In this episode, Amy dives into the concept of Disguised Dependencies: the subtle emotional and behavioral patterns that can quietly undermine our recovery, self-worth, and relationships. Through candid reflection and humor, Amy explores how unnoticed dependencies—from rituals like infrared saunas to the comfort of Lifesavers Orange Mints—can shape our sense of safety, identity, and connection, even after achieving sobriety.
Key Points:
Understanding Disguised Dependencies: Amy defines disguised dependencies as the often unseen emotional and physical habits that we rely on for comfort and stability, highlighting how they can persist beneath the surface even in recovery.
The Role of Self-Awareness: She emphasizes the importance—and challenge—of developing self-awareness, sharing her own journey of digging deep and facing uncomfortable truths about motives, coping mechanisms, and the need for approval.
The False Self & Emotional Dependency: Drawing on Alan Berger’s insights and her own experience, Amy unpacks the concept of the “false self”—the persona we create to manipulate others’ responses—and how it feeds emotional reliance on external validation.
Vulnerability & Acceptance: Amy encourages embracing vulnerability and releasing the need for perfection, recounting her personal struggles with insecurity, loneliness, and the urge to control, especially as a mom and woman in recovery.
Tools for Growth: Through practical exercises (like sentence completion to uncover disguised dependencies), Amy provides listeners with actionable ways to identify, understand, and begin to heal from emotional dependencies.
Faith, Motherhood, & ADHD: The episode weaves in Amy’s reflections on her evolving spirituality, the complexities of parenting in a tech-driven era, and the impact of ADHD on habits and routines.
Humor & Humanity: With her signature blend of lightheartedness and depth, Amy shares relatable anecdotes about everything from Botox to love languages, reminding listeners that growth comes from awareness, not perfection.
Practicing Emotional Sobriety: The path to emotional freedom, Amy says, is one of ongoing curiosity, resilience, and self-compassion—letting go of blame, embracing imperfection, and making room for the true self to emerge.
Hosted by Amy Liz Harrison
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