A Codependent Mind: Recent Episodes
Brian and Stephanie
An honest first-hand account of descent into and emergence from codependency. Brian and Stephanie share their journey of codependency recovery and understanding.Through first-hand experience, extensive research, and countless hours of discussion with Stephanie, his life partner, Brian has been able to understand the web of behaviors that formed his ’codependency’ and to heal from the trauma and the shame that was at the root of it.
The process of learning what emotions are and how manage them was interrupted for Brian at a very early age by abuse and trauma. Because of that, he never really learned how to identify his emotions or what to do with them. This amounted to emotional immaturity and made it difficult for him to form healthy, intimate relationships and left him vulnerable to further abuse and trauma.
Shame evolved to give us information about the world. But trauma induced shame can be overwhelming and crippling, even life-threatening. Understanding the role shame played in his life and fueled his codependent behaviors, was key to Brian's healing process.
What is involved in the concept of 'personal agency'? How is agency or its lack connected to codependent behaviors? We explore Brian's experience with those questions in mind.
Narcissists are an especially dangerous and toxic pairing for people with codependent behaviors, due to the way each person’s maladaptive behaviors work together. In this episode we discuss the general characteristics of narcissism and then detail Brian's two, back-to-back, romantic relationships with abusive narcissists.
People with codependent behaviors often get repeatedly ensnared in abusive relationships. They get asked the question and may even ask themselves - why did you stay? The relationship dynamic of trauma bonding may be a big part of the answer. It was for Brian.
Often codependence behaviors emerge as a response to trauma. What is trauma? How is it different then other stressful, even violent, events? What is it like to live with unhealed trauma? This is Brian's story.
What is codependency? And from where do codependent behaviors emerge? Every 'codependent' has an origin story. This is Brian's.