On today’s episode of the Being Well Podcast, Dr. Rick and Forrest explore self-abandonment, which occurs when we go against our authentic wants, emotions, and boundaries in order to serve others, meet external expectations, or protect ourselves emotionally. They cover where self-abandonment comes from, the psychological function it serves, and the relationship between self-abandonment and similar concepts like anxious attachment, low self-worth, and external referencing. You’ll learn how to set healthy boundaries, stop neglecting yourself, and become more secure from the inside out.
Key Topics:
- 0:00: Introduction
- 2:00: Common features of self-abandonment
- 12:30: Facing the fear of our authentic self being seen
- 16:05: Facing shame and self-criticism
- 21:00: Self-referencing vs. referencing ourselves in relation to others
- 33:10: The belief that safety feels more critical than authenticity
- 40:55: Our relationship to nature, and joining with the defense
- 50:55: Relationships, openness to change, and bringing parts into awareness
- 55:20: Cognitive restructuring, and redefining our self-abandoning beliefs
- 58:50: Recap
Forrest is now writing on Substack, check out his work there.
