Dr Karin Love & Life

In part two of our series on the relational strain of the pandemic, psychotherapist Kate Lambie joins me to share a trauma informed understanding of fear. No matter what stance we’ve taken regarding the pandemic, we’ve all felt scared at one point or another. Some of us fear the virus; others worry more about the government’s policies surrounding mandates. Either way, our sense of security has been shaken and it’s probably not hyperbolic to suggest we’ve all been somewhat traumatized. In this conversation, Kate and I discuss the ways humans manage fear and how our differing responses may have impacted our connections to those we love most. In particular, we discuss: Common reactions to fear—fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and flock—and how these responses have polarized us over the last two years. Stress and empathy. Spoiler alert:  they can’t coexist—which is why we can be unkind when we’re freaked out! Self-regulation and how it helps us move through fear and maintain intimacy with those we love. H