Discovering What a Caring Relationship Feels Like
Let’s face it, emotional intimacy can feel like the ultimate risk. For many of us, the fear of rejection or the scars of past experiences keep us from even trying. However, what if instead of attachment issues or rejection, you experienced what a beautiful, caring, emotionally intimate relationship could look like?
Growing up, I didn’t have a front-row seat to healthy romantic relationships. My mom was single, raising 4 kids on her own, climbing the corporate ladder, and I learned to equate affection with love, even when it wasn’t healthy. Now, as a 44-year-old woman who’s done the hard work, I know that a truly intimate relationship is built on compassion, affection, communication, and support. That’s exactly what I create for my clients in session.
For many clients, sessions are their first real experience of emotional intimacy. They get to feel what safety, trust, and genuine connection are like. Something incredible happens when they experience this, they begin to wake up to what’s possible. Clients learn what they want, what they don’t want, and how to advocate for themselves in their relationships beyond the session.
Fear of rejection often holds people back. I think it’s fair to say no one likes to feel excluded. Some clients are still healing from loss, whether it’s the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one. Anxiety can make emotional intimacy feel overwhelming, and past betrayals leave others reluctant to trust. People on the autism spectrum may find navigating emotional spaces especially challenging. These are all real barriers.
During sessions, we work through those challenges together. I create a space where clients always have full agency over their bodies. Open, honest communication is key, and touch becomes a powerful tool for building connection. The release of oxytocin, the "feel-good" hormone, helps clients feel calm and at ease, making it easier to explore vulnerability.
Over time, I see clients transform. They open up, share deeply, and begin to trust more fully. Emotional intimacy becomes something they know they can seek and build in their everyday lives. They put themselves out there, understanding that rejection is just part of the process, not the end of the road. They move forward with the confidence that meaningful connection is possible.
If you’re reading this and thinking, I could never do that, let me tell you—you absolutely can. Yes, it’s scary. Yes, it’s the unknown, but you’ll be okay and might I even say you’ll feel better than ever. The alternative? Staying stuck, wondering what could have been, and living with loneliness. The only way things change is when you decide they should. Take the leap. Put yourself out there. You might just discover what you’ve been missing.
