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The Codependent Perfectionist
Podcast Episodes

26th June 2025

GUEST APPEARANCE – The Terri Cole Show – Recovery for the Codependent Perfectionist with Alana Carvalho

I’m so excited to have a new pal, Alana Carvalho, a licensed mental health counselor, on the show to talk about two topics we’re both passionate about: codependency and perfectionism! We talk about why these two things go together, our experiences of being in recovery from both, what inspired Alana to create The Codependent Perfectionist brand, how to ease up on perfectionism and codependent behaviors, and so much more. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did!

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14th April 2025

Episode 56

Chronic Pain & Codependency with Dr. Tawny Kross

In this episode, we’re exploring the connection between chronic pain, people pleasing, and perfectionism.

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16th October 2024

Episode 55

Principles of Recovery with Kim Gross

In this episode, we explore some key principles of recovery that Kim Gross talks about in her new book – Free to Be: A Pathway to Inner Liberation. Specifically, we touch on the importance of healing the inner child and also taking responsibility in recovery.

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26th August 2024

Episode 54

Body Image, Perfectionism and Joy with Alana VanDerSluys

In this episode, we have special guest, Alana VanDerSluys, talking about body image, eating disorder recovery and the connection with perfectionism. Alana shares about her own recovery journey and talks about her book Freedom with Food and Fitness.

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8th August 2024

GUEST APPEARANCE – Masks Off with Kim Gross

In this episode, Kim has an enlightening conversation with spiritual coach, author, and podcast host Alana Carvalho, the originator of the term ‘codependent perfectionist.’ They explore the intertwined concepts of codependency and perfectionism, and how these tendencies manifest in relationships. Alana shares her journey, her insights on the nuances of these behaviors, and practical advice for identifying and managing them. The discussion also touches upon conscious parenting, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and the impact of internal work on external relationships. Kim and Alana’s exchange is rich with personal anecdotes, offering many relatable moments and actionable tips for listeners.

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5th August 2024

GUEST APPEARANCE – Relatable with Dr. Liz Fedrick

Ever feel like the moods of those around you affect your own? Do you struggle with people-pleasing, perfectionism, or maintaining boundaries? In this episode of Always Evolving, Dr. Liz and licensed mental health counselor Alana Carvalho explore the roots of codependency and share strategies to overcome it. Learn how intense care for others can blur your boundaries and why people-pleasing is more about self-protection. Discover practical tips to self-reflect, observe your habits, and cultivate healthier self-talk. Tune in to break free from codependent patterns and reclaim your sense of self!

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1st July 2024

Episode 53

Understanding Narcissistic Abuse with Sheri Heller LCSW, RSW

In this episode, Alana and Sheri are exploring narcissistic abuse and how to support someone who may be in a narcissistic relationship.

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7th June 2024

Episode 52

Supporting a Loved One with Mental Illness

In this episode, we discuss the difference between support and enabling when it comes to a loved one struggling with a mental health issue.

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10th May 2024

Episode 51

Adult Children of Narcissistic Parents & Coping with Mother’s/Father’s Day

In this episode, we have special guest Taylor Damiani. We’re talking about how to cope with the holidays if you’re an adult child of a narcissistic parents.

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29th April 2024

Episode 50

Working on Anxiety and Making Changes with Sabrina Zohar

In today’s episode, we have dating coach Sabrina Zohar from Do The Work Podcast discussing her own journey working through anxiety, learning how to depersonalize and make changes to support herself.

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12th March 2024

Episode 49

Repeated Patterns in Codependency Recovery

In this episode, we’re talking all about how we tend to get repeated people and situations in our life and there’s an important reason why!

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29th January 2024

Episode 48

Thoughtful Communication in Codependency Recovery

In today’s episode, we’re talking about the importance of being thoughtful in how we communicate. Alana also shares on the difference of thinking through what we want to share versus walking on eggshells in relationships.

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14th July 2023

Episode 47

Talking About Relationships, Recovery, and Intimacy with Dr. Elizabeth Fedrick

In this episode, Alana and Dr. Liz chat about codependency recovery and how early child dynamics impact our adult relationships.

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23rd June 2023

Episode 46

Understanding How Childhood with a Narcissistic Parent Impacts Codependency

In this solo episode, Alana speaks to how improper mirroring in childhood can impact our identity formation in our adulthood.

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6th June 2023

GUEST APPEARANCE – Relatable with Dr. Liz Fedrick

Dr. Liz hangs out with Alana Carvalho, therapist and author, to chat all things codependency. Dr. Liz and Alana discuss some of the experiences in one’s upbringing that might lead to developing codependent tendencies, as well as how these tendencies show up in our adult relationships. They get personal and explore their own codependent behaviors and the areas of their lives that are impacted by these behaviors. Dr. Liz and Alana discuss ways to recover from codependency, including the importance of increasing self-awareness. You won’t want to miss this very relatable episode all about addressing codependency.

