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On Attachment

Stephanie Rigg

Join relationship coach Stephanie Rigg in On Attachment, where she delves deep into all things attachment theory, love, relationships & intimacy - sharing her wisdom and experience to help you start making real changes in your life & relationships. 

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  • 25 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 17 min
  • English
Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.
  • S1 · E281
    Thursday · 21 min

    #281: When You Want to Work on the Relationship But Your Partner Doesn't

    So many people will know the frustration of wanting to work on your relationship and being met with resistance, shutdown, or disengagement from a partner. When your sincere attempts at getting through and finding a path forward aren't landing, it's easy to feel hopeless—and confused as to what it means for your future. In today's episode, I'm sharing some thoughts on this predicament, as well as tips for breaking through the impasse and how you can find your way back to centre irrespective of whether your partner comes to the table. Links Free resources for anxious attachment Free masterclass on breaking the anxious-avoidant cycle

  • S1 · E280
    September 8 · 15 min

    #280: Why You Feel Jealous About Your Partner's Past (& How to Navigate It)

    In today's episode, we're talking about retroactive jealousy — being an excessive preoccupation with a partner's romantic and/or sexual history, and feelings of intense insecurity and comparison as a result. This is a really common experience (one I used to struggle with myself!), particularly among those with anxious attachment patterns who already experience a hypervigilance to perceived relational threats coupled with low self-esteem and a fear of abandonment. We'll talk about how retroactive jealousy is often a branch off the "unworthiness" tree, and why starting there — with tending to our low self-worth — is often the fix. Links Free resources for healing anxious attachment Follow me on Instagram Subscribe to my YouTube channel

  • S1 · E279
    September 1 · 13 min

    #279: When an Old Love Resurfaces and Starts Pulling Away (Ask Steph)

    This week's Ask Steph question comes from a 77 year old listener who recently reconnected with a man she loved 45 years ago, following the passing of her husband of 40 years. He was the one who got away, and their reunion felt like everything she'd hoped for... until he suddenly started pulling back without explanation. In offering my advice, I share some thoughts on why a first relationship after a long marriage can feel so consuming, why avoidant patterns often show up most acutely when someone is going through something difficult, and why the instinct to chase and accommodate someone who's withdrawing usually costs us more than it helps. We talk about the difference between having compassion for someone's fear and abandoning your own needs to manage it, and why getting clear on what you actually want (before you have the conversation with them) matters so much. If you've ever found yourself dropping your own needs to keep someone from leaving, this one's for you. Have a question you'd like to submit for a future Ask Steph episode? Click here to leave a voice note. Links Free resources for healing anxious attachment Visit my website Follow me on Substack

  • S1 · E278
    August 18 · 10 min

    #278: How to Navigate Being Triggered by a Partner's Moodiness

    In today's Ask Steph episode, I'm answering the listener question of "How do I navigate being triggered by my partner's moodiness and irritability?" This is such a common pain point for folks with anxious attachment patterns. I share some context as to why moodiness is so activating for the anxious nervous system, as well as my advice on how to best respond in the moment when your partner is being moody. Links ​Free training for healing anxious attachment: http://stephanierigg.com/haa-webinar-opt-in ​Take my attachment quiz ​Subscribe to my YouTube channel ​Follow me on Instagram

  • S1 · E277
    August 13 · 13 min

    #277: What to Look For in a Long-Term Partner

    Choosing who you're going to commit to is a life-altering decision — so it's little wonder so many of us feel the weight of that pressure, and experience doubt around whether we're making the "right" decision. And while no one but you can ultimately make that call, in today's episode I'm sharing some guidance on the qualities and attributes that I find essential to making long-term relationships work. Links Free resources Visit my website Follow me on Instagram

  • S1 · E276
    August 4 · 22 min

    #276: Attachment & Conflict (Part 4): Repairing After Relationship Rupture

    Learning to repair after conflict or ruptures is one of the most valuable relationship skills you'll ever have. But for many of us, meaningful repair isn't something we ever really learned or had modelled. In this episode, we talk about three key components of repair, and how they can help us to transform conflict into deeper understanding, connection, and intimacy. Links Free training on healing anxious attachment Attachment styles quiz Follow me on Instagram

