Best Reactive Attachments Podcasts (2025)

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97 - Disorganized Attachment - AKA fearful avoidant attachment style can be so hard to navigate—let's get clarity. 1:04:45

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4h ago1:04:45

1:04:45

Our conversation on attachment styles continues! This week, we're getting into disorganized attachment style, aka fearful avoidant. One of the reasons this style is so hard to understand is that it's rooted in contradictory desires—wanting something while simultaneously fearing it. It can be as confusing for the people with this attachment style as…

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96 - Smiling Depression Is a Whole Ass Nightmare - Performing happiness, faking happiness—whatever you call it, it steals your life. Let's heal, hunny. 50:59

15d ago50:59

50:59

How many people are walking around performing success—achieving, following the "rules," doing everything that's "supposed" to make you happy on paper, only to find themselves depressed, disconnected, and dissatisfied? Why do we do this? What's at the root of it? And how do we reroute our lives? In this episode, Danielle Mcgeough, professor, speaker…

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95 - Avoidant Attachment Style: Real talk—emotional intimacy isn't easy. Let's build effective communication skills & get your relationships back on track. 48:40

29d ago48:40

48:40

This is a continuation of the attachment style series! So many of us are avoidant *and don't even know it.* We avoid conflict, people please, shut down, and/or chronically fail to voice our needs in relationships (yes! this is what a fear of intimacy looks like!). So how do we go from avoidant attachment to a healthier, more secure attachment? In t…

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S2 E29: Tired of these dark sunglasses 22:50

17d ago22:50

22:50

Confession: I am currently climbing out of an almost three month-long deep depression that really threw me for a loop. As the clouds are finally beginning to part, and I’m feeling more myself, I’m ready to get back into creating content for this podcast and I’d like to share what depression looks like for me. Included in this episode: *why my two m…

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The Hope of the Gospel In Foster Care with Jamie Finn 35:08

16d ago35:08

35:08

When foster care gets messy and the case plan keeps shifting, what holds you steady? We sit down with author, ministry leader, and foster mom Jamie Finn to dig into the gritty, hope-filled heart of caregiving: how to carry sorrow and joy together, how to parent from grace when strategies fail, and how to keep the gospel at the center for kids, bio …

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Rhythms For Foster and Adoptive Parents 33:36

22d ago33:36

33:36

The hardest part of foster and adoptive parenting isn’t always the paperwork or the appointments- it’s trying to care for everyone while running on fumes. We open up about a season of nonstop schedules, takeout dinners, and too much caffeine, and then step back to ask a bigger question: what if wellness isn’t found in doing more, but in returning t…

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94 - Talkin' 'Bout Reactive Defense AKA Reactive Abuse - Let's look at how we show up around abuse, mistreatment, & chronic defensiveness (ahem, emotionally immature parents) and reclaim our power. 32:22

1M ago32:22

32:22

Have you heard about reactive defense, AKA reactive abuse? This is super important to know about if you've been in relationships with abusers (your family counts!), especially when narcissistic abuse is at play and YES, even chronic defensiveness. We're getting clear on what this looks like and how to get off the hamster wheel so we feel focused, c…

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Adoption, Identity, and Belonging with Adoptee, Isaac Etter 58:36

1M ago58:36

58:36

What if the most loving thing we can do for our kids isn’t to fix their pain, but to guide them through it? We sit down with Isaac Etter—transracial adoptee, educator, and founder of Identity and Parenting Different—to unpack what adoptees actually need: honest stories, practical preparation, and communities that make belonging real. Isaac shares h…

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Fear, Faith, And Foster Parenting 14:07

2M ago14:07

14:07

Fear loves to whisper what if, especially to foster and adoptive parents who carry heavy stories and real responsibilities. We open up about the moments when panic tries to take over- late-night spirals, hard court dates, and those small behaviors that feel like previews of a grim future- and we share the better way: a posture rooted in grace, curi…

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93 - Human Design for People Pleasers - For all you human design types & newbies alike, we're getting a map into your people pleasing tendencies AND learning how to heal it. 48:31

2M ago48:31

48:31

It's the 3rd epi in my people-pleasing series! I have been DYING to know what human design really is, how it works, and if it can help us with people pleasing. Turns out, not only can it help, it can give you a map that shows exactly where your people pleasing started, how it works, and how you heal it. Human design expert and confidence coach Kell…

