The Awareness Studio

Your independence might not be the strength you think it is.
It might be codependence.

We all recognize the people pleaser.
The perfectionist.
The over-giver
The over-achiever.

But codependence shows up in other ways, too.
Sometimes it withdraws. Has walls. Uses anger to control. And stays silent to self-protect.

It also shows up as HYPER-independence.
“I don’t need anyone.”
“I am fine on my own.”
“I can handle this myself.”

That may look strong, or even feel strong,
but if your entire identity is built around not needing others,
you are still organized around them.

Hyper-independence:
Avoids depending on others.
Pushes people away before they can disappoint or reject you.
Shuts down before you can be hurt.
Uses anger to create distance.
And uses that distance as a way to feel in control.

This is not freedom. It’s armor.
Armor works. It provides a sense of safety,
but it costs you connection, belonging, and intimacy.

If you want to understand this pattern more deeply,
my favorite place to start is the book Facing Codependence by Pia Mellody.
It will transform your understanding of inner strength, and teach you how to develop it.

Follow me for more awareness, and when you are ready to live a powerful life, you know where to find me.

🧡 Patty Farinola

Visit https://theawarenessstudio.com/ to learn more about counseling with me.