Susan Saint-Rossy - The Relationship Therapist: Healing Attachment Wounds Across Cultures

A fascinating journey from corporate management to relationship counseling unfolds as our guest, Susan Saint-Rossy shares her 25-year experience practicing therapy across five countries and working with people from more than 30 cultural backgrounds. Susan's unique global perspective reveals how relationship norms vary dramatically between cultures—from different views on monogamy to sleeping arrangements—challenging our assumptions about what makes relationships "work."

The heart of our conversation explores what couples truly struggle with: not knowing how to create safe, secure bonds. Many arrive at therapy with "communication problems" that manifest as escalating fights, emotional shutdown, or relationships reduced to mere logistics. Susan explains that the core issue is often a lack of understanding about vulnerability and collaboration. She teaches couples to recognize they're essentially "strangers" to each other who need curiosity rather than assumptions to build lasting connection.

We delve into the painful reality of "late bloomers"—individuals reaching their 20s and 30s without experiencing serious relationships due to childhood attachment wounds. The therapist describes how social media exacerbates these struggles by promoting unrealistic relationship models that bear little resemblance to the messy, beautiful reality of connection. Susan's most emphatic advice resonates with striking clarity: "Don't wait." Too many couples postpone therapy until they've spent years without intimacy or locked in conflict patterns, making the healing process unnecessarily difficult. Through her compassionate approach, she helps partners understand that successful relationships aren't about perfect harmony but rather the ongoing cycle of rupture and repair that builds trust over time.