#72 – What is Relationship OCD? with Alex Bishop

Episode Notes Themes: relationship anxiety, relationship ocd, anxious attachment, avoidant attachment, dating anxiety, new relationship, self-sabotage Do you feel constant, intense urges to end your relationship? Or feel your brain being hyper-critical of your partner - even though you feel that they are safe and a good match for you? If so, the term "relationship OCD" or "relationship anxiety" might help shed light on what is going on. Our guest for this episode is Alex Bishop, a registered counselor from Canada: "Hi, I’m Alex! As someone who has struggled relationally with a diverse spectrum of issues from relationship anxiety/ROCD, disorganized attachment, intimacy and commitment issues, and doubt, I get how difficult it can be to be in a relationship and feel settled and secure. I know what it’s like to desperately want to be committed and feel open-hearted and at the same time want to run for the hills! With all of the internal disorganization I was experiencing, I knew I needed help and that the only way through my relationship problems was to seek professional help. In my healing through various different modalities from one-to-one therapy, group work, psychedelic medicine, and breath and bodywork I slowly worked towards more security within. I became better able to communicate my thoughts and feelings, I no longer felt a massive desire to run away, my doubt about whether I was with the right person dissolved and I learned that everything I had been experiencing in my intimate relationships had ties to childhood trauma and relational wounding. I learned that it wasn’t safe to get close to people and open my heart. My continued healing allows me to open my heart more and more and enjoy a safe, loving relationship. Transcending these difficulties allows me to now guide others into doing the same. As a Registered Counsellor I now help others with a wide range of personal and relational issues work towards a more fulfilling loving relationship with their partner and themselves!" Work with Alex Instagram @forloveweheal Website www.forloveweheal.com