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EP 105: How to Work with Two Withdrawers in Emotionally Focused Therapy with EFT Trainer Dr. Tal Padeh 50:47

2M ago50:47

50:47

Welcome back to We Heart Therapy: The EFT Talk Series! 💕 In this powerful episode, host Dr. Anabelle Bugatti, PhD, LMFT, Certified EFT Supervisor & Therapist, sits down with Dr. Tal Padeh, Certified EFT Trainer and Director of the Israeli Center for EFT, to discuss one of the most challenging and insightful topics in couples therapy — working with …

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God's Faithfulness in Foster Care and Adoption 24:53

2M ago24:53

24:53

Some days the unknowns feel louder than our confidence. So we’re naming the five big seasons of foster care- the call, the waiting, the daily work, the transitions, and the surprises- and getting honest about where fear shows up, where systems fall short, and where hope quietly grows. I share the moments that recalibrated my own heart: a gas‑statio…

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92 - The People Pleaser Guide: How to Deal with Conflict - Less people pleasing, more conflict resolution strategies for standing in power and authenticity, bb. 50:11

2M ago50:11

50:11

This is episode 2 in my people-pleasing deep-dive! One of our biggest fears as people-pleasers is speaking up for ourselves during conflict—it can literally make us feel like we're going to pass out from anxiety! So how do we move from the knee-jerk "Sounds good, no worries!" to a thoughtful, authentic: "Actually, here's what I need..."? In this ep…

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Faith, Trauma, and the Tools That Help Families Heal with Kristin Orphan 53:44

3M ago53:44

53:44

What if trauma-informed parenting isn’t a departure from biblical wisdom but a practical expression of it? That question drives a heartfelt conversation with guest Kristin Orphan, cofounder of Finally Home, a national nonprofit equipping foster, adoptive, and kinship families with education, encouragement, and community. We dig into what trauma act…

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91 - People Pleasing at Work Gotcha Down? If you're a people pleaser from 9 to 5, it's time to start setting boundaries so you can take your power back. 49:52

3M ago49:52

49:52

It's my first in a series on people pleasing! We're looking at it from all angles, starting with people-pleasing at work. We do it to stay safe, even to get ahead in our careers—but it's actually sabotaging our success! The problem is, half the time, we don't even know we're doing it, and the other half, we've people pleased before we even have a c…

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Navigating Bedtime with Trauma-Informed Care with Allison Ezell 45:54

3M ago45:54

45:54

Every foster and adoptive parent has found themselves desperately searching for sleep solutions at 2 AM, wondering why traditional methods aren't working and if they're somehow failing their child. Sleep consultant Allison Ezell brings a revolutionary perspective to this universal struggle, explaining why children from hard places face unique chall…

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90 - When Should You End a Relationship? - How get out of toxic connections and into reciprocal, loving relationships as recovering people pleasers and children of gaslighters. 31:41

3M ago31:41

31:41

How do you know when it's time to end a friendship, or any relationship for that matter? How do you know when you're just being "dramatic," like your family of origin always told you you were, and when you're self-advocating and standing in your power? How do you balance healthy boundaries with healthy compassion, especially when a person's toxicit…

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Seeing God's Fingerprints in Foster Care with Jessica Mathisen 38:04

3M ago38:04

38:04

Ever feel like your heart is being pulled in a thousand directions as a foster parent? Like you're supposed to be everything to everyone while somehow finding time to breathe? You're not alone. In this soul-nourishing conversation, Jessica Matheson (author of "No Matter When I Go") shares her foster care journey and the freedom she found when she s…

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Understanding FASD in Foster Care & Adoption with Sandra Flach 54:35

3M ago54:35

54:35

Sandra Flach shares her family's journey with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and provides essential knowledge for foster and adoptive parents raising children with prenatal alcohol exposure. • FASD affects 1 in 20 children in the United States—more prevalent than autism • Only 10% of children with FASD display the facial features needed for diagno…

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EP 104: Healing Addiction, Shame & Trauma with EFT | Dr. Belle & EFT Trainer Michael Barnett LPC 1:07:57

4M ago1:07:57

1:07:57

EFT Talk: Your Guide to Emotionally Focused Therapy 🎙️💙 Featuring Dr. Belle, PhD, LMFT, Cert. EFT Supervisor & Therapist ✨ Healing Addictions, Shame & Trauma with Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) | Dr. Belle & Michael Barnett LPC In this powerful conversation, I, Dr. Belle, PhD, LMFT, ICEEFT Certified EFT/EFIT/EFFT Supervisor/Therapist, sit down w…

