Journals of a Love Addict Podcast

What does 'home' mean to you? Is it a sense of safety? Belonging? Connection? In this episode, Jodi talks with her teacher, Guru Singh , about their first meeting 24 years ago--how it helped her create a new perspective of what home is, and changed the trajectory of her life. They also cover relationships, addiction, spirituality, boredom, and much more in one epic hour of conversation. Music by J...

Sobriety is wonderful but, like lots of things in life, it's not always a pocketful of rainbows. And Chris Marshall, founder of Sans Bar in Austin--with nearly 15 years of sobriety--really gets this. In this episode, Jodi and Chris talk about embracing uncertainty in recovery; the importance of accepting that there are different paths to sobriety versus a one-size-fits-all approach; that it's okay...

Do you love your work? And, equally as important, does it love you back? This is a question that business therapist Nicole Lewis-Keeber asks readers in her book, "How to Love Your Business: Stop recreating trauma and have a business you love-and that loves you back". In this episode Jodi talks with Nicole about a time when she considered closing her business, but instead--thanks an early morning a...

Sometimes a breakup is The End , but sometimes we go back and try it again--especially when we're talking about love addiction and codependence. As Jerry Seinfeld said, "Everybody knows the first breakup never takes". In this episode, Jodi follows-up with her friend Brooke as they reconnect regarding what's transpired since her breakup last year (covered in Episode 2). Listen as they discuss how P...

In the previous two episodes, author and therapist Kelly McDaniel has explained Mother Hunger, how it happens, and provided some well-known cases of Mother Hunger from her forthcoming book for reference. In Part Three, Jodi and Kelly continue their conversation with the definition of Third-Degree Mother Hunger, as well as the steps involved in the healing process. Music by JD Pendley  

Nurturance, guidance and protection are three developmental needs for appropriate brain development in childhood; but what happens if any (or all) of these are inconsistently provided? In this episode, Jodi continues the Mother Hunger discussion with author and therapist, Kelly McDaniel; listen as they talk about the importance of protection, how daughters look to their mothers for guidance, and h...

Mothers are valuable: they're our first love and the source of everything we need to survive. But what happens when a mother doesn't get the support she needs, or is struggling with her own unresolved trauma? In this episode (part one of a three-part series), Jodi talks with Kelly McDaniel (author or "Ready to Heal") about her upcoming book, "Mother Hunger: How Adult Daughters Can Understand and H...

Why do we stay in co-addicted relationships, believing 'that one' person's validation is the key to our fulfillment? What drives us to pursue a fantasy, only to be disappointed when confronted by reality? In this episode, Jodi talks about books, Zen meditation, the role of dopamine in love addiction, and how finding our own 'nothing special' is actually really awesome.

What is healthy sex? And intimate sex? And how about healthy sex in recovery? Jodi has so many questions for her guest, Alex Katehakis, healthy sexuality expert and author of the book, Erotic Intelligence. In this episode, Alex and Jodi discuss the four cornerstones of intimacy, how stress interferes with desire, sex as a spiritual practice, and so much more. Music by JD Pendley  

Love addiction is rooted in codependence; it comes with boundary issues, dependency issues and self-esteem issues, which leads us to look externally (often to our partners) for a sense of worthiness. In this episode, Jodi discusses her history of trying to prove her value in relationships, and how that led to resentment and more dysfunctional behavior. She also discusses what happens when attachme...

What's it like to grow up as The Hero of the family? Hint: It's not as awesome as it sounds. In this episode, Jodi talks with Rev. Daniel Gowan, LPC-S, regarding his upbringing as a Hero and his personal experience with love addiction, avoidance, and codependence. We'll also discuss his recovery journey, how this led him to Pia Mellody's work, and how all of it has influenced him as a therapist. M...

Do you struggle with consistency? Does your desire to do All The Things --and do them perfectly-- get in the way of actually DOING anything at all? In this episode, Jodi explores the connection between codependence, love addiction and the tendency to over-function; how shame feeds our dysfunctional behavior; and how sometimes, even when we think we're just wasting time, we might actually be learni...

What do seduction, fantasy, obsession, self-medicating and  withdrawal have in common? They're all parts of the cycle of love addiction. In this episode, Jodi continues her conversation with Sarah Bridge, LCSW; listen as they discuss the love addiction cycle, as well as what happens in co-addicted relationships between Love Addicts and Love Avoidants. Music by JD Pendley    

What is codependence? Pia Mellody, author of the book "Facing Codependence", says it's a disease of immaturity caused by childhood relational trauma... and it causes lots of issues in our adult relationships . In this episode (part one of a two part series), Jodi talks with Sarah Bridge, LCSW, about the core symptoms of codependence, assigned family roles and post-induction therapy. Sarah is a the...

Fantasy is a big part of love addiction; it's what keeps us hooked in our co-addicted relationships as we try to make a partner into who we want them to be instead of accepting the reality of who they are. In this episode, Jodi discusses the role of fantasy in love addiction, how it 'works', and how it all begins in childhood as a way to escape. Music by JD Pendley

When a relationship ends, Love Addicts can spend a lot of energy trying to put it back together. In this episode, Jodi discusses how playing the 'sexy/cool girlfriend' never actually worked, and how hopeful hookups during on-again/off-again relationships kept her stuck in co-addicted cycles with partners. Jodi also talks with Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, Dr. Stevie Stanford, regarding the di...

Lots of people have a Thing - something that needs to addressed in order to be the healthiest version of oneself; but sometimes that Thing is intertwined with another, much bigger Thing... In this episode, Jodi talks about her experience with alcohol and how it was intertwined with her love addiction (aka The Big Thing) from a young age. And Jodi's friend, Sondra Primeaux (of The Unruffled Podcast...

What is love addiction? According to Kelly McDaniel, therapist and author of "Ready to Heal: Breaking Free of Addictive Relationships", the answer is quite complex. In this episode, Kelly joins Jodi to discuss the cultural programming that leads to love addiction; how sex and love get intertwined (and confused) at an early age; and how we can recover. Get a notebook and pen because this episode co...

Breakups are hard, but sometimes staying in the relationship is even harder. In this episode, my friend Brooke shares her experience with codependence and how it affected a recent longterm relationship (plus how and why that relationship ultimately ended). Music by JD Pendley  

Who is Jodi White and why is she always talking about love addiction? I promise to answer these questions in this first episode of Journals of a Love Addict (and in case you're wondering 'WTF is love addiction?', I'll answer that that one, too).