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6th June 2023

GUEST APPEARANCE – Securely Attached with Sarah Bren

In this episode we’ll define what codependency is, the emotional burden it can place on our children, and practical steps we can take to break free of this pattern and foster healthier relationships. Whether you are in a fully codependent relationship or not, there can be subtle things people do in romantic relationships, with friends, and within a parent-child relationship that can heighten aspects of codependency. Here to help parents spot the signs of codependency (whether in yourself or in your partner in parenting) and teach you strategies and behaviors to help you create a more healthy and secure relationship with your child is self-proclaimed “Codependent Perfectionist” and LMHC Alana Carvalho.

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12th May 2023

Episode 46

Talking All About “The Work” with Jacqueline Hurst

In today’s episode, we’re talking all about doing “the work” with Jacqueline Hurst and the willingness needed to go through the ups and downs of the therapeutic process. We chat about the difficulty of taking risks, putting up boundaries, and the benefits of getting to a place of peace.

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22nd March 2023

GUEST APPEARANCE – Adult Child Podcast

Guest appearance on Adult Child, which is a deep dive into the impact of growing up in an dysfunctional family and how to heal the unresolved pain of the past. I speak on Codependency & Perfectionism in this area

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8th March 2023

GUEST APPEARANCE – The Lilli Bewley Podcast

Listen as I discuss Codependency & Perfectionism on The Lilli Bewley Podcast | Self love, Self-Compassion, Trauma, Abuse, Codependency, Relationships

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24th February 2023

Episode 45

Codependency Recovery, Self Love and the Importance of Presence with Candy Washington

In this episode, we’re chatting with Candy Washington on all things codependency recovery. Candy shares how she moved from a place of codependency to self love, presence and peace.

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27th January 2023

Episode 44

Perfectionism & Mental Health with Young Adults & Teens with Megan Gallagher

In today’s episode we’re talking about mental health issues with young adults & teens. Megan shares her journey from discovering her own mental health issues to working on her recovery.

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16th December 2022

GUEST APPEARANCE – Conversations with Nick Thompson

I speak with Nick Thompson (of Netflix’s Love is Blind) as we unpack the terminology and symptoms surrounding codependency and get to the bottom of what it means, what signs and habits to look for, and how to identify a codependent relationship and learn how to set up proper boundaries.

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1st July 2022

Episode 43

Parenting Spicy Children with Heidi Rogers

In this episode, we’re talking with Heidi Rogers about parenting “spicy” children and how this differs from parenting neurotypical kids. We talk about what it’s like to be a codependent perfectionist parents of these kids and offer parenting strategies to help you navigate it more effectively.

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7th June 2022

Episode 42

Talking all about the True Self & Our Inner Voices with a Podcast Listener

In today’s discussion, we are talking all about inner voices. Specifically, we’re explaining the difference between negative self talk and the inner self, how we distinguish between the 2 and how to show love to ourselves in recovery. *Please excuse the technical issues*

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16th May 2022

Episode 41

A Candid Chat on Parenting with a Podcast Listener

In today’s episode, I chat with a listener named Susan all about parenting. We discuss topics including making space for ourselves as mothers, how to navigate issues around codependency and perfectionism and much more!

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24th March 2022

Episode 40

Understanding Love Addiction with Sherry Gaba, LCSW

In today’s episode, we’re talking all about love addiction and codependency with Sherry Gaba, author of Love Smashed! We explore what love addiction looks like, trauma bonding, boundaries and more. You can find out more about Sherry and her online e-book & quiz here: https://sherrygaba.com/npquiz.

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23rd March 2022

GUEST APPEARANCE – Love Your Life Show with Susie Pettit

Ever wondered if you’re a codependent perfectionist? Listen in because it’s quite common (we both are!) and today’s conversation felt like a great big hug!

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24th February 2022

Episode 39

Clearing Up Misconceptions in Codependency

Today we’re talking about some common questions people have when they’re working on recovering from codependency. We’ll clear up what codependency is not and consider where the line is between caring and codependency.

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3rd February 2022

Episode 38

Truth, Stories, & Oracle Cards!

In this episode, we explore the use or Oracle Cards and how to use them in the healing process. We also discuss the concept of Truth and the different ways this relates to the recovery process.

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28th December 2021

Episode 37

The Mindset of Victim in Recovery

In this episode, we explore how the mindset of victim can impact our recovery and ability to heal. We discuss what victim mindset means and how to go from disempowered to empowered!

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30th November 2021

Episode 36

Trauma Bonding & Recreating Relationship Patterns

In today’s episode, we discuss trauma bonding and why it’s important for us to recreate relationship patterns in order to heal.

