Hello, friends!

In today’s episode, we tackle two profound listener questions that may resonate with many of you:

Navigating Dating with a Stutter: A 38-year-old listener shares their struggles with stuttering, particularly how it impacts their dating life. They often need months to work up the courage to ask someone out and lose confidence if they stutter while doing so. We explore the nature of stuttering, its psychological impacts, and offer practical advice on managing anxiety, building self-confidence, and embracing one's uniqueness in social contexts. 

Overcoming Self-Harm Scars and Building Confidence: Another listener, who self-harmed from ages 12 to 15, describes the ongoing shame they feel about their visible scars, which has affected their dating life and social activities. They seek advice on how to overcome this fear and become more open about their past. We discuss strategies for self-acceptance, the importance of vulnerability, and ways to reframe scars as symbols of resilience and survival.

As always, you can send me questions to duffthepsych@gmail.com and find the full show notes for this episode at http://duffthepsych.com/episode399

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