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89 - How to Heal Anxious Attachment Style Part II - A deep dive into healing anxious attachment, bc it's time to enjoy secure attachment, babe. 57:52

4M ago57:52

57:52

We've all been there—trying to figure out the exact right way to phrase the text so we sound cool and aloof when actually we've been crying for the last two hours. Anxious attachment style can suuuckkkkk so bad because it's rooted in deep feelings of not being good enough, not trusting people, and not loving ourselves. But what if I told you there'…

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88 - Anxious Attachment Style, Breakup Edition - Codependency in relationships can surge in the breakup stage for anxiously attached folks—let's get you out of despair and into thrive mode. 27:16

4M ago27:16

27:16

Being anxiously attached in a relationship is hard enough, but anxiously attached during a breakup?? The feelings of abandonment, the hopelessness, the sense that you'll never get your life back—it can be a real codependent spiral. In this episode, we dive into what the breakup process can look like for anxiously attached folks, what lies we tell o…

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Mobilizing the Church for Foster Care with Dr. John DeGarmo 38:11

4M ago38:11

38:11

Dr. John DeGarmo, founder of the Foster Care Institute and foster parent to over 60 children, takes us on a powerful journey into the heart of foster care ministry. Having witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of faith communities on vulnerable children, Dr. John makes a compelling case for why foster care represents "the next great mission…

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EP 103: What to Do When Clients Say “I Don’t Know” EFT Tips with EFT Trainer Lieven Migerode 53:54

4M ago53:54

53:54

What to Do When Clients Say “I Don’t Know” EFT Tips with Lieven Migerode Welcome back to We Heart Therapy, the channel for Emotionally Focused Therapists seeking practical tools and insights! In this episode, host Dr. Belle, PhD, LMFT — Certified EFT/EFIT/EFFT Supervisor & Therapist — speaks with Lieven Migerode, Certified EFT Trainer from Belgium,…

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87 - Burnout Recovery 101 - How to break free from people-pleasing and emotional exhaustion (and the subconscious childhood wounds behind it) 1:04:57

5M ago1:04:57

1:04:57

A lot of times, we think the antidote to burnout is a nap or a vacay (which, no shade, we love a vacay) but a lot of us are struggling with burnout from our own—often *subconscious*—repeated behaviors like perfectionism, overachieving (in an attempt to feel worthy or valid), people pleasing, or not setting appropriate boundaries. AKA, the call is c…

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REWIND: When The Journey Gets Hard, Faith Is Your Lifeline 33:17

5M ago33:17

33:17

Struggling to find the strength to keep going in your foster care journey? This powerful conversation with missionary and adoptive mom Mandie Summers reveals how faith becomes the essential foundation when the system feels broken and the burden feels too heavy. Mandy never imagined herself as a foster parent until a casual dinner conversation with …

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REWIND: The Unspoken Side of Foster Care & Adoption- When Home Isn't Safe Anymore 1:06:35

5M ago1:06:35

1:06:35

What happens when love isn't enough? When trauma runs so deep that having your child live at home becomes unsafe for everyone involved? This raw, vulnerable conversation with Anna Bernacki pulls back the curtain on one of foster care and adoption's most painful realities – the moment when residential treatment becomes necessary. Anna brings a uniqu…

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86 - Tired of People Pleasing? - How childhood conditioning controls your work, love life, & confidence (and how to finally respect yourself without feeling drained) 27:12

5M ago27:12

27:12

Do you ever get mad at yourself because you didn't hold a boundary? Are you SO over what a people pleaser you can be? Has anyone ever told you you need to respect yourself like they were talking to kindergartener and you STILL, to this day, carry that shame around with you? This is your epi, hunny. We're getting into the connection between people p…

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REWIND- When Your Tank Runs Empty 34:59

5M ago34:59

34:59

The emotional toll of fostering and adopting can leave even the most dedicated parents running on empty. In this powerful conversation, Nicole T. Barlow welcomes Melissa Smallwood, a counselor and family coach whose perspective is uniquely informed by her experience on both sides of the foster care equation – first as a foster youth who entered the…

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REWIND- Building Community Around Foster Families 46:39

