Encountering You

In Part 1 we named the patterns of codependence. In Part 2 we go deeper – tracing codependence back to its developmental roots, looking honestly at what it costs us, and walking through what healing actually looks like using all six principles of the HOCI model. Not a new self. A more honest one.   In this episode we will look at: What families teach without meaning to – and how attachment wo...

Most people hear the word codependence and think: not me. But codependence isn't reserved for people in crisis or recovery – it's a spectrum, and most of us are somewhere on it. In Part 1, we look at what codependence actually is through the HOCI framework, and introduce five patterns that most people will recognize in themselves. In this episode we will discuss: The Healing Our Core Issues (HOCI)...

I've been doing the work. I've read the books, sat in the sessions, had the hard conversations. And then something happens -- and I find myself right back in a pattern I thought I was done with. What is wrong with me? Am I ever going to get there? If you've asked that question, this episode is for you. "Am I fully healed?" is one of the most common questions that surfaces in therapy -- usually fro...

Have you ever agreed to something and driven home feeling like you left a piece of yourself in that conversation? Or held so firm to your position that the relationship paid the price? Compromise gets a lot of good press -- but most of us have never learned the difference between healthy flexibility and quiet self-erasure. In this episode, we use the Healing Our Core Issues (HOCI) framework to loo...

Many of us reach a point where we notice it; the way we react, the way we shut down, the way we respond in relationships and think, I don’t want to keep doing this. In this episode, we explore what actually gets passed down in families and relationships, and why those patterns can feel so hard to change. Through the lens of attachment and the nervous system, we look at how our reactions are often...

Many of us grow up believing that hard work will eventually lead to success, stability, and fulfillment. But career and financial stories don’t always unfold the way we imagined. In this episode, we talk about the disappointment that can surface when work feels empty, progress stalls, financial stress lingers, or success fails to satisfy the way we thought it would. We also explore how cultural me...

Parenting carries some of our deepest hopes for connection, meaning, and legacy. But the story of parenting doesn’t always unfold the way we imagined. For some, the disappointment comes from longing for children that never arrive, through infertility, miscarriage, or not finding a partner to build a family with. For others, the grief happens within parenting itself when children struggle, relation...

Many of us grow up assuming marriage is simply the next step in life. But what happens when that story doesn’t unfold the way we expected? In this episode, we explore the quiet disappointment many people carry regarding relationship status: whether that’s longing to be married, navigating singleness, divorce, dating later in life than expected, or feeling lonely within a marriage. We also talk abo...

In this special Q&A episode, Laura is tackling a few questions that have been coming up a lot lately around mental health and relationships. She shares some interesting trends showing up in 2026—from people switching to “brick phones” to set better digital boundaries, to the danger of self-diagnosis and conversations around family boundaries. Then she covers some practical questions: How do you kn...

In this episode, Laura explores the difference between judgement and curiosity—and why learning to regulate our judgement is essential for becoming grounded, healthy adults. She explains how judgement is biologically protective, when it’s necessary for safety, and when it crosses into harmful territory. Laura then offers a roadmap for shifting from judgement to curiosity while holding ethical boun...

In this episode of Encountering You, Laura Williams explains why nervous system regulation isn’t about being calm, positive, or emotionally controlled. Regulation is about your ability to stay present with stress, emotion, and discomfort without shutting down or becoming reactive.   You’ll learn how fight, flight, freeze, and fawn show up in everyday life, why dysregulation isn’t a failure, a...

Thanks for listening, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode and for more shows like this, check out AccessMore!

In this episode, Laura explores why purpose is so essential to our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being—and why so many of us feel disconnected from it. Instead of treating purpose like a goal to achieve, Laura reframes it as something that naturally emerges as we heal, become more grounded, and reconnect with who we truly are. Drawing from personal story, the Healing Our Core Issues (HOCI)...

Encountering You will be taking a short break over Christmas and New Years. In this short message, Laura shares what she hopes for you this season, and a preview of what to expect from Encountering You in 2026!

The holidays can stir up more than joy—they can activate old wounds, grief, and loneliness we don’t always talk about. In this episode, Laura gently explores why this season can feel heavy, how family systems and sensory memories pull us back into old roles, and why grief shows up in so many forms. With grounding tools and compassionate guidance, she invites you to move through the holidays with m...

In this episode of Encountering You, Laura Williams explores how a well-known relationship tool — Love Languages— can unintentionally create disconnection when used as a rule instead of a reflection of real love. Through the lens of  Healing Our Core Issues , Laura unpacks how our love languages often reveal unmet childhood needs and how genuine connection grows through attunement, not performance...

Politics and faith weren’t meant to be weapons, but windows into the heart. When conversations turn political, it’s easy to choose sides and lose sight of each other. In this week’s episode, Laura will talk about what happens when belonging gets tangled with belief—and how to hold conviction without losing compassion. Maybe the real question isn’t whose side are you on , but how can we stay connec...

In this episode, Laura continues her conversation on forgiveness — exploring what it looks like when healing unfolds slowly, safely, and in relationship. Using the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus, she shows that forgiveness isn’t about rushing past pain but creating space for honesty, safety, and repair. You’ll hear why forgiveness before safety feels like self-betrayal, how healthy shame can ope...

Sometimes forgiveness comes too soon — not because we’re unfaithful, but because we’re afraid. Many of you have been told that good Christians forgive quickly, but what if forgiveness that comes too soon isn’t holy…it’s harm? Your body knows when it’s not ready. Betrayal doesn’t just break trust — it breaks regulation. In this episode, Laura will explore what betrayal does to the nervous system an...

Did you know that establishing a secure attachment system is not just our responsibility to ourselves? It is actually how we become more like Jesus and it is also our responsibility to the world. In todays episode, we will talk about parenting and discipleship, reparenting our younger selves, moving from fear to love and building lasting rhythms so that we can maintain a secure foundation. You can...

Did you know that you can heal your insecure attachment system? This is good news! In today's episode, Laura will look at stories in scripture where we can see bonds healing, talk about practices that you can implement today to grow your own secure attachment foundation, and how access to a healthy community helps this foundation flourish. You can subscribe today at AccessMore or wherever you list...

Do you know your attachment style? Do you know how it's formed? Did you know that you could heal from it? In the second episode of a 4 part series on attachment, Laura is going to discuss the 4 different attachment styles, how they are formed, and how to get clues into what attachment style might be driving your relationships....including your relationship with God. You can subscribe today on Acce...

Did you know that your attachment style affects multiple areas of your life? Laura is going to embark on a 4 episode series about attachment and the different facets of how our attachment style affects multiple areas of our life. In today's episode, she is going to discuss how your attachment style in general, can and will impact how you see God and how healing from wounded attachment can actually...

Do you ever feel as though your partner is just not meeting your needs? This could be because you are looking for a need that he or she cannot fill. Today, Laura dives into the frustration of when partners just feel like their needs aren't being met in their relationship. And the answers might not be what you think. When our needs aren't met by our parents as children, many times we look to our pa...

Do you ever feel like change is mundane? It can be but in today's episode Laura is going to talk about why change in the mundane is just as important or even more important than the big "aha" moments. She will discuss our culture's obsession with the big moments, the places where change actually happens, why we overlook these boring moments and how to accept the slow pace of healing. You can subsc...