While we want to experience love and intimacy, it can often bring fears to the surface. The fears often have ties to previous pain and are subconscious or unconscious until we enter into a love relationship. In the episode, I reference the book "The Highly Sensitive Person In Love," by Elaine Aron.

(Please listen to the podcast episode or read the transcript to hear explanations, stories, and examples.)

In this episode, Dr. Jessica Higgins discusses:

• How fears of intimacy develop in one's life.
• Ways people distance themselves emotionally as a result of a fear of intimacy.
• How love and intimacy can be threatening.
• Fear of exposure and rejection and how to deal with it.
• Fear of angry attacks and what to do about it.
• Fear of abandonment and how to take care of yourself.

"To me intimacy means being authentic, revealing to another your most private and true-in-this-moment self - thoughts, feelings, bodily self." by Elaine Aaron

Mentioned:

• Shifting Criticism into Connected Communication – Free Guide
• The Highly Sensitive Person In Love, by Elaine Aaron
• ERP 110: HOW TO MANAGE TWO MAJORLY CONFLICTING NEEDS IN RELATIONSHIP (podcast)
• ERP 221: HOW TO RECOGNIZE AND WORK WITH SELF-SABOTAGE IN RELATIONSHIP AN INTERVIEW WITH BRIANNA WIEST (podcast)
• ERP 093: HOW THE "SHADOW" INFLUENCES OUR GROWTH IN LIFE AND IN RELATIONSHIP WITH DR. KEITH WITT (podcast)
• ERP 217: HOW TO DEAL WITH STONEWALLING IN RELATIONSHIP (podcast)
• Conscious Loving: The Journey to Co-Commitment, by Gay & Kathlyn Hendricks (book)

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If you are interested in developing new skills to overcome relationship challenges, please consider taking the Connected Couple Program or engaging in relationship coaching work with me.