Shadow Work & Intimate Relationships (with Luke Adler)
In this episode of the Heart of Shadow series, Luke Adler and I discuss the impact of shadow work on long-term relationships. We share our own experiences of how shadow work has transformed our marriages and how important the work has been to maintain vitality and prevent stagnation. We explore the need for personal responsibility and owning one’s pain and wounding in order to avoid projecting it onto our intimate relationship. In short, having a place to explore our shadow in the safety of a group of men is a potent way to keep our intimate relationship alive and healthy.
Learn more about the Heart of Shadow men’s group and retreat here.
00:00:59 – The Importance of Shadow Work in Relationships
00:01:53 – Projecting Wounds and the Nice Guy Syndrome
00:03:28 – Reclaiming Power and Setting Boundaries
00:05:37 – The Impact of Family Dynamics on Relationships
00:07:46 – Addressing Narratives and Dynamics in Marriage
00:09:06 – The Consequences of Suppressing Conflict
00:10:28 – The Weight of Providing and Nurturing in Relationships
00:13:14 – The Role of Conflict in Relationship Growth
00:19:15 – Demonstrating Reconnection and Apologies
00:21:06 – The Significance of Shadow Work in Personal Growth
00:23:35 – The Role of Men’s Groups in Relationship Improvement
00:25:07 – Addressing the Mother Lover Syndrome
00:27:27 – The Healing Power of Men’s Groups
00:41:20 – The Need for Men to Heal with Other Men
00:47:52 – Trusting the Masculine Within and Among Men
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