The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.

You can also RSVP to Bryan for "Awaken the Heart" on Sunday, March 1 - more details here.

The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.

You can also RSVP to Bryan for "Awaken the Heart" on Sunday, March 1 - more details here.

Click here to read the episode highlights.

The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.

You can also RSVP to Bryan for "Awaken the Heart" on Sunday, March 1 - more details here.

Be sure to subscribe to Dr Chip Dodd’s new Substack. He will be sharing two to three articles a week. The topics focus on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership.

• What is Substack? It is a subscription-based platform that allows independent

writers and other creators to publish content directly to their subscribers’ inboxes.

• The cost of the subscription is only $7 a month. Dr. Dodd shares content two to three times a week. The content focuses on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership. To subscribe, use the link above or go to chipdodd.com.

We are created to live fully, and we do so through relationship with ourselves, others, and God, as we bring the true heart of feelings, needs, desire, longings and hope to relationships.

Relationship requires vulnerability.

If the ability to be “comfortable” with dependence is fractured in one’s earlier years of life, the result is a set up for that person to feel the need to “hide” his/her heart. Instead of remaining present and connected, he/she has a compulsion to perform in order to belong or matter.

Trauma is experienced when one’s ability to accept their need for dependence is fractured.

The need to suppress emotional pain in order to survive, belong, and matter is the foundation upon which addiction is built.

Addiction is a false fulfillment of how we are created to live.

Addiction is relationship with a substance or process that gives a sense of connection without having to be vulnerable; in other words, a person can distract or numb themselves from having to feel by using some form of avoidance of relationship with one’s self, others, and God.

Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.

Click here to read the episode highlights.

The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.

Be sure to subscribe to Dr Chip Dodd’s new Substack. He will be sharing two to three articles a week. The topics focus on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership.

• What is Substack? It is a subscription-based platform that allows independent

writers and other creators to publish content directly to their subscribers’ inboxes.

• The cost of the subscription is only $7 a month. Dr. Dodd shares content two to three times a week. The content focuses on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership. To subscribe, use the link above or go to chipdodd.com.

What is the purpose for creating this podcast, Living with Heart: From Birth to Death?

When Chip and Bryan began Living with Heart: From Birth to Death, they hoped to communicate one central message: Helping people see who they are made to be, so they can do what they are made to do, which will move them to live fully, love deeply, and lead well lives that bless others.

In today’s episode, they take a break from their current series on addiction to celebrate with listeners the achievement of the milestone of episode #100.

Bryan asked Dr Dodd to explain the driving force that has motivated him to continue in his work.

Dr Dodd’s responses:

• The most productive time in a person’s career when he/she is in their 60s.
• We so often make the mistake of seeing the 60–70-year-old age bracket as a time for retirement or “letting the younger generations have it now” period. Nothing could be more mistaken or sad.
• The younger generations need paths to follow and the older generations still need to remain beneficial to their communities.
• A wise person once said that the fullest life is one of maximum service. From the age of 60 onward is potentially the most productive period of one’s life for four reasons:

1. The wisdom gained from experience and proven capability are most integrated at that age.

Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.

Click here to read the episode highlights.

The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.

Be sure to subscribe to Dr Chip Dodd’s new Substack. He will be sharing two to three articles a week. The topics focus on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership.

• What is Substack? It is a subscription-based platform that allows independent

writers and other creators to publish content directly to their subscribers’ inboxes.

• The cost of the subscription is only $7 a month. Dr. Dodd shares content two to three times a week. The content focuses on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership. To subscribe, use the link above or go to chipdodd.com.

In this new season, “What is Addiction” we will focus on three main aspects of addiction:

• what addiction is
• how addiction operates
• what recovery entails

The pervasive impact of addiction

The pervasiveness of addiction and its impact makes it a pandemic, perhaps the deadliest human beings have ever experienced.

A pandemic is an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (continents in the case of addiction.) It affects a significant proportion of the population.

• An epidemic is localized.
• A pandemic refers to “all demographics.”

Tragically, Addiction impairs the addict’s ability to see the impact of their addiction. This impairment is called denial. It prevents the addict from seeing clearly and accurately the consequences of his/her addiction.

We have 30+ million alcoholics in this country and 15+ million people addicted to illegal drugs.

For every one person chemically dependent on alcohol or illegal drugs, 3 to 4 other people are emotionally, mentally, if not physically harmed.

These addictions result in emotional trauma, setting up the high probability of tendency toward addiction.

Adding up the numbers using only the impact of addiction upon 3 people is 135 million people in this nation harmed. When the addicted person is added to the number, the impact is monstrous.

Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.

Click here to read the episode highlights.

The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.

Be sure to subscribe to Dr Chip Dodd’s new Substack. He will be sharing two to three articles a week. The topics focus on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership.

• What is Substack? It is a subscription-based platform that allows independent

writers and other creators to publish content directly to their subscribers’ inboxes.

• The cost of the subscription is only $7 a month. Dr. Dodd shares content two to three times a week. The content focuses on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership. To subscribe, use the link above or go to chipdodd.com.