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2nd November 2021

GUEST APPEARANCE on The KICK-ASS Stepmom Podcast

Today’s episode is with Alana Carvalho – licensed mental health counsellor who focuses on helping parents, couples and individuals build balanced relationships by releasing old patterns, setting boundaries and finding our voice. She is especially passionate about helping individuals see how healing codependency and perfectionism can lead to a more joy filled life. As a recovering perfectionist and high functioning co-dependent, let’s bring on the joy!

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11th October 2021

GUEST APPEARANCE on Joyful Courage Podcast

“Avoiding Codependency with Alana Carvalho” Takeaways from the show: Alana’s story Codependency in the context of parenting Developing community outside of family members Being supportive vs controlling Creating a safe space for your kids Validation and support coming into play Empowering your children by asking if they want your help Being in relationship with kids who are in resistance Example moving through hard things for your child How you respond is where your influence lies Building resilience

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29th September 2021

Episode 35

Parenting & Self-Care with Heather Chauvin

In today’s episode, we chat with Heather Chauvin, author of Dying to Be A Good Mother. We discuss issues around balance as a parent, codependency, perfectionism and Heather’s journey through cancer recovery that helped her learn to take care of herself.

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3rd September 2021

Episode 34

The Importance of Language in Recovery

In this episode we’ll explore how language is an essential piece to improving relationships in the recovery process.

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31st August 2021

Episode 33

Spirituality in the Healing Process

In this episode we discuss how spirituality can play an important role in recovery from codependency and perfectionism.

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13th August 2021

Episode 32

Gaslighting with Children

In this episode we explore what the concept of gaslighting looks like in our interactions with children. We’ll identify terminology that could lead children to feel less trust in themselves and how to change it.

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20th July 2021

Episode 31

Depersonalizing Other’s Behavior

In this episode, we’re talking depersonalizing and learning how to separate out what’s about us vs. what’s about someone else.

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23rd April 2021

Episode 30

Using Oracle Cards for Healing

In this episode, I explain what oracle cards are, how they came about and how they can be used to strengthen one’s healing journey and relationship to Spirit!

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16th April 2021

Episode 29

Codependency & Coping with Food with Dani Bryant

In this episode, Dani Bryant and I take a look at the connection between food as a coping mechanism and codependency. We tackle the Karpman’s drama triangle, what it really means to binge eat, and having compassion for ourselves in how we deal with our emotional struggles.

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2nd April 2021

Episode 28

Prevention Parenting Strategies for Young Children with Polina Shkadro‪n‬

In today’s episode, Polina Shkadron and I explore the importance of prevention with children and what it looks like. Polina gives some practical tools that parents can implement to help their children learn coping skills.

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23rd March 2021

Episode 27

The Mother-Daughter Relationship Part ‪2

In this episode, I explore how the daughter can go about healing a codependent relationship with their parent. We’re talking taking risks and learning to stand in our power!

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18th March 2021

Episode 26

The Mother-Daughter Relationship‪‬

In today’s episode I explore the mother-daughter dynamic. Specifically, I tackle how codependency and perfectionism can easily creep into the relationship and what we can do to begin to move out of the dysfunction.

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23rd February 2021

Episode 25

Codependency & Couples with Christie Ki‪m‬

In this episode, we’re chatting with Christie Kim, LMHC on how healing can happen in a codependent relationship especially through the lens of Emotionally Focused Therapy.

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11th February 2021

GUEST APPEARANCE on Tuff City Radio

A live chat with Tuff City Radio on Raising Empowered Children and where our codependency & perfectionism comes into play

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5th February 2021

Episode 24

Moving from Enmeshment to Empathy through Nuance Thinkin‪g‬

Today we’re talking about how changing how we think can influence our ability to experience empathy rather than enmeshment.

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4th February 2021

GUEST APPEARANCE on #MOMTRUTHS with Cat and Nat

“Our episodes are usually a little bit outrageous, but after interviewing Alana Carvalho in our exclusive 6-to-Teen Parenting Community, we knew we had to get her on our podcast to discuss the topic of codependency in parenting. So here we are with a more serious – and super informative – episode that we know is going to help so many people. Listen in and get ready for your mind to be blown.”

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28th January 2021

GUEST APPEARANCE on Women In Depth

In this episode of Women In-Depth, Alana Carvalho, LMHC, shares her insights on helping parents recover from patterns of codependency and perfectionism so they can raise empowered children.

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30th December 2020

Episode 23

Codependency & Perfectionism in the Black Community with Ariel Emmanuel & Camille Lester

In this episode, we explore the cultural context of codependency and perfectionism in the Black community with mental health therapists Ariel Emmanuel & Camille Lester.

