{"author_name":"The Inner Compass Podcast with Vanessa Bennett ","author_url":"https://art19.com/shows/inner-compass-podcast/episodes/d1f045f8-afa7-475d-a919-030228329ca8","description":"<p>Assumptions are one of the most common ways we manage anxiety in relationships, but they also keep us stuck in the very patterns we’re trying to heal. In this episode, Vanessa Bennett, LMFT is joined by Madeleine Downey, RCC to unpack how mind-reading, overfunctioning, and “being the bad guy in someone’s story” often come from early beliefs rooted in shame. They walk through a practical loop you can use in real time—<strong>belief → assumption → behavior → confirmation</strong>—and why bringing “the story I’m telling myself is…” into the light can diffuse conflict and deepen intimacy. This is a relational invitation to stop living inside imagined certainty and start choosing clarity, vulnerability, and responsibility.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Additional Resources</strong></p><p><strong>Explore:</strong><a href=\"http://vanessabennett.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> VanessaBennett.com</a></p><p><strong>Book:</strong><a href=\"https://www.vanessabennett.com/the-motherhood-myth\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> The Motherhood Myth</a></p><p><strong>Community:</strong><a href=\"https://www.vanessabennett.com/inner-compass-collective\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Inner Compass Collective</a></p><p><strong>Training:</strong><a href=\"https://www.vanessabennett.com/inner-compass-academy\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Inner Compass Academy</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Connect with Inner Compass</strong></p><p>Follow on <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/inner_compass_co\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Connect with Vanessa Bennett:</strong></p><p>Follow on <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/vanessasbennett\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram</a></p><p>Follow on <a href=\"https://www.tiktok.com/@itsvanessabennett\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">TikTok</a></p><p>Learn more on <a href=\"https://substack.com/@itsvanessabennett\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Substack</a></p><p>Connect with Vanessa Bennett on <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsvanessabennett\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">LinkedIn</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>","html":"<iframe src=\"https://art19.com/shows/inner-compass-podcast/episodes/d1f045f8-afa7-475d-a919-030228329ca8/embed\" style=\"width: 720px; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" width=\"720\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"></iframe>","provider_name":"ART19","provider_url":"https://art19.com","title":"Assumptions in Relationships: The Codependency Loop That Keeps You Stuck","type":"rich","version":"1.0","width":720,"height":200}