While the notion of falling in love can sound blissful, interpersonal relationships almost always challenge us in ways we don’t expect. Relationship anxiety can arise at various points in a relationship from the moment we first start dating to when we decide to make a symbolic commitment, like moving in together or getting married. In large part, this anxiety has to do with our past. Circumstances and dynamics in our closest relationships often trigger old feelings such as insecurity, fear, rejection, or abandonment. They challenge long-held, often negative self-concepts and threaten defenses that made us feel safe early in our lives but actually hurt or limit our current relationships.
In this Webinar, Dr. Lisa Firestone will shed light on why we experience relationship anxiety. Where do our fears come from? She will introduce the concept of attachment theory and explain how our early attachments styles can shape our feelings and actions in our adult relationships. She will further explain the influence of the “critical inner voice,” a negative thought process we internalize early in life based on hurtful attitudes and experiences. This critical inner voice goes on to perpetuate our anxiety by filling our heads with critical, shaming thoughts about ourselves, and even our romantic partner or potential partners.
Dr. Firestone will introduce methods that can help individuals overcome their relationship anxiety by making connections to their past, creating a coherent narrative, and identifying and challenging this destructive inner voice. She will explain how practicing mindfulness and self-compassion are valuable tools to help people cope with the anxiety that comes with change. The Webinar will reveal how, when armed with these introspective tools, individuals can create more secure attachments and enjoy closer, more fulfilling and more enjoyable, loving relationships.