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9th December 2020

GUEST APPEARANCE on Badass Confidence Coach Podcast

A great discussion about my book with Psychotherapist, Life Coach, and Host Anna Marcolin

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1st December 2020

Episode 22

Codependency, Women & the Holidays with Johannah Bogart

Today we’re talking codependency and perfectionism in women, especially people pleasing with Johannah Bogart! We also dive into the holidays and gives some thoughts on how we can work on people pleasing over the holiday time.

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13th November 2020

Episode 21

Codependency & Relationships with Robert Sullivan

Today Robert and I are discussing relationships based on codependency, how we can make changes to support ourselves and our sense of self-worth.

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6th November 2020

Episode 20

Perfectionism & Body Image with Dani Bryant

Today we’re talking all about body image with Dani Bryant! Especially it’s connection with perfectionism, where this comes from and how we can work on healing it.

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13th August 2020

Episode 19

Codependency & Alcohol with the Discerning Drinker

In this episode, Alana chats with Lindsey Pratt, the Discerning Drinker, discussing out of balance alcohol usage and it’s connection with codependency.

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22nd July 2020

Episode 18

Spirituality, Codependency & Perfectionism

Today we’re talking about spirituality and it’s connection to codependency & perfectionism. Codependency can be thought of as a lack of faith and perfectionism as a lack of trust. Listen to find out more about how to work through these spiritual issues!

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30th June 2020

Episode 17

Parenting Advice with Dr. Sarah Bren

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Bren and I discuss attachment, the good enough parent, attending to your child’s emotions, postpartum anxiety and more!

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16th June 2020

Episode 16

Your Relationship with Your Codependent Parent

In this episode, we’re discussing the issues with your codependent parent. What it looks like, emotions that are often present, and why it’s often dysfunctional.

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8th May 2020

Episode 15

Codependency & Narcissism

In this episode we have 2 special guests: Alana Barlia and Lindsey Pratt! Together we talk about narcissism, personality disorders and codependency, especially common narcissistic traits, relationship patterns, and what to do if you’re in one!

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21st February 2020

Episode 13

Interviews with 2 wonderful parents

Today I interview 2 wonderful parents who have done some great work on their own codependency issues! Listen to them share their story of why they came into the support group and how they worked towards a new relationship with their children.

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17th January 2020

Episode 12

Karpman’s drama triangle

It’s all about Karpman’s drama triangle today! We’re discussing and identifying the different roles codependents take on in relationships.

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8th January 2020

Episode 11

Siblings, Adult and Child

Today we’re discussing codependency with siblings, adult and child! If you have this dynamic with any siblings or are concerned you’re doing this as a parent, this episode is for you!

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11th December 2019

Episode 10

Friendship

Today we’re talking friendship & codependency! In this episode, you will hear some of the ways codependency can show up in a friendship. From putting in more than the other person to not saying no, we cover some big relational issues.

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25th October 2019

Episode 8

Recovery process

We’re talking stages of change in the recovery process today! Learn how it looks and where you may be at. As well as common issues that come up when we’re working on our codependency and perfectionism!

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13th August 2019

Episode 7

Parenting “Sensitive” “Hyperactive”

Today we’re talking about parenting! Especially parenting “sensitive,” “hyperactive” or children with mental health issues. We speak about how not to bring too much fear into your parenting as well as how to separate from codependency in your child’s recovery process. Click here to listen

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13th August 2019

Episode 6

2 Audience Questions

In this episode, I tackle 2 audience questions on whether we can work through our codependency issues when we’re in a relationship and if so, how!? Click here to listen!

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8th July 2019

Episode 5

Codependency In Action

Today is examples day! As requested, we go through 4 different examples of codependency in action at different ages. As always, feel free to e-mail your questions and comments to [email protected]. Thanks! Click here to hear more!

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28th May 2019

Episode 4

Q&A 1

It’s time for Q&A! In this episode, we take some time to answer listeners’ questions regarding codependency in relationships. Please keep the questions coming! You can email them to [email protected]. Click here to listen. Hope you enjoy!

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1st May 2019

Episode 3

Communication

In Episode 3, I tackle communication!! As codependents, we tend to be poor communicators. We may be busy worrying how people will feel about what we say or how they may judge us for what we say (mix of codependency and perfectionism). We may even spend inordinate amount of time thinking about how to say something instead of just being honest. This episode talks about 4 big communication issues with codependency and how we can talk them!

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8th April 2019

Episode 2

Romantic Relationships

Episode 2 of The Codependent Perfectionist is here! Today, Lauren and I explore codependency and perfectionism in relation to both where it comes from and how it can play out in our romantic relationships. We also share some stories and tips on how to identify codependency in a relationship! We have so much more to discuss on these topics too!!

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26th March 2019

Episode 1