5M ago46:39

46:39

What if your entire city rallied around foster families? Rebecca from Georgia Kids Belong reveals how that vision is becoming reality through the Foster Friendly initiative, a movement transforming how communities support foster care. Rebecca shares the powerful work of their I Belong Project, which creates advocacy videos for children waiting for …

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85 - Is My Mom a Narcissist? - This one's for the daughters of narcissistic mothers—and the dudes and non-binary folks—let's dig into the signs of a narcissistic mother, the impact, & how we heal. 1:09:27

6M ago1:09:27

1:09:27

Real talk—narcissistic mothers unleash a reign of terror over their kids, and for MANY of us, we don't even realize it for years and years! We may even adore, worship, and endlessly praise our mothers (which is what many narcissistic mothers groom their children to do BTW). The way it impacts our self-worth and ability to set boundaries is WILD. In…

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REWIND: Supporting Biological Kids in the Foster Care and Adoption Journey 39:27

5M ago39:27

39:27

What happens to the children who were already in the home when foster kids arrive? Daniela Coats offers a perspective rarely heard in foster care conversations- that of the birth child. Growing up as the oldest of three biological siblings in a family that began fostering when she was seven, Daniela experienced firsthand the complex emotions that c…

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EP 102: How to Use EFT/EFIT in Group Therapy - Featuring EFT Trainer Dr. Andrea Pagani 46:23

6M ago46:23

46:23

Welcome back to We Heart Therapy, the mental health podcast for Emotionally Focused Therapists! In this episode, Dr. Belle (PhD, LMFT) speaks with Dr. Andrea Pagani, Certified EFT Trainer based in Rome, Italy, about how to apply Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) in group therapy settings. Dr. Pagani…

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REWIND: Lessons in Resilience with Raquel McCloud 1:02:50

6M ago1:02:50

1:02:50

Raquel McLeod shares her powerful journey as a birth mother, child of kinship care, and kinship adoptive mom, illustrating how resilience can be cultivated through intentional practices and consistent support. • The nine elements that build resilience include having one stable adult, cultivating self-worth, and prioritizing physical wellness • Phys…

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Praying for the Wounded Child: A Conversation with Virginia Wells 26:54

6M ago26:54

26:54

Send us a text In this episode, we sit down with Virginia Wells—author, licensed social worker, and adoptive mom—to explore the intersection of faith, adoption, and healing. Virginia shares wisdom from her powerful book Praying for a Wounded Child, offering real-life encouragement and deeply spiritual insights for parents navigating trauma, loss, a…

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84 - Limerence Symptoms Driving You Crazy? - Obsessive love ain't love, y'all, & your limerent object isn't all that. Let's show you how to stop obsessing over someone else so you can LIVE. 31:39

6M ago31:39

31:39

Literally romantic obsession SUCKS. The longing is so intense, and there's no way to satiate it. In this epi, we get into how your unmet childhood needs are feeding your limerence, how we work with them, and why self-love is both the key AND just the beginning. Birth Chart Reading Giveaway Rules! Leave me a rating and review, screenshot it, post it…

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E28: Sagging, and earrings, and belts, oh my! 21:34

6M ago21:34

21:34

Confession: It is sometimes hard for me to allow Lane to express himself through his appearance, whether it’s coloring his hair, wearing goofy earrings, or sagging his pants. However, I realize if I stifle this important teen outlet of creativity, the risk of rebelling increases exponentially. I have no research or data to back this up. It’s just m…

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REWIND: Being a Learner as a Foster or Adoptive Parent 37:18

6M ago37:18

37:18

Ever felt like the gap between what you know about trauma and how you respond to it is impossibly wide? In this soul-nourishing conversation with Katrina Campbell, Director of Training at FaithBridgeU, we explore how continuous learning transforms not just our parenting but our spiritual lives. "Suffering moved in with me," Katrina shares, capturin…

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REWIND: The Marriage Behind the Mission- Navigating Foster Care as a Couple 30:56

6M ago30:56

30:56

Parenting children from hard places requires an extraordinary partnership between spouses. In this candid conversation, Nicole interviews her husband Bruce about how they've navigated the challenges and joys of foster parenting as a team. When Nicole first felt called to foster care, Bruce's immediate response was a firm "no." His journey from relu…

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83 - Need Help with Anxiety? - The spin-outs suck—get help with anxiety & learn anxiety management techniques with Dr. Stephanie Lopez 53:36

