The Allender Center Podcast Loneliness, Isolation, and Presence
Nov 28, 2025
Dan and Rachael delve into the complexities of loneliness, revealing how cultural factors amplify isolation. They share personal experiences that highlight the struggle to reach out for help, and discuss the significance of honest connections. The conversation shifts to the impact of trauma on our willingness to seek comfort and care. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own feelings of ambivalence and the courage it takes to connect with others, especially in a world that often fosters disconnection.
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Surgery Reveals Ambivalence About Help
- Dan describes post-surgery loneliness when he wanted to call friends but didn't know what he wanted from them.
- He felt ambivalent about receiving sympathy and burdened by being asked how he was doing.
Refusing Help Led Back To Therapy
- Rachel recounts recovering from foot surgery while living alone and refusing to ask for help despite needing it.
- Her crisis led her back to therapy and deeper work on attachment and trauma.
Honor Ambivalence; Reach Out Messily
- Dan recommends honoring ambivalence instead of forcing resolution when you're fragmented by suffering.
- He calls reaching out as a messy act of defiance that can begin real change.