The Yearning Heart Podcast: Real Stories of Love, Relationships and Emotional Growth

From emotional pain to true partnership — in this heartfelt episode of The Yearning Heart Podcast, Jennifer Lehr, LMFT, speaks with certified life coach Samantha Shoemaker about her powerful journey through postpartum depression, separation, and ultimately, reconnection with her husband.

Samantha shares how the weight of parenting, mental health struggles, and unresolved attachment patterns challenged her marriage — and how time apa...

n this Therapist Insights episode, Jennifer Lehr, LMFT, unpacks the emotional complexity of the anxious attachment style and offers therapeutic tools to support healing, regulation, and deeper connection.

Jennifer explores how early emotional wounds manifest in anxious relational behaviors — from fear of abandonment to heightened sensitivity and emotional reactivity. She shares strategies for self-regulation, boundary setting, and c...

n this heartfelt episode, Jennifer Lehr, LMFT, speaks with Kristina about the emotional complexities of building healthy relationships. Kristina shares her personal experiences navigating early relationship challenges, recognizing narcissistic patterns in past partners, and learning the value of emotional safety, compassion, and self-awareness.

Together, they explore how generational trauma, anxiety, and communication blocks impact ...

In this episode of The Yearning Heart Podcast, Jennifer Lehr, LMFT, speaks with Janet about the long-lasting emotional impact of growing up in a household with alcoholic parents.

Janet shares how her early experiences led her to tolerate emotional abuse in adult relationships, and how the journey toward healing required deep personal growth, therapy, and self-awareness. Together, they explore the challenges of recognizing dysfunctio...

In this couragous and vulnerable conversation, Elaine shares her personal experiences with relationships, trauma, and the journey towards healing. The discussion delves into the impact of childhood trauma on adult relationships, the search for love and connection, and the challenges of setting boundaries. Elaine reflects on her love addiction and the importance of safety in relationships, while also exploring her therapy experience...

In this powerful episode, Jennifer Lehr, LMFT, speaks with Wynn Austin — founder of Wynn's Kitchen — about her journey from a difficult childhood and painful divorce to finding a deeply secure, loving relationship.

Wynn shares how her early attachment style influenced her relationships and how, through self-reflection, therapy, and intentional growth, she began to transform her patterns.

Together, they explore the role of emotion...

In this Therapist Insights episode, Jennifer Lehr, LMFT, offers a deeper exploration of themes raised in Episode 3 with Kirsten — focusing on how people-pleasing behaviors and struggles with self-love are rooted in early family dynamics.

Jennifer examines how childhood experiences influence our ability to set boundaries, communicate needs, and choose emotionally available partners. She shares therapeutic insights and reflections to ...

In this short solo episode, Jennifer Lehr, LMFT, builds on the themes from Episode 2 with Janice — exploring how our personal histories shape our relationship patterns, sense of self-worth, and ability to experience emotional safety in love.

Jennifer dives into why so many of us are drawn to high-drama relationships, how unresolved childhood dynamics keep us repeating pain, and what it takes to create real connection and trust.

With ...

In this solo episode, Jennifer Lehr, LMFT, expands on the powerful themes from Episode 1 — diving deeper into the roots of attachment wounds, emotional safety, and the lasting effects of narcissistic parenting on our ability to trust and connect.

Drawing on her experience as a licensed therapist and her conversation with Miette, Jennifer explores how early emotional injuries shape our adult relationships — and what we can do to begi...

Welcome to The Yearning Heart Podcast, a space for real stories of love, heartbreak, healing, and personal transformation. In this short trailer, host Jennifer Lehr, LMFT, shares the inspiration behind the podcast — and why our emotional journeys in love and relationships are too valuable to stay hidden.

Whether you're seeking a life partner, healing from a breakup, or navigating a long-term relationship, this podcast offers int...

In this raw and insightful conversation, Kirsten opens up about the deep impact her parents’ divorce — and her own — had on her sense of self, relationships, and emotional patterns.

She shares how childhood dynamics led to people-pleasing, codependency, and emotional attunement that became survival tools in adulthood. But through reflection, therapy, and inner work, she has begun to shift toward empowerment, reciprocity, and authent...

In this heartfelt conversation, Janice shares her transformative journey through love — from early relationships shaped by family dysfunction to the grounded, emotionally safe marriage she now experiences.

Together, we explore how drama and chaos were once mistaken for passion, and how her understanding of love evolved through boundary-setting, healing past wounds, and learning to embrace difference with patience and presence.

Janice...

In this heartfelt conversation, Jennifer speaks with Miette about the emotional complexities of love, trust, and family. Miette opens up about her experiences in a long-distance relationship, the challenges of navigating trust issues rooted in her upbringing, and the impact of blended family dynamics on her ability to feel emotionally safe.

Together, they explore how self-awareness, emotional support, and communication are essential...