7M ago53:36

53:36

Anxiety isn't just about your thoughts, it's about whether or not you see *YOURSELF* as capable enough to handle life (OOF!). In this episode, I get into this and SO much more with anxiety expert Dr. Stephanie Lopez (you can check out her FREE training for ditching anxiety here). If you'd like a one-on-one coaching session, birth chart reading, or …

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E27: Let's talk about chores, baby! 21:46

7M ago21:46

21:46

Confession: I secretly judge parents and caregivers who do not expect their child or teen to help out around the house with regular chores. I don’t know how many of them are out there, but I certainly know a few personally. I don’t typically judge others, however, I’m gonna get on my soapbox about this one. Also included in this episode: *my shift …

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REWIND: Staying Calm in Chaos: Tools for Foster & Adoptive Parents 23:48

6M ago23:48

23:48

Ever found yourself triggered by your child's meltdown, wondering how to break the cycle of dysregulation? This summer rewind episode tackles one of the most challenging aspects of foster and adoptive parenting: staying calm when everything around you is chaos. Drawing from personal experience as both a certified parent trainer and adoptive mom to …

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E26: Twerking as a therapeutic tool 22:42

7M ago22:42

22:42

Confession: I recently learned in a family therapy session that one cannot be angry and twerk at the same time. Fun fact! Also included in this episode: *more valuable content from Daniel Siegel's book Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain *the handy model of the brain *why the ages of 12-24 are the most dangerous of our lives *the…

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Finding Justice in a Broken Foster Care System 25:18

6M ago25:18

25:18

We confront the reality of injustice in foster care and explore how to effectively advocate for change without burning out or losing sight of our purpose. From recognizing that not every battle is ours to fight, to making strategic relationships within the system, these seven practical tips help foster parents navigate the broken parts of the syste…

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Speaking the Heart Language of Adopted and Foster Children 18:17

7M ago18:17

18:17

Send us a text In this heartfelt episode, adoption author Sherrie Eldridge shares deeply personal insights and practical advice for adoptive and foster parents seeking to connect with their children truly. Drawing from her book 20 Things Adoptive Parents Need to Succeed, Sherrie explores how well-intentioned words can be misinterpreted by adopted c…

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EP 101: Working with View of Self in EFT Emotionally Focused Therapy - Featuring EFT Trainer Robin Williams Blake 58:14

7M ago58:14

58:14

🎙️ Working with View of Self in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) with Dr. Belle (Anabelle Bugatti-Duarte, PhD, LMFT) & Robin Williams Blake, EFT Trainer & Director of the Toronto Centre for EFT Welcome to another transformative episode of the We Heart Therapy podcast & YouTube series for EFT therapists! In this episode, Dr. Belle sits down with re…

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82 - Did You Grow Up Without Affection? It's time to start healing the impact of being unloved as a child, babe. 37:45

7M ago37:45

37:45

In this epi, we're getting into the symptoms of growing up without a parent who supported and hyped you up or even hugged you—it can show up allll over your life—AND we're getting into how we heal. (Don't worry—it's a huge heartache, but we're starting small.) If you'd like a one-on-one coaching session, birth chart reading, or tarot reading with R…

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E25: I am Lane's bowling lane bumpers 30:34

7M ago30:34

30:34

Confession: I have started referring to myself as Lane’s bumpers on a bowling lane. I can guide and provide for him, keeping him out of the gutters in adolescence, while at the same time understanding he has free will. I need to trust in his ability to make good choices in the teen years. Lane needs to trust that I will be there for him, even when …

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Becoming Yourself in the Middle of Motherhood with Emma Fulenwider 32:02

7M ago32:02

32:02

Send us a text On this episode, we sit down with Emma Fulenwider—author, literary agent, TEDx speaker, and mother navigating the complexities of modern parenting—to explore what it truly means to belong in a world full of pressure, perfectionism, and plastic toys. Emma shares her personal journey from being an "odd kid" who learned to mimic others …

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E24: I used to think the teen years had to be survived 24:48

7M ago24:48

24:48

Confession: I used to think that the teenage years were something I had to suffer through before Lane grew up to be an adult. But I just found a book that changed all that. I now understand the massive changes the teen brain is undergoing and I look forward to helping Lane harness the power of his powerful new brain so he can thrive in his adolesce…