Episode 34: The Vulnerability Flinch - Why We Pull Away From the Good Stuff
You know that feeling when something is SO good - your career, your relationship, a perfect spring afternoon - that almost immediately your brain starts bracing for when it ends?? In this episode, sex & relationship therapist Dr. Rebecca Howard Eudy and pelvic floor physical therapist Dr. Alex DiGrado explore this concept (coined by research professor and author Brené Brown) and unpack why so many of us reflexively push away joy, connection, and positive emotion, often without even realizing it. You'll learn how staying with joy can lead to deeper connection, greater ease, and a life that feels fuller instead of scarier.
What You'll Learn:
Why rehearsing grief doesn't make loss easier, and what one patient's early pregnancy experience reveals about embracing joy instead of preparing for heartbreak
How the vulnerability flinch plays out in couples and what it costs the relationship
The difference between oversharing and true vulnerability
How to distinguish healthy self-protection (like curating your media intake) from emotional disconnection
Tune in if you've ever thought:
"I literally cannot just enjoy something good without immediately thinking about how it's going to fall apart."
“I've been hurt before, and I'm not sure I can let my guard down again.”
"I love my kids so much it scares me sometimes."
Helpful resources:
The Power of Vulnerability - TED Talk by Brene Brown
Find a pelvic floor PT near you: pelvicrehab.com or Pelvic Global Directory
Parents in Love: A Guide to Great Sex After Kids by Dr. Rebecca Howard Eudy
Connect with us:
Dr. Rebecca Howard Eudy
Website: rebeccaeudy.com
Instagram: @rebeccahowardeudy
Newsletter: Parents in Love Substack
Dr. Alexandra DiGrado
Website: bostonpelvicpt.com
Instagram: @bostonpelvicpt
Newsletter: Under the Hood
Under the Hood Podcast
Instagram: @underthehooddocs
Website: underthehoodpod.com
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