All Episodes

March 19, 2025 16 mins

Have you ever felt unsafe or on edge in a relationship — even when you're with someone who truly loves you?

For trauma survivors, trust doesn’t always come naturally. Your nervous system stays stuck in survival mode, bracing for rejection, criticism, or abandonment — even in safe relationships.

In this episode, I sit down with my husband, Christopher Campanile, for a real, vulnerable conversation about why trauma makes it hard to trust… and how we slowly rewired our relationship for safety, connection, and ease.

You’ll hear how small, consistent actions — like whispering “It’s me” or saying “Smooches are coming” — helped us stop expecting the worst and start feeling truly secure with each other.

What You’ll Learn:

✅ Why trauma survivors struggle to trust, even in healthy relationships
 ✅ How survival patterns like Velcro Trust and Cactus Trust block connection
✅ The micro-moments that helped us feel safe, seen, and supported
✅ How to build trust after trauma — without needing grand gestures
✅ A simple phrase you can use today to help your partner or friend feel emotionally safe

If you’ve ever felt like you have to work for trust or constantly manage your relationships to avoid being hurt, this episode will show you how small shifts can create lasting connection.

Want more conversations like this?
DM me on Instagram @DrAnnieCampanile and let me know if you'd love to hear Christopher join me for future episodes!

And if this episode resonated, share it with someone who’s working to rebuild trust after trauma — or tap those five stars and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

🛑 Watch for Next Week’s Episode!

Next week I'll be answering a listener's question about how to know when decisions are driven by fear. Because it's one thing to rush into action, and it's another to make decisions with clarity and confidence. So if you've ever made a decision that seemed right in the moment, but later left you fixing misunderstandings or wondering, make sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss it!

Have a question you want me to answer on air? Click here to send me a message!

Support the show

Love this show? Support the show or Say thanks by leaving a positive review.

Get The Empowered Feedback Toolkit for easy-to-follow, step-by-step guidance so you can speak clearly and confidently—especially during tough conversations.

Explore my EMPOWERMENT COACHING PROGRAM, to discover how individual guidance can accelerate your healing and help you thrive.

Download my FREE GUIDE: Trauma Survivors Empowerment Guide

Connect with me online: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | LINKEDIN

2025 ©Annie Campanile, PhD


Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Therapy Gecko

Therapy Gecko

An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.