The Fear That’s Secretly Hurting Your Relationship with Dr. John Delony

Want a FREE communication tip each week? Click here to join my newsletter. https://www.jeffersonfisher.com/newsletter I flew to Nashville, sat in Dr. John Delony’s studio, and we had the kind of friend-to-friend talk I wish everyone could hear. We got honest about anxiety—how I’ve felt it in my own body—and why our “imaginary fights” leave us overheated before a real conversation even starts. John shared the two moves that changed my playbook: bring calm (it spreads) and tell the truth (facts are kind). We dug into abandonment fears, childhood stuff that sneaks into marriage, and that gut-punch line: “You marry your unfinished business.” If you’ve ever felt anxious mid-conversation, or avoided a hard talk because you were scared of losing someone, this episode gives you practical steps to reset, reconnect, and talk like you actually want to be heard. Thank you to our Sponsors: Cozy Earth. Upgrade Your Every Day. Get 40% off at cozyearth.com/jefferson or use code JEFFERSON at check out. https://cozyearth.com/pages/jefferson Pique. Head to https://PiqueLife.com/jefferson for 20% off. Momentous. Visit https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use code JEFFERSON for 35% off your first order. BetterHelp. Click https://betterhelp.com/jeffersonfisher for a discount on your first month of therapy. Like what you hear? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Order my new book, The Next Conversation, today! https://www.jeffersonfisher.com/book Suggest a topic or ask a question for me to answer on the show! https://www.jeffersonfisher.com/topic Join my School of Communication. https://www.jeffersonfisher.com/membership Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jefferson_fisher Follow me on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@justaskjefferson?lang=en Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffersonfisher/

Jefferson FisherhostDr. John Delonyguest

Sep 16, 202557mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: September 16, 2025
Duration: 57m
Channel: The Jefferson Fisher Podcast
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Want a FREE communication tip each week? Click here to join my newsletter. https://www.jeffersonfisher.com/newsletter I flew to Nashville, sat in Dr. John Delony’s studio, and we had the kind of friend-to-friend talk I wish everyone could hear. We got honest about anxiety—how I’ve felt it in my own body—and why our “imaginary fights” leave us overheated before a real conversation even starts. John shared the two moves that changed my playbook: bring calm (it spreads) and tell the truth (facts are kind). We dug into abandonment fears, childhood stuff that sneaks into marriage, and that gut-punch line: “You marry your unfinished business.” If you’ve ever felt anxious mid-conversation, or avoided a hard talk because you were scared of losing someone, this episode gives you practical steps to reset, reconnect, and talk like you actually want to be heard. Thank you to our Sponsors: Cozy Earth. Upgrade Your Every Day. Get 40% off at cozyearth.com/jefferson or use code JEFFERSON at check out. https://cozyearth.com/pages/jefferson Pique. Head to https://PiqueLife.com/jefferson for 20% off. Momentous. Visit https://www.livemomentous.com/ and use code JEFFERSON for 35% off your first order. BetterHelp. Click https://betterhelp.com/jeffersonfisher for a discount on your first month of therapy. Like what you hear? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a 5-star review! Order my new book, The Next Conversation, today! https://www.jeffersonfisher.com/book Suggest a topic or ask a question for me to answer on the show! https://www.jeffersonfisher.com/topic Join my School of Communication. https://www.jeffersonfisher.com/membership Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jefferson_fisher Follow me on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@justaskjefferson?lang=en Follow me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffersonfisher/

SPEAKERS

Jefferson Fisher
host
Podcast host focused on communication and relationship conversations.
Dr. John Delony
guest
Mental health expert and call-in show host known for work on anxiety, relationships, and family-of-origin dynamics.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of The Jefferson Fisher Podcast, featuring Jefferson Fisher and Dr. John Delony, The Fear That’s Secretly Hurting Your Relationship with Dr. John Delony explores how abandonment fears fuel anxiety, conflict, and disconnection in relationships They argue that anxiety often escalates when people avoid real conversations and instead rehearse “imaginary fights,” creating real physiological stress without any actual resolution.

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