Recovering From Codependency by Befriending Oneself

About this episode

Michelle shares her journey of recovering from codependency and the importance of befriending oneself.

In this episode, Michelle discussed how she grew up in a dysfunctional family, and as a child and adolescent, she was always trying to figure it out and understanding why this is happening. She said it wasn’t until she got into recovery from food addiction and codependency, did she get the principles for living that she didn't learn growing up, and this inspired her to become a therapist to help others. She explained that she defines codependency as over functioning in order to get the love, support and validation that you can’t give to yourself. We discussed how the hyper vigilance of being aware of others can be a gift, but at the same time, it can lead to misinterpretation, worrying that if someone is upset, they’re upset at me. We talked about boundaries, and how for many people with codependency they have a hard time saying no because it is threatening, and by pleasing the other, it’s a way of seeking safety and love. She discusses how many people that come into therapy with codependency may not be realizing that they are struggling with codependency, but instead are wanting help fixing a relationship, and not realizing their part in it. She discusses how healing from…

People in this episode

Host: W Keith Sutton PsyD

Guest: Michelle

Topics covered

• codependency
• self-befriending
• therapy
• boundaries
• dysfunctional family

Keywords

• codependency
• therapy
• self-love
• boundaries
• food addiction

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