Episode 498: The Hidden Ways Trauma Shows Up In Relationships

About this episode

This episode explores how trauma manifests in relationships and sexual lives, featuring insights from Dr. Heather MacIntosh.

“Trauma” is a word you hear everywhere today, from social media to conversations about dating and relationships. But in psychology, it has a more precise meaning, and understanding it can help explain the patterns we see in how we think, feel, and connect. In this episode, we explore how trauma shows up in our relationships and sex lives. My guest is Dr. Heather MacIntosh, a psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist, Associate Professor, and Director of the Couple and Family Therapy Clinic at McGill University. She is author of the books Healing Broken Bonds: A Couples Workbook for Complex Trauma and Developmental Couple Therapy for Complex Trauma: a Manual for Therapists. She also hosts the podcast Healing Broken Bonds. Some of the specific topics we explore in this episode include: What does trauma mean in a clinical sense? What happens in the brain and body when someone experiences trauma? How does trauma show up in our intimate lives and relationships? Why doesn’t trauma affect everyone the same way? How can trauma affect sexual arousal and desire? You can visit Heather’s website to learn more about her work. Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Justin Lehmiller

Guest: Dr. Heather MacIntosh

Topics covered

• trauma
• relationships
• psychology
• sexuality
• intimacy
• mental health

Keywords

• trauma
• relationships
• sexual arousal
• intimacy
• mental health
• psychology
• couples therapy

Sponsors

Feeld

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: McGill University

Products: Feeld

Books & works: Healing Broken Bonds: A Couples Workbook for Complex Trauma, Developmental Couple Therapy for Complex Trauma: a Manual for Therapists

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