Last month I had the pleasure of speaking with Jeri Ford, BSN, CPN on Nurse Converse on nursing and relationships. Jeri and I explore the challenges that nurses often face in their personal lives, including the impact of vicarious trauma, the tendency to be caretakers, and struggles with setting boundaries.
As a therapist specializing in attachment and trauma, I’ve observed recurring patterns in the relationships of healthcare workers, particularly nurses. While nurses are not a monolith, some common themes emerge. These include a tendency to overextend their caretaking role into their personal relationships, frustration stemming from a perceived lack of empathy and understanding from partners outside the healthcare field, and a propensity to adopt a “fixer” archetype within the relationship dynamic. Many healthcare professionals prioritize their demanding careers, often postponing the processing of emotions and attachment-related trauma. This “pushing through” mentality, however, can lead to emotional bypassing, and the impact of unresolved attachment issues often becomes more pronounced within the context of intimate relationships.
Jeri and I discuss these strategies in more detail on the podcast, and we also share some helpful solutions that nurses can use to build healthier, more balanced, and more fulfilling relationships.
I hope you enjoy the podcast, which you can listen to on Apple