In this new season, “What is Addiction” we will focus on three main aspects of addiction:

• what addiction is
• how addiction operates
• what recovery entails

How Addiction Operates

Addiction as a feelings problem

Addiction is a “feelings” disorder. A disorder of not knowing how to face, feel, and deal with the feelings that come with living life on life’s terms.

Life is a “feelings” experience, one we don’t control as much as we must face, feel, and deal with as wisely and productively as we possibly can.

To face life wisely and productively requires that we live in connection with others and God in an intimate way.

The substitute for living relationally connected is to distract ourselves from our own needs. This means that we attempt to find a counterfeit connection that offers a relief, but not what we genuinely need.

The distraction from our own hearts becomes the addictive process.

Addiction is marked by negative consequences for the addicted person, but their actions don’t change.

Addiction also has its foundation on the defense of denial.

Denial has five characteristics:

1. Denial of facing the reality of what is occurring.
2. Denial of the feelings related to reality.
3. Denial of the needs related to the feelings.
4. Denial about talking about the first three characteristics.
5. Denial of the need to trust that things can actually be different.

Addiction is rooted in toxic shame.

Toxic shame is the internal sense of contempt a person has towards

• their feelings and needs
• the “clumsiness” of being human
• the reality of imperfection

Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.

Click here to read the episode highlights.

The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.

Be sure to subscribe to Dr Chip Dodd’s new Substack. He will be sharing two to three articles a week. The topics focus on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership.

• What is Substack? It is a subscription-based platform that allows independent

writers and other creators to publish content directly to their subscribers’ inboxes.

• The cost of the subscription is only $7 a month. Dr. Dodd shares content two to three times a week. The content focuses on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership. To subscribe, use the link above or go to chipdodd.com.

In this new season, “What is Addiction” we will focus on three main aspects of addiction:

• what addiction is
• how addiction operates
• what recovery entails

What is addiction?

• Addiction is a counterfeit substitute for the normal desire for fulfillment and relief-seeking.
• Addiction actually robs us of the legitimate fulfillment and relief that we seek.
• Addiction prevents us from seeing who we are made to be and blocks us from doing what we are made to do.
• Addiction is a thief that steals, kills, and destroys.

Addiction defined

Addiction is a set of behaviors that eventually result in negative outcomes and yet the person continues in the behavior, without admitting that the problem is beyond their own control to change it or stop it.

Addiction as a sickness:

• In 1957 the American Medical Association concluded that addiction fit the categories to be classified as a disease, not a moral, intellectual, or will power failure. Alcoholics Anonymous had been operating under the conclusion that addiction was a sickness that required a relational and spiritual “cure” since 1935.
• The AMA stated that addiction, like all diseases, is a morbid process, with a characteristic set of symptoms, of known or unknown origin, that is chronic, progressive, and often fatal.
• Addiction is specifically marked by denial, blame, and projection. Ultimately, a self-diagnosis is required for recovery to a normal life and lifestyle.

Addiction is not:

• An intellectual problem. Everyone who is addicted to any substance or process uses “artful” logic to continue and justify their actions.

• A will power problem. Everyone who is addicted is able to continue to operate, usually like “normal”, while being burdened by the “secrecy” of what is actually going on.

Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.

Click here to read the episode highlights.

The "Living with Heart" Podcast is brought to you by Chip Dodd Resources (www.chipdodd.com) and The Voice of the Heart Center (vothcenter.com). You can connect with Dr. Chip Dodd at chip@chipdodd.com. Contact Bryan Barley for coaching at bryan@vothcenter.com.

Be sure to subscribe to Dr Chip Dodd’s new Substack. He will be sharing two to three articles a week, beginning December 2nd. The topics focus on healthy relationship, personal growth, and leadership.

Dr Dodd continues to focus on his mission of almost 40 years, helping people see who they are made to be, so they can do what they are created to do. The articles in December focus on living fully, loving deeply, and leading well during the holidays.

It is the month of Christmas. How are you going to keep Christ in Christmas this year? I recommend spending a few minutes each day in December reading The Jesse Tree: A Christmas Devotional. This devotional will take you through the Bible, from Genesis to the birth of Jesus. Each day focuses on God’s protection of the royal line of Jesus and God’s plan of redemption for His people.

Chip begins the episode reading an article called, “I Believe It Like Air” that he puts out every year. It is a statement of believing in the miracle of Jesus’ birth, as much as he believes in the air he breathes moment to moment. (This article is also included in Substack on December 23.)

So many of us never actually grow-up, which is to face that we are primarily emotional and spiritual creatures who find fulfillment in relationship. Our fulfillment comes from being able to connect to our own hearts, the hearts of others, and the heart of God.

“Adults” are people who wear masks to hide what they don’t know, to cover up the vulnerability that exposes their neediness.

Grown-ups develop maturity by being in need and growing and becoming more and more response able. Adults do not mature beyond their ability to mask vulnerability.

“Adults” lose the meaning and wonder of Christmas. Grown-ups live it fully with a faith that can contend with tragedy.

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

You have established strength,

Because of Your enemies,

That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

(Psalm 8:2, NKJV)

Click here to continue reading the episode highlights.