Why We Hide Who We Are: Sex, Love, & Fear of Abandonment | C.R. Herro

Have a question or comment? Send it to Kristin!“The mask that keeps you from being abandoned is the same one that keeps you from being loved.”This episode is not soft.It’s not performative.And it’s definitely not comfortable.Licensed therapist C.R. Herro returns for one of the most raw, intellectually honest, and emotionally confronting conversations on Sex, Drugs, & Soul to date.We unpack:Why archetypes and masks feel safe but sabotage intimacyThe uncomfortable truth that sex is not loveHow trauma teaches us to outsource safety, worth, and belongingWhy kindness is strength (and intensity is often a red flag)The fantasy of being rescued & the grief of letting it dieWhat it actually means to become your own heroThis is a conversation about responsibility, embodiment, emotional honesty, and the courage it takes to stop performing and start living.🎧 Listen if you’re ready to stop numbing, stop pretending, and start telling yourself the truth.00:00 – Welcome + why this conversation will ruffle feathers 03:00 – What’s turning C.R. on: access, honesty, & emotional availability 07:30 – Why being human is harder than we admit 12:00 – Archetypes vs authenticity: the mask we wear to feel safe 18:00 – The puppet metaphor: why the mask blocks real love 24:00 – Trauma, self-blame, & being crueler to ourselves than others 30:00 – Codependence vs hyper-independence (same wound, different armor) 36:00 – The fantasy of being rescued 42:00 – Sex ≠ love: the most expensive lie 48:00 – Intensity vs kindness (red flags that look like desire) 54:00 – Dropping performance & choosing emotional responsibility 60:00 – The 80th birthday exercise: playing the tape all the way forward 68:00 – Becoming your own hero 75:00 – Love without possession & interdependence 82:00 – Final reflections, integration, & closing wisdomSupport the showConnect with Kristin:WebsiteInstagramFacebook YouTubeKristin’s Book:Sex, Drugs, & Soul Spotify AudiobookSubscribe:YouTubeSpotifyApplePeptides:Oral Quicksilver GHK/Copper Peptidehttps://elliemd.com/kristinbirdwellMicrodose 🍄 https://myfeelium.co/password: opensesameCode: kristin20 for 20% off