Communication is one of the first things we point to when a relationship is struggling. But what if communication isn't the place to start?

In this episode, we explore why communication is only as healthy as the people participating in it. We look at how trauma, nervous system activation, internal safety, and our need to be understood shape what happens long before words are ever spoken. We also explore why explaining yourself over and over isn't always a sign that you need to communicate better—it may be a sign that something entirely different is happening.

• Why communication alone can't create healthy relationships.
• How trauma shapes what we hear, not just what is said.
• What happens to our ability to think, process, and communicate when we're activated.
• Why regulation and internal safety are prerequisites to healthy communication.
• The difference between someone misunderstanding you and someone being unwilling to understand you.
• Why over-explaining is often driven by our own unmet needs rather than the other person's confusion.
• How to recognize when a conversation is no longer productive.
• Why learning to "read the room" includes reading the other person's capacity, not just their words.
• The "gnomes" analogy for understanding the invisible conversations happening underneath every conversation.
• Why healing changes the conversations you're able to have, not because you've mastered communication, but because you've changed what you're bringing into it.

Episode Thoughts to Sit With

The following are direct excerpts from this episode.

"We're talking about communication, but there's pre-work we gotta do to get to the thing."

"You have distorted what is happening in the room into what is happening inside your body. And you don't even know it."

"You must come into the space regulated. You must come into the space grounded. You must come into the space safe in your own body."

"They caught what the fuck you was putting down. They just didn't give a damn about it."

"You're creating safety to be safe for you."

"We skip all the pre-work and then wonder why shit blows up within minutes every time."

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who might need to hear it.

To connect, ask a question, or share your thoughts, email: ajarutledgecoaching@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening to The Reality Between Us.

Before we talk about relationships with other people, we have to understand the relationship we're having with ourselves.

In this opening episode, I share the experiences that shaped the perspective behind this podcast and why I believe healing isn't just about understanding trauma...it's about rebuilding the relationship with yourself. We explore self-compassion, self-trust, boundaries, over-functioning, and the role they play in every relationship we'll discuss moving forward.

We explore:

• Why the relationship with yourself is the foundation of every other relationship.
• How trauma shapes the way we engage in relationships long after the original experiences.
• Why healing is a relationship of getting back to yourself.
• The role of self-compassion in changing how we see ourselves and our experiences.
• Why the voice in our head isn't always our own.
• How beliefs are created to help us survive.
• What over-functioning looks like in relationships.
• Why doing "more" isn't always the answer.
• The perspective that will guide every conversation on this podcast.

Episode Thoughts to Sit With

The following are direct excerpts from this episode.

"The primary relationship is with yourself."

"One thing that people really don't talk about around trauma is how it is a relationship of getting back to you..."

"If you're only doing your part and nothing goes forward, that's information."

"Even if the problem is them, it's still your work to determine why are you here? Why are you engaging with it?"

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who might need to hear it.

To connect, ask a question, or share your thoughts, email: ajarutledgecoaching@gmail.com.

Thank you for listening to The Reality Between Us.

New here? Start here. In this short introduction, I share what The Reality Between Us is about, why I created it and the conversations we'll be having about relationships, self-awareness, conflict, connection, and the hidden dynamics that shape them all.

If you're ready to look a little deeper, start here.