Codependent Doctor

In this episode, I sit down with psychotherapist and mindful life coach Elizabeth Mintun, host of The Calming Ground podcast. We talk about navigating life transitions — from leaving toxic relationships to moving through grief and midlife shifts — and how to embrace the discomfort of change as part of growth. Elizabeth also shares practical tools for holding space for yourself. 

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Your nervous system—not just your mindset—holds the key to healing. In this powerful conversation, Elizabeth Kipp shares how she recovered from 40 years of chronic pain and why codependent patterns are actually survival strategies, not flaws. You’ll learn simple breathing techniques to shift from stress to safety in minutes, plus holistic tools for releasing trauma, breaking cycles, and finding true regulation.

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Feeling lost in people-pleasing and emotional caretaking? You’re not alone. Psychotherapist and author of Love Smacked, Sherry Gaba, joins us to unpack codependency. We explore how early relational trauma wires us to abandon ourselves for connection.

Learn to spot the subtle signs of codependency: resentment, overgiving, chronic guilt. Sherry explains the link between love addiction and the pull toward unavailable partners.

We dive i...

Breakups hurt! In this episode, Dr. Downey unpacks why heartbreak can feel like withdrawal, especially for those with codependent tendencies. When your identity is wrapped up in caring for someone else, losing the relationship often means losing your sense of self. From the brain chemistry behind those late-night texts to the quiet signs it’s time to leave a draining relationship, this episode is a deep dive into the real pain of l...

In this episode of The Codependent Doctor, I introduce the powerful yet simple tool that’s helped me stop people-pleasing on autopilot: the three-second authenticity pause. Through personal stories and practical tips, we explore how this tiny moment of mindfulness can help you reconnect with your body’s wisdom, set boundaries without guilt, and honor your truth—because real self-care starts with choosing yourself.

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Have you ever thought, “My parents really tried their best… but I still got hurt”? This episode dives into that exact truth—the emotional complexity of being raised by loving parents who lacked the tools to meet all your needs.

Dr. Angela Downey shares her story from both sides:

• As a child with unmet emotional needs
• And as a mother navigating burnout while trying to give her kids everything

We explore how:

• Childhood coping ...

Have you ever felt the quiet pressure to “just get over it” after someone broke your trust?

Maybe they apologized. Maybe they didn’t. But something inside you still feels unsettled.

Trust doesn’t rebuild overnight. It takes consistency, accountability, and the slow return of emotional safety—not just a quick “I’m sorry.”

In this episode, we explore:

• Why trust feels like emotional debt, not a switch you can flip
• How codependent patte...

Do Father’s Day celebrations leave you feeling hollow instead of happy? You’re not alone.

In this raw, candid conversation, we explore the grief that comes with having a father who was physically present but emotionally absent—a special kind of loss that often goes unspoken.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The lasting impact of emotional neglect on self-worth and relationships
• How we internalize the absence of emotional warmth ...

Codependency doesn't just affect romantic relationships—it can appear in our friendships too, creating anxiety, over-functioning, and emotional entanglement that feels just as intense without the relationship label. Emotional intimacy is emotional intimacy, regardless of whether it's with a friend or partner, and our attachment patterns don't discriminate.

• Friendships lack the clear definitions and expecta...

Mental health and codependency intersect in profound ways that affect how we treat ourselves, not just our relationships with others. We explore four key patterns that keep us stuck in cycles of burnout, guilt, and emotional exhaustion while providing practical steps toward healing.
We will explore how:

• People-pleasing isn't just politeness but a nervous system survival response developed in childhood
• Self-abandonme...

In this bonus episode for Mental Health Awareness Month, Dr. Angela Downey shares five powerful mindset shifts that challenge how we think about healing and self-care:

• Healing isn’t linear — Growth often looks messy, not perfect.
• You can struggle and still be strong — Vulnerability is courage, not weakness.
• Feeling your feelings isn’t weakness — Emotions are messengers, not problems to fix.
• Rest is productive — You don’t need to ea...

If you’ve always been “the strong one,” this episode on emotional neglect may explain why relationships still feel hard.

Emotional neglect isn’t about what happened, but what didn’t.

• Your needs were likely invisible
• You learned to be low-maintenance to feel loved
• You felt “too much” for having emotions

This early conditioning creates:

• Codependency
• People-pleasing
• Attraction to emotionally unavailable partners

At the root i...

Ever say “it’s not that bad” while feeling overwhelmed or exhausted? This Mental Health Awareness Month bonus episode explores high-functioning distress—when you seem fine on the outside but feel drained inside.

Dr. Angela Downey shares personal insights on why codependents, people pleasers, and overachievers often downplay their struggles. She reminds us that functioning isn’t thriving, and you don’t need to hit rock bottom to dese...

In this episode, I unpack love bombing—those intense early displays of affection that can feel amazing but often mask emotional manipulation.

I share a personal story (yes, I introduced someone to my family after one date!) to show how easy it is to confuse intensity with connection.

We explore:

• What love bombing looks like
• Why it’s so effective (especially for those with unmet emotional needs)
• Red flags like pressure, overwhelm, an...

We often think healing requires big life changes—but the most powerful mental health shifts often come from small, consistent habits.

In this Mental Health Awareness Month bonus episode, I share six mindset shifts that helped me heal from codependency and burnout.

• Pausing before saying yes
• Speaking to myself with more kindness
• Setting quiet boundaries
• Embracing rest without guilt

These aren’t dramatic changes—they’re small, sust...

In this episode, I explore the silent treatment—why it’s used, how it hurts, and how to recognize it as emotional withdrawal, not healthy conflict resolution.

We cover:

• How the silent treatment triggers shame, anxiety, and confusion
• Why some people use it (control, immaturity, learned behavior)
• The lasting damage it causes in relationships

I share personal stories and offer tools to:

• Set boundaries
• Recognize your worth
• Reflect...

What does mental health care look like between therapy sessions and diagnoses?

In this Mental Health Awareness Month episode, I explore the daily habits that support emotional well-being—especially for those of us with codependent tendencies.

We cover:

• Why your “lizard brain” still jumps to worst-case scenarios
• How asking “what do I need today?” can feel hard but healing
• Small practices that build resilience: saying no, resting earl...

In this episode, I explore what happens when we lose ourselves in the roles we play—doctor, parent, caregiver—and forget who we are beyond them.

We cover:

• How tying self-worth to titles leads to burnout and identity loss
• Societal pressure to equate value with productivity
• My personal journey of redefining myself outside of being “just a doctor”

I share practical ways to reconnect with your true self:

• Spend time alone
• Revisit ...

Healing is powerful—but it can also feel lonely. In this episode, I explore the emotional shift that happens when you set boundaries and leave behind people-pleasing.

We discuss:

• Why loneliness is a normal part of growth
• How relationships may shift as you change
• How to embrace the quiet instead of fearing it

I also share tools to help you:

• Reconnect with yourself
• Explore joy and curiosity
• Find safe, supportive spaces

Lonel...