“I’m Very Independent” Often Relates to Low Trust

Note: this is the first of a two-part series. Dear Neil:  What does it mean when my girlfriend says she is very independent, fears being controlled and doesn’t trust easily?  Isn’t the idea of being in an adult relationship for both people to trust, rely on and depend on each other? Feeling Pushed Away in Westminster, Colorado […]

Read More

Inner Shame Prohibits Intimacy

Dear Neil:  You’ve recently written about shame.  Can you address why some of us feel an inner sense of shame no matter what we say or do?  I’m not talking about feeling ashamed when I do something I know to be wrong.  That’s having a conscience.  I’m talking about feeling unworthy, inadequate, unlovable or not […]

Read More