Addiction

Addictions of all types have in common an underlying sense of feeling out of control which is manifested in an inability to stop the compulsive behavior. Some addictions can become life threatening such as drