate, and acknowledge the love and effort of these people who choose to stick around and help their loved ones get better, whether or not they are doing it correctly, because the truth is that most of us are not trained to assist someone who is dealing with these issues.

In this episode, Dr. Weiss gives context for codependency and its significance around addiction, as well as the new concept of Prodependence, a less stigmatizing way of looking at and treating addicts' loved ones that is rapidly replacing this model.

Robert Weiss Ph.D., LCSW is Chief Clinical Officer of Seeking Integrity LLC, working with sex, porn, and substance/sex addicted men. He is the author of 10 books, including Prodependence, Sex Addiction 101, and Out of the Doghouse. His Psychology Today blog, Love and Sex in the Digital Age, has over 20 million readers to date, and his podcast, Sex, Love, & Addiction, has more than 600,000 downloads since its inception in 2019.

Check out the transcript of this episode on Dr. Jessica Higgin's website.

In this episode

12:17 Dr. Robert Weiss and his incredible passion for educating people.

14:13 Why Dr. Weiss disagrees with the codependency model.

23:15 Codependency versus Prodependency, particularly in intimate relationships.

29:37 Recognizing people's love and effort in caring for loved ones with addiction and mental health issues.

39:30 Understanding why some people become addicted to alcohol, drugs, or whatever substance they prefer.

46:48 Why is it vital to change one's perspective when working with loved ones?

53:45 How to connect with Dr. Weiss.

Mentioned

Prodependence: Beyond the Myth of Codependency, Revised Edition (*Amazon Affiliate link) (book)

Sex Addiction 101: A Basic Guide to Healing from Sex, Porn, and Love Addiction (*Amazon Affiliate link) (book)

Out of the Doghouse: A Step-by-Step Relationship-Saving Guide for Men Caught Cheating (*Amazon Affiliate link) (book)

Shifting Criticism For Connected Communication

Connect with Dr. Weiss

Websites: seekingintegrity.com — sexandrelationshiphealing.com

Facebook: facebook.com/SexandHealing

Twitter: twitter.com/robweissmsw — twitter.com/SexandHealing

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sexaddictionspecialist

Podcast: Sex, Love, and Addiction

Blog: Love and Sex in the Digital Age (*Psychology Today)

Connect with Dr. Jessica Higgins

Facebook: facebook.com/EmpoweredRelationship

Instagram: instagram.com/drjessicahiggins

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Twitter: @DrJessHiggins

Website: drjessicahiggins.com

Email: jessica@drjessicahiggins.com

If you have a topic you would like me to discuss, please contact me by clicking on the “Ask Dr. Jessica Higgins” button here.

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*With Amazon Affiliate Links, I may earn a few cents from Amazon, if you purchase the book from this link.

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