She schedules her crying every week. She hasn't processed a single painful experience in her entire life. And her body is keeping score.

Raina is a brand strategist, agency owner, mother of two, and one of the most high-functioning people you'll ever meet. She's also been running on pure survival mode since childhood; dissociating from every emotion that slowed her down and treating the people around her like objects she navigates around instead of humans she connects with.

In this episode, Adam breaks down how quiet disorganized attachment combined with autistic features creates a double-layered wall between someone and every person who's ever tried to love them. He explains why "understanding why someone hurt you" isn't the same as forgiving them; it's actually stripping them of their humanity. And he walks Raina through the exact moment her nervous system learned that love is just a setup for betrayal.

his conversation covers:

Why high-functioning women with chronic dissociation often develop autoimmune disorders by their mid-30s

The difference between short-term dissociation (useful) and lifelong dissociation (destructive)

How your brain processes trauma using left brain logic and right brain emotion; and why it gets stuck

What happens when you remove someone's agency by excusing everything they do

Kohlberg's morality scale and why you should only open up to the top 10%

The "resolve and repair" model for confronting people without rupturing the relationship

Why the people who confused you in your life were probably the ones who loved you most

How 40 collaborative conversations in 90 days can rewire your neural pathways

If you've ever been told you're "cold" when you're actually terrified; this one's for you.

📚 WORK WITH ME

🫂 RELATIONSHIP MASTERY INTENSIVE April 23–26, 2026 | San Diego, California 3 days of real skill-building with people who understand exactly what you're going through. Apply here: https://adamlanesmith.com/retreat/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=retreat

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