About this episode
Dr. Rob and Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty explore witnesses – the people who have seen your experiences and are ready to help you move forward. When you begin questioning whether your experience was real, why you acted out the way you did, or what really happened, a witness can offer direction and healing as you move forward, without the demonization and destigmatization that often faces addicts. Johanna is passionate about helping individuals heal from incident trauma, ancestral trauma, prolonged trauma and more, and she cautions listeners against marginalizing the damaging effects of true trauma in favor of everyday difficult life experiences. TAKEAWAYS: [3:27] What does recovery mean? [6:15] Who do you want to take with, and who do you want to leave behind? [7:55] A witness will help shape your experience. [10:10] Pain and shame makes more sense with a witness’s perspective. [12:40] Where are the hospices for the addicted? [13:50] Overcoming prejudice against addicts in the recovering community. [20:58] Sex addiction and porn addiction garner very little support. [25:54] Education on healthy sexuality in recovery. [32:15] Reembracing sexuality in recovery. [34:47] Revealing trauma, then moving forward. RESOURCES: Sex and Relationship Healing @RobWeissMSW Sex Addiction 101 Seeking Integrity Free Sexual Addiction Screening Assessment Partner Sexuality Survey Johanna O’Flaherty Seeking Integrity Podcasts are produced in partnership with Podfly Productions. QUOTES: “A witness helps shape who we become and how we walk through life.” “Where are the hospices for the addicted?” “In the journey of healing, we need to give people hope.” “What we long for in a relationship is intimacy, and then sexuality.”