The Sabrina Zohar Show

40 Episodes
177: What's Actually Happening In An Avoidant's Brain When They Pull Away W/ Chris Lee
#177
Today at 8:01 AM

Neuroscientist Chris Lee joins me to break down what’s really happening in the brain when someone pulls away, shuts down, or spirals. We cover avoidance as a regulation strategy, why anxious activation hits so hard, and how state–story–strategy explains your patterns better than any TikTok soundbite. If you struggle with mixed signals, overthinking, or reacting fast in dating, this episode gives you clear, science-backed answers.

We also get into emotional availability, communication during conflict, and how to create safety without overfunctioning. You’ll learn how to recognize your patterns, rebuild trust in yourself, and stop taking s...


176: Mixed Signals, Friendzones, and Breadcrumbs | In The Trenches
#176
Last Tuesday at 8:01 AM

In this In The Trenches episode, we dig into the psychology of mixed signals, friendzones, breadcrumbing, and almost-relationships. From slow-burn connections that feel safe but confusing to flirty “friends” who keep you close for validation, we break down how to tell the difference between a secure slow build and self-friend-zoning. You’ll learn why some people want your emotional support without offering real intimacy, how to stop filling in the blanks with fantasy, and what mixed messages actually reveal about someone’s intentions.

We also get into situationships with no clarity, avoidant communication, and the ego-hit that keeps you hopi...


175: Do They Always Come Back?
#175
12/05/2025

This episode breaks down why waiting for someone to come back feels so intoxicating — and why it keeps you stuck. We unpack the psychology behind ambiguous loss, ego-driven attachment, the fantasy loops your brain clings to, and the deeper wounds waiting protects you from. If you’re torn between “I hope they come back” and “God, I hope they don’t,” this will give you clarity you’ve never had.

You’ll learn how to tell the difference between missing them vs. missing the validation, why waiting functions as avoidance, what “they always come back” actually means, and the exact questions to...


174: Are You Ruminating Or Actually Processing?
#174
11/28/2025

Getting over someone feels impossible when your mind keeps replaying the same moments on a loop. In this episode, Sabrina breaks down the difference between genuine emotional processing and rumination, explaining why your brain clings to old stories and how to finally create real movement instead of spiraling. If you’re tired of feeling stuck in your thoughts or carrying heartbreak into a new year, this episode is your reset point.

Struggling in dating? Change the way you approach every potential match in 8 Weeks with Sabrina's Healthy Dating Foundation Course HERE!

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173: Four Ways Shame Turns Love Into Fear of Rejection
#173
11/21/2025

In this episode, Sabrina explores the impact of shame on relationships and self-worth. She explains how shame rewires the brain, making us expect and even create rejection. Sabrina breaks down patterns like rejecting compliments and attracting emotionally unavailable people, while offering practical tools to release shame and rewire the nervous system.

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172: Why Your Brain Won’t Let You Move On
#172
11/14/2025

In this week’s episode, Sabrina dives deep into the cycle of self-blame and shame, exploring why your brain keeps holding onto guilt, even when you logically know it’s not your fault. She uncovers the neuroscience behind how blame and shame get wired into your brain and explains how to break free from this harmful loop. Sabrina shares personal stories of overcoming the blame cycle and walks you through the tools she uses to stop self-punishment, regain control, and practice self-compassion. Tune in to learn how to stop blaming yourself for things outside your control and start showing yourself the...


171: Why You Create Stories in Your Head (and How to Stop) | In The Trenches
#171
11/11/2025

We’re back in the trenches. This episode, Ryan joins Sabrina in the studio to unpack YOUR questions including “Are We Dating the Same Guy?” Facebook groups to what happens when your nervous system won’t let you relax in a healthy relationship. They talk about what it actually means to trust yourself, why so many of us self-sabotage when things feel good, and how to stop creating stories in your head every time they don’t text you back for a day.

If you’ve ever said “I just feel blindsided,” or caught yourself scrolling back through screenshots tryi...


170: ⁠Is It Your Intuition or Anxiety? How to Tell the Difference & Trust Your Gut
#170
11/07/2025

In this week’s episode, Sabrina breaks down how attachment wounds can disguise themselves as “gut feelings” and why instinct often gets drowned out by anxious urgency. Sabrina walks through real examples as she uncovers how familiar patterns can trick your nervous system into calling danger “love,” and unpacks how old trauma keeps you choosing pain over safety. Sabrina shares the tools she uses to slow the spiral, track the truth, and retrain her intuition so it actually protects her instead of sabotaging her.

If you keep finding yourself in relationships that start fast and end the same way, you’r...


169: Why Do You Feel Like You're Always Struggling?
#169
10/31/2025

In this vulnerable and science-backed episode, Sabrina Zohar reveals a universal truth: everyone is struggling, and the people who seem to have it all figured out are just better at hiding it. She dismantles toxic positivity, explaining why fighting your emotions makes things worse and how acceptance can reduce their intensity by 50%. 

Sabrina provides practical tools like the "Paradox Prescription" for obsessive thoughts and the "72-Hour Reality Check" to identify trauma bonding. If you've ever felt alone in your pain, this is your powerful reminder that you are not broken—you are human. The cure isn't to stop str...


168: Why You Spiral When They Don’t Text Back
#168
10/24/2025

In this week’s episode, Sabrina breaks down what your texting patterns reveal about your attachment style and emotional triggers in dating and relationships. Through her own past text exchanges, she shares how anxious thoughts, people-pleasing, and over-explaining once shaped her dating behavior, and how she learned to regulate her emotions instead of spiraling when someone didn’t respond. Sabrina explores how rejection, ghosting, and unmet expectations often trace back to deeper wounds around self-worth and safety.

She also explains how healing doesn’t mean never feeling triggered; it means recognizing those triggers, staying grounded, and choosing not to sel...


167: Why Your Body Can't Just Calm Down: The Science of Anxiety ft. Dr. Sara Szal
#167
10/17/2025

In this episode, Sabrina Zohar sits down with Dr. Sara Szal to uncover the hidden physical roots of anxiety. From hormones and gut health to mold, blood sugar, and cortisol, they break down how your body can fuel emotional chaos even when your life feels “fine.” Sabrina opens up about her own misdiagnosis journey, being told her anxiety was just mental before discovering deeper physiological causes. Together, they explore how the nervous system, hormones, and environment intertwine, and how healing often starts in the body, not the mind. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Why do I feel anxious when nothing’...


166: Stop Chasing Emotionally Unavailable People | In The Trenches
#166
10/14/2025

In this powerful and emotional "In The Trenches" episode, Sabrina Zohar tackles your toughest dating dilemmas with her signature no-nonsense yet compassionate approach. We dive into a listener's story about a man who re-entered her life only to pull away once more, and Sabrina breaks down exactly why we chase "unfinished business" and emotionally unavailable partners. She also answers a question from a woman stuck in a 2-year relationship with a partner who shuts down during conflict, offering crucial advice on when to fight for a connection and when to choose yourself. Plus, we get a profile review for someone...


165: How to Break Your Unhealthy Dating & Relationship Patterns
#165
10/10/2025

In the last episode of the Self Esteem Series, Sabrina Zohar unpacks the psychology and neuroscience behind why change feels so hard and how your brain is wired to keep you stuck. She explains the resistance mechanisms that make transformation uncomfortable and shares science-backed tools for creating real, lasting change. Sabrina dives into why motivation is a myth, why identity resists growth, and how small, consistent actions can rewire your self-concept. You’ll also learn about homeostasis, mirror neurons, and how your environment shapes your progress. If you’ve ever wondered why you know what to do but still can’t seem...


164: Overexplaining, Overthinking, Overtexting? Here’s Why
#164
10/03/2025

In the 4th episode of the Self Esteem Series, Sabrina Zohar dives deep into the emotional patterns that sabotage relationships, specifically protest behavior. She explains how certain behaviors like excessive texting, withdrawal, and people-pleasing are often unconscious responses to fear of abandonment or disconnection. Sabrina shares raw personal stories and offers insights on how to break these patterns, set healthy boundaries, and foster genuine connection. If you've ever found yourself trapped in a cycle of emotional escalation, over-explaining, or testing your partner's commitment, this episode is for you. Tune in to understand why these behaviors emerge and how you can...


163: ⁠The Psychology Behind Black-and-White Thinking
#163
09/26/2025

Do you ever think, "If they don't text back, they're not interested"? Or assume one awkward moment means you have no chemistry? Your brain might be sabotaging your love life with faulty logic.

In Part 3 of our 5-part series, we're diving into the meat and potatoes of self-sabotage: the thinking errors that turn normal dating situations into full-blown crises. Today, we're breaking down the three main culprits—Black & White Thinking, Catastrophizing, and Mental Filtering—and why your brain uses these outdated shortcuts. I’ll even share a wild personal story (my "Prison Bae" saga) that perfectly illustrates how we cre...


162: The Power of Detachment with Sabrina Bendory
#162
09/19/2025

Detachment isn’t about being cold or not caring. It’s about knowing your worth and letting go of outcomes you can’t control. In this episode, Sabrina Zohar and guest Sabrina Bendory break down what healthy detachment really looks like, why obsession is just a story you tell yourself, and how to self-source your worth instead of outsourcing it. If you’re tired of spiraling over texts or feeling stuck on someone who isn’t right for you, this conversation gives you the tools to finally reclaim your power.

Get Sabrina Bendory's book, "Detached: How to Let Go, Heal...


161: Why You Overthink Love and Assume the Worst
#161
09/12/2025

Why do you spiral when a text takes too long, when someone says “okay” instead of “okay!” or when plans change? That’s your brain writing rejection stories to protect you. The problem? Those stories create anxiety, sabotage connection, and keep you stuck.

In the 2nd episode of the Self Esteem Series, Sabrina Zohar explains the 3 biggest story patterns: rejection, mind reading, and timelines. She also breaks down why your nervous system jumps to the worst-case scenario. You’ll learn the neuroscience behind why wrong stories feel so real, how confirmation bias fuels your fears, and simple tools to separate...


160: Why You Keep Sabotaging Love Without Realizing It | In The Trenches
#160
09/09/2025

Are you actually seeing red flags, or are your insecurities making you spiral? In this week's episode of In the Trenches, Sabrina Zohar unpacks why so many of us sabotage good relationships by searching for problems that aren’t there. You’ll learn how timing and distance can trigger feelings of abandonment, what it really means when you feel ‘not enough,’ and how to tell the difference between your intuition and old fears. Sabrina also shares personal stories, practical tools for calming anxiety, and thoughts on having honest conversations about your needs. If you’re tired of second-guessing love and want to st...


159: How to Rewire Your Core Beliefs & Attract Healthy Love
#159
09/05/2025

Do you ever feel unlovable, undeserving of good love, or just “too much”? These aren’t facts, they’re core beliefs running the show. In this episode, Sabrina Zohar explains how these beliefs form, why your brain clings to rejection, and how to reframe the stories you tell yourself. You’ll learn practical tools to reparent yourself, release old programming, and finally step into the love you’re worthy of.

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8 Weeks with Sabrina's Foundation Course HERE!
Enrollment for The Self Love Course, The Nervous System Course, and The Break Up Course is no...


158: The Truth About the Slow Burn of Dating
#158
08/29/2025

Are they genuinely taking things slow or just stringing you along? In this episode, Sabrina Zohar breaks down how to tell the difference between healthy pacing and someone wasting your time. You’ll learn why consistency matters, what science says about early relationship timelines, and the red flags of stagnation. Sabrina also shares personal stories, practical scripts for communicating boundaries, and tools to stop overanalyzing and start trusting yourself. If you’re tired of the "go with the flow" trap, this video gives you clarity and confidence in dating.

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8 Weeks with Sabr...


157: Why You Obsess Over Your Ex & How to Stop
#157
08/22/2025

Why does heartbreak feel like the end of the world while your ex seems fine? In this episode, Sabrina Zohar breaks down the neuroscience of heartbreak, explaining why your brain gets stuck on your ex, why nothing feels enjoyable anymore, and why closure is a myth.

You’ll learn the three brain systems that keep you looping, along with practical tools to rewire your mind, stop obsessing, and finally move forward.

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8 Weeks with Sabrina's Foundation Course HERE!
Enrollment for The Self Love Course, The Nervous System Course, and Th...


156: When Your Partner Shuts Down Emotionally, DO THIS!
#156
08/15/2025

In this episode, Sabrina dives deep into one of the toughest relationship struggles—emotional shutdowns. She breaks down how to recognize silent treament or stonewalling, why it happens, and how to reclaim your power when you're left emotionally abandoned. Learn how to set boundaries and communicate your needs without enabling unhealthy patterns.

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8 Weeks with Sabrina's Foundation Course HERE!
Enrollment for The Self Love Course, The Nervous System Course, and The Break Up Course is now closed. For your continued education and growth, please explore The Foundation Course, which is currently av...


155: Why Won’t They Let You In? REAL Avoidant Attachment Truths | In the Trenches with Tom Stroud
#155
08/12/2025

In this episode, Sabrina sits down with Tom Stroud from Love Is Blind UK to tackle your biggest dating dilemmas—avoidant attachment, emotional intelligence, and why modern dating feels so polarized. They debunk myths like "if he wanted to, he would", discuss texting anxiety, and share personal stories of growth from avoidance to security.

Want to submit your questions or profile to the show? Send in your text threads, your profile screenshots, or anything else to inthetrenches@sabrinazohar.com for a chance to be featured on a future episode.

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8 We...


154: What You NEED To Know About Being Friends with An Ex, FWB and Dating A Friend
#154
08/08/2025

In this episode of the Sabrina Zohar Show, Sabrina explores the complexities of non-platonic friendships, diving into the truth behind friends with benefits, situationships, and the challenges of dating a close friend. Sabrina shares her personal experiences, backed by research and psychology, to give you practical advice on navigating these relationship dynamics. Tune in to learn how to navigate these complex relationships with confidence and clarity.

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8 Weeks with Sabrina's Foundation Course HERE!
If you've ever felt like you're too much, not enough, or always chasing validation in dating or relationships...


153: What Is Secure Attachment and How It Shows Up in Dating and Relationships
#153
08/01/2025

In the final episode of the Attachement Styles 101 series, we dive deep into the truth about secure attachment and how it plays a pivotal role in building resilient, healthy relationships. Sabrina Zohar breaks down the myths surrounding secure attachment, explaining why it’s not about being perfect or emotionless. Instead, it's about learning emotional regulation and bouncing back after challenges. Whether you’re just starting the journey or already on your path to emotional security, Sabrina gives actionable steps to start building a secure attachment style, including how to handle triggers and navigate relationship conflicts with resilience. Tune in to lear...


152: What Is Disorganized Attachment and How It Shows Up in Dating and Relationships
#152
07/25/2025

In Part 3 of Sabrina Zohar’s attachment style series, she dives deep into the most misunderstood style — disorganized attachment (a.k.a. fearful avoidant). If you’ve ever craved love but ran from it the second it got real, or found yourself in push-pull dynamics that feel more like emotional whiplash than romance, this episode is for you. Sabrina unpacks the neuroscience, psychology, and survival roots of disorganized attachment — and gives you tools to break free. Plus, she explains how to spot it early, how to navigate it in relationships, and what healing really looks like.

Stuck After the Podc...


151: What Healing REALLY Looks Like with Dr. Richard Schwartz
#151
07/18/2025

What if the key to healing is understanding the different parts of yourself? Sabrina Zohar is joined by Dr. Richard Schwartz, the creator of Internal Family Systems (IFS), to explore how IFS therapy can lead to profound emotional healing.

In this video, Sabrina shares her own healing journey, confronting her inner critic, navigating trauma, and embracing personal growth. Together, they reveal how understanding and healing your inner parts can help you find true inner peace and self-compassion.

Get Introduction to Internal Family Systems by Dr. Richard Schwartz

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8...


150: ⁠The BRUTAL Truth About What You Deserve in Love| In The Trenches
#150
07/15/2025

In this episode of "In the Trenches", Sabrina opens up about the reality of navigating toxic relationships and the importance of setting boundaries. She tackles your tough relationship questions, offering guidance on how to cope with feelings of insecurity and fear, and how to reclaim your self-worth. Sabrina shares her candid thoughts on what it truly means to love yourself, and why you should never settle for anything less than respect. She also does an audit of one of your dating profiles and gives her thoughts on how to stand out in the dating app world. If you've ever felt...


149: What Is Anxious Attachment and How It Shows Up in Dating and Relationships?
#149
07/11/2025

Struggling with constant overthinking in relationships? Sabrina explores anxious attachment with a focus on neuroscience and real healing. Learn why your brain reacts to silence as danger and how protest behaviors keep you stuck in cycles of anxiety.

This episode reveals an understanding of what anxious attachment is and isn't, practical tools to rewire your nervous system, reparent your inner child, and move toward secure connections.

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8 Weeks with Sabrina's Foundation Course HERE!
If you've ever felt like you're too much, not enough, or always chasing validation in dating...


148: What Is Avoidant Attachment and How It Shows Up in Dating and Relationships?
#148
07/04/2025

Unlock the secrets to building healthy relationships with avoidant partners in this episode of The Sabrina Zohar Show.
Sabrina breaks down the realities of dating someone with avoidant attachment, debunks common myths, and shares practical tools to foster genuine connection. Whether you’re struggling to understand an avoidant partner or want to improve your own relationship skills, this video offers expert advice and actionable steps for deeper intimacy and trust.

What you’ll learn:
- What avoidant attachment really means in dating
- Signs you’re dating someone with avoidant tendencies
- Myths vs. facts...


147: Why Friendships Can Be Harder Than Romantic Relationships
#147
06/27/2025

On this week's episode of The Sabrina Zohar, reflects on one of the most asked question about "Non-Romantic Friendship". She opens up about the complexities of platonic relationships, from the heartbreak of friendship breakups to navigating the anxiety of making new friends in adulthood. Sabrina shares her own journey through friendship wounds and how she's learned to heal and set boundaries, even when it means walking away from people who no longer serve her growth.

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8 Weeks with Sabrina's Foundation Course HERE!
If you've ever felt like you're too much, not...


146: Why Your Conversations Fail and How to Fix Them with Charles Duhigg
#146
06/20/2025

Join Sabrina Zohar and Charles Duhigg — a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, bestselling author of The Power of Habit and Supercommunicators, and current writer for The New Yorker — as they break down the communication skills vital for building better relationships. In this episode, they explore essential tools for effective communication, including how to listen actively and how to distinguish between emotional and practical conversations.
Discover how mastering these skills can transform not just your romantic life, but also your friendships, family interactions, and professional relationships.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Active Listening
- Emotional vs. Pr...


145: How to let go of seeking external validation and actually find your person
#145
06/13/2025

Struggling with people-pleasing or feeling anxious about how others perceive you? In this episode of The Sabrina Zohar Show, Sabrina dives deep into how to let go of external validation and truly thrive while single. Whether you’re navigating dating, healing from past relationships, or simply want to build stronger self-worth, this video is packed with actionable tools, neuroscience insights, and real-life stories that will help you break free from approval-seeking and self-abandonment.

What you’ll learn:
- Why we crave external validation (hint: it’s not vanity, it’s survival)
- How your childhood and nervous...