  • S1 · E275
    July 30 · 22 min

    #275: Why You Can't Get Over Your Ex

    In today's episode, we're talking about why you struggle to "get over" your ex. This is something so many people struggle with when it comes to break-ups — feeling like the person who left us still occupies so much of our mental and emotional energy, and not knowing how to untether ourselves from them (or perhaps not fully wanting to). I'll share some thoughts on managing expectations around a break-up, the difference between thoughts and actions, and how you can move through a challenging period with self-respect and dignity. Links Register for my free break-up training here Follow me on Instagram Visit my website

  • S1 · E274
    July 21 · 32 min

    #274: Attachment & Conflict (Part 3): How to Experience Healthier Conflict

    Join the Secure Self Challenge here Today's episode is part 3 of my Attachment & Conflict series, and we're talking all about how to transform the way you do conflict. I'll be sharing general tips and mindset shifts for how to approach conflict, as well as specific guidance for both anxious and avoidant partners on what to do (and not to do) to avoid getting pulled into those all-too-familiar negative cycles.

  • S1 · E273
    July 16 · 24 min

    #273: Attachment & Conflict (Part 2): Avoidant Attachment

    Register for the Secure Self Challenge here In today's episode, we're talking once again about how attachment patterns shape our experience of conflict in relationships, with a particular focus on avoidant attachment. We talk about why avoidant folks instinctively pull back from conflict, as well as often-used conflict strategies including appeasement, defensiveness, dismissal, and disengagement.

  • S1 · E272
    July 9 · 10 min

    #272: How to Talk to Your Partner About Their Avoidant Attachment (Ask Steph)

    Access the replay for the Anxious Attachment Protest Behaviour workshop In today's Ask Steph episode, I'm answering the question of: "How do I talk to my partner about their avoidant attachment without them feeling labelled?" I share some thoughts on how best to approach this, and what isn't likely to land well.

  • S1 · E271
    July 7 · 23 min

    #271: Fearful Avoidant Attachment: Guidance for Partners (Part 4)

    Last chance to register for the free Anxious Attachment Protest Behaviour workshop Today's episode is the fourth and final instalment of my deep dive series into fearful avoidant attachment, and this episode is one for the partners (with a focus on anxiously attached partners). I share guidance around how to be mindful of your own tendency to overfunction, and how this can lead you into codependent dynamics. I also offer some thoughts on how best to lovingly support your fearful avoidant partner, while also honouring yourself and ensuring there is accountability around any difficult behaviours in the relationship. Links Visit my website: stephanierigg.com Free resources for anxious attachment: stephanierigg.com/free-resources

  • S1 · E270
    July 2 · 12 min

    #270: How to Remain Hopeful After Heartbreak & Bad Dating Experiences (Ask Steph)

    When you've had a string of heartbreaks, disappointments, and bad dating experiences, remaining hopeful can be a big ask of your system. In today's Ask Steph episode, I'm sharing some thoughts on why forcing yourself to feel hopeful might not be the thing you need, and why it might be best to give yourself the time to grieve, reflect, and grow before forcing yourself back into the dating arena. Register for my Anxious Attachment Protest Behaviour Workshop

  • S1 · E269
    June 30 · 19 min

    #269: Stay or Go: How to Know When It's Time to Walk Away

    Subscribe to my Substack For many of us who struggle with letting go (and tend towards relationship-fixing at all costs), walking away can feel like a measure of absolute last resort — like almost nothing would justify the immense and all-consuming pain of having to let go of someone you love. And when you layer in self-doubt and a deep fear of regret, it can feel next to impossible. Sadly, it’s not a decision anyone but you can make. But there are absolutely ways to make the decision a clearer one — one that you trust in the rightness of, and can confidently stand behind — even if it doesn’t make it any easier. Register for the free workshop on Anxious Attachment Protest Behaviours: https://stephanierigg.com/protest-workshop-opt-in

  • S1 · E268
    June 24 · 8 min

    #268: When You're Not Attracted to Healthy Partners (Ask Steph)

    Register for my upcoming live workshop here In today's Ask Steph episode, I'm answering the question of "How long to keep pursuing a connection with someone who's great and ticks all my boxes — except that I'm not physically attracted to them?" I share some thoughts on why this can happen — particularly if your attraction template has historically gravitated towards inconsistent and unpredictable connections — and how long you should wait and see before calling it.

  • S1 · E267
    June 23 · 21 min

    #267: Attachment & Conflict (Part 1): Anxious Attachment

    Register for my upcoming free workshop on Anxious Attachment Protest Behaviours In this new series on attachment and conflict, we're exploring the deeper layers that make relational conflict so challenging, and how we can shift those patterns. This first instalment is all about the anxious attachment experience of conflict: how we can swing between conflict-avoidance and conflict-pursuit, and how our efforts at safeguarding the connection can backfire. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss the rest of the series! Links Free resources for anxious attachment: stephanierigg.com/free-resources Subscribe to my Substack: https://stephanierigg.substack.com/ Subscribe to my Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmxC4jls4uolRKhFWV_RIoA/

  • S1 · E266
    June 19 · 16 min

    #266: How to Move from Understanding Your Patterns to Actually Changing Them (Ask Steph)

    If you've been "doing the work" for a while now, it's likely you have a firm grip on why you are the way you are. But many of us find ourselves stuck at the "knowledge and awareness" stage, struggling to put our insights into practice in a way that translates into lasting change. In this episode, I'm sharing thoughts on how to bridge that gap so that you don't find yourself on a never-ending hamster wheel of information-gathering that keeps you from experiencing relationships differently. Links Free training on healing anxious attachment: http://stephanierigg.com/haa-webinar-opt-in Free resources: http://stephanierigg.com/free-resources Attachment quiz: http://stephanierigg.com/quiz Substack: https://stephanierigg.substack.com/

  • S1 · E265
    June 16 · 24 min

    #265: Fearful Avoidant Attachment: How to Heal (Part 3)

    This week's episode is the much-requested Part 3 of my deep dive on fearful avoidant attachment — and today, we're talking about what it takes to heal. We cover shame, self-compassion, accountability, self-sabotage, nervous system regulation, and more. And while far from being exhaustive, my hope is that today's episode will offer a roadmap to support you on your path to healing if you struggle with fearful avoidant patterns. Subscribe to my Substack⁠ Register for my free workshop on Understanding Anxious Attachment Protest Behaviours: http://stephanierigg.com/protest-workshop-opt-in

  • S1 · E264
    June 11 · 8 min

    #264: The One Thing You Should Never Do in Relationships (from Substack)

    Subscribe to my Substack, Notes to Self I've recently launched on Substack, and today's episode is a read-out of a recent article I wrote there titled The One Thing You Should Never Do in Relationships. If you enjoy this episode, I'd be so grateful if you could head on over to Substack and subscribe to my page there for more long-form articles about attachment, love and relationships: https://stephanierigg.substack.com/

  • S1 · E263
    June 9 · 17 min

    #263: How to Stop Obsessing About Someone

    "How do I stop obsessively ruminating about the person who rejected me?" is one of the most frequently asked questions I receive — and in today's episode, we're talking all about why it's so easy to fall into the trap of fixating on someone who didn't choose you. Whether it's the situationship that never became anything more, the person who ghosted you or left you without warning, or something in between, the experience of obsessing over someone is familiar to many of us. But as we'll talk about, it's often less about them, and more about what we make it mean about ourselves. Links Subscribe to my Substack: https://stephanierigg.substack.com/ Free break-up training: http://stephanierigg.com/hl-webinar-opt-in Free training for anxious attachment: http://stephanierigg.com/haa-webinar-opt-in

  • S1 · E262
    June 4 · 9 min

    #262: How to Navigate Feeling Behind in Life (Ask Steph)

    In today's Ask Steph episode, I'm answering a listener's question about feeling like she's fallen behind in life after going through a break-up in her mid-30s, particularly as most of her friends are partnered and having kids. I talk about the very real experience of the "biological clock" factor, and how to acknowledge the disappointments and unexpected turns while also embracing the season you're in. Links Subscribe to my Substack: https://stephanierigg.substack.com/ Free resources for anxious attachment: stephanierigg.com/free-resources Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanie__rigg Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmxC4jls4uolRKhFWV_RIoA/

Showing 1–20 of 25 episodes