Intimacy is a fundamental human experience that goes far beyond romantic relationships. Join us as we dive into the deep and multifaceted layers of human connection, exploring everything from friendship and family bonds to self-love and vulnerability. Through thought-provoking conversations with experts, personal stories, and practical advice, we’ll uncover the secrets to nurturing meaningful relationships in a fast-paced digital world. From exploring trust and fostering emotional intimacy to navigating conflicts and rediscovering oneself, we’re here to discover the essence of what it means to truly connect with others and ourselves. Whether you’re seeking to improve your relationships, gain insights into human behaviors, or simply crave a meaningful conversation that enriches your understanding of human connection, you won’t want to miss a single episode of The Human Intimacy Podcast.
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Intimacy is a fundamental human experience that goes far beyond romantic relationships. Join us as we dive into the deep and multifaceted layers of human connection, exploring everything from friendship and family bonds to self-love and vulnerability. Through thought-provoking conversations with experts, personal stories, and practical advice, we’ll uncover the secrets to nurturing meaningful relationships in a fast-paced digital world. From exploring trust and fostering emotional intimacy to navigating conflicts and rediscovering oneself, we’re here to discover the essence of what it means to truly connect with others and ourselves. Whether you’re seeking to improve your relationships, gain insights into human behaviors, or simply crave a meaningful conversation that enriches your understanding of human connection, you won’t want to miss a single episode of The Human Intimacy Podcast.
Facing Fear: What’s Holding You Back from Healing and Connection? (Episode #75)
The Human Intimacy Podcast
48 minutes 29 seconds
3 months ago
Facing Fear: What’s Holding You Back from Healing and Connection? (Episode #75)
Facing Fear:
What’s Holding You Back from Healing and Connection?
Episode Summary:
In this episode of The Human Intimacy Podcast, Dr. Kevin Skinner and MaryAnn discuss a powerful and universal emotion—fear—and how it shapes our decisions, relationships, and personal growth. From the fear of being seen, rejected, or betrayed, to the fear of facing consequences or being alone, fear often acts as both a protector and a prison.
Dr. Skinner opens with a personal story from his teenage years rogueing potatoes—a vivid metaphor for rooting out danger before it spreads. Together, he and MaryAnn explore how fear manifests physiologically through the autonomic nervous system, how it can become embedded through trauma or cultural messaging, and how it often drives behavior unconsciously.
The episode dives into:
How fear shows up in relationships after betrayal
Why deception, gaslighting, and shame are often rooted in fear
How childhood and intergenerational fear shape our worldview
The difference between healthy fear and chronic fear
The importance of boundaries as a path to safety and freedom
A practical process for confronting fear: Find it, Face it, Flip it
The value of fear as a gift that invites curiosity and awareness
Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own fears, identify where they might be living in survival mode, and consider what conversations or choices fear might be preventing them from having.
Resources Mentioned:
Polyvagal Theory – Dr. Stephen Porges: Understanding how the autonomic nervous system influences our sense of safety and connection.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) – Dr. Richard Schwartz: Fear as a protector part within us that seeks to avoid pain or danger.
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) – Dr. Sue Johnson: How anxiety and fear impact attachment bonds and communication.
Survivor’s Club by Ben Sherwood – A book on resilience and how people survive traumatic events like plane crashes.
Recovery Capital Framework – Key elements for long-term recovery from addiction and compulsive behaviors.
12-Step Groups – The value of community, accountability, and confronting fear in healing from addiction or betrayal.
Trauma-Informed Therapy – When fear is rooted in unresolved trauma, professional support can be vital for recovery.
The Human Intimacy Podcast
Intimacy is a fundamental human experience that goes far beyond romantic relationships. Join us as we dive into the deep and multifaceted layers of human connection, exploring everything from friendship and family bonds to self-love and vulnerability. Through thought-provoking conversations with experts, personal stories, and practical advice, we’ll uncover the secrets to nurturing meaningful relationships in a fast-paced digital world. From exploring trust and fostering emotional intimacy to navigating conflicts and rediscovering oneself, we’re here to discover the essence of what it means to truly connect with others and ourselves. Whether you’re seeking to improve your relationships, gain insights into human behaviors, or simply crave a meaningful conversation that enriches your understanding of human connection, you won’t want to miss a single episode of The Human Intimacy Podcast.