144: Is He Into You? Or Killing Time? Answering Your Questions! | In The Trenches
#144
06/10/2025

Is he truly interested, or are you just a placeholder? In this solo In The Trenches, Sabrina dives deep into your most pressing relationship questions—covering everything from masculine vs. feminine energy, handling the aftermath of a first date, healing anxious attachment, moving on from heartbreak, and spotting red flags in modern dating. Drawing from both her personal journey and expertise as a relationship coach, Sabrina offers honest, relatable advice to help you navigate the complexities of dating and self-growth.

Whether you're struggling with anxious attachment, wondering how to avoid being "clingy," or questioning if your partner is ge...


143: How to have AUTHENTIC self love and Date Yourself
#143
06/06/2025

How do you know if you're loving your self? Today, we're diving deep into what self love actually means - when to know when you're choosing your partner, a parent or someone else over your own emotions.

The Self Love Course is available for presale now! Get the lowest price we'll offer this course for, $100 off regular pricing!

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8 Weeks with Sabrina's Foundation Course HERE!
Do you feel like your emotions run the show and react in ways you can’t control? Join the Nervous System 101: Navigating the Unknowns In...


142: Stop Obsessing: How to Enjoy Dating Without Stressing About the Future
#142
05/30/2025

Unlock the secret to enjoying dating and relationships without obsessing over the outcome! In this episode, Sabrina Zohar dives deep into why we cling to control, how attachment styles shape our dating patterns, and practical steps to finally let go and find peace—whether you’re single or partnered. Discover how to pause, self-regulate, and stop spiraling, so you can show up authentically and attract the right connections.

The Self Love Course is available for presale now! Get the lowest price we'll offer this course for, $100 off regular pricing!

Stuck After the Podcast? Master Implementation in 8 Week...


141: How BPD Impacts your Relationships with Neuropsychotherapist Britt Frank
#141
05/23/2025

What if your “crazy” behavior isn’t crazy at all—but a perfectly logical response to trauma, fear, and unmet needs? In this raw and powerful episode, I sit down with licensed psychotherapist and trauma expert Britt Frank to unpack the truth about what we often mislabel as sabotage, emotional instability, and being "too much." We dive into parts work, BPD misdiagnosis, and why your self-critic isn’t your enemy—it’s actually trying to protect you.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re your own worst enemy, this conversation is your invitation to pause and reframe. You’ll learn why w...


140: Why You Keep Settling (and How to Finally Choose Yourself)
#140
05/16/2025

Are you dating someone because it feels “good enough”… or because it actually feels good? In this episode, Sabrina takes a no-BS look at what it really means to “settle” in dating and relationships — and why it’s often less of a conscious choice and more of a nervous system pattern. Whether you’re single, stuck in a situationship, or already in a long-term relationship, this episode helps you understand the neuroscience behind why we stay, even when we know we shouldn’t — and how to shift that. From the Default Mode Network to dopamine loops in the ventral striatum, we’re unpacking how...


139: Dating Nightmares & Advice: In The Trenches with Nicole Byer
#139
05/13/2025

What happens when you're exclusive with someone… but barely hear from them? In this candid and laugh-out-loud episode, Sabrina sits down with comedian and actress Nicole Byer to unpack messy modern dating scenarios straight from audience questions. From breadcrumbing in long-distance “situationships” to partners who can't express their feelings, they break down the emotional chaos with humor, honesty, and zero sugarcoating.

They also dive into why the “cool girl” never actually wins, how to tell if you're settling, and why so many of us stay in dynamics that don't serve us—hoping love will eventually show up. Whether you’re quest...


138: Why You’re Obsessed with People Who Hurt You (And How to Finally Stop) With Nicole Vignola
#138
05/09/2025

Are you tired of replaying the same scenarios in your head, checking their socials, and wondering why you can’t let go—even when you know they’re wrong for you? In this episode of The Sabrina Zohar Show, neuroscientist and author Nicole Vignola breaks down exactly what’s happening in your brain when you’re stuck on someone who isn’t right for you. From the dopamine loops that keep you addicted to the anticipation of a text to the childhood patterns shaping your attachment style, we dig into the neuroscience of obsession and how to actually break the cycle.
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