Commonly misunderstood and even trivialized, intimacy is defined in numerous and often contradictory ways. Usually linked with the emotional/romantic connection between two people, experts focus on the sensation of “closeness,” the mutual experience of vulnerability, understanding and care, as the distinguishing feature of intimacy.  Lacking a simple definition, intimacy has been conceptualized by theorists and researchers as falling into different types including experiential, emotional, intellectual, physical/sexual and spiritual; these types may or may not co-exist together in a single relationship. The “intimacy process” consists of the gradual unfolding of more elaborate and intense self-disclosures by one partner that are met with the empathy, trust, and sharing of the other partner, which establishes a reciprocity of personal experience and shared meaning. Fear of intimacy is not an unusual phenomenon; it encompasses any number of hesitations, anxieties, and corresponding self-destructive behaviors some people exhibit in emerging relationships which may be related to previous relational trauma revolving around unmet need, one’s authenticity having been rejected, and/or previous occurrences of abandonment or engulfment. In the next virtual meeting of the Relationship Group Seminar on Saturday, January 2, 2021 (11:45 AM to 1:00 PM), we will discuss the complex interpersonal dynamic that is intimacy.

* Registration Directions: If you would like to attend the next virtual meeting of the Relationship Group Seminar on Saturday, January 2, 2021, 11:45 AM to 1:00 PM, please RSVP to me at 949-338-4388 or jt@jamestobinphd.com no later than Thursday, December 31, 2020. The fee is $25.00 (payable before entering the virtual meeting) and informed consent for participation in this telehealth event must be completed prior to the seminar. Please note that the Relationship Group Seminar is psychoeducational in nature, not therapeutic, and does not constitute psychotherapy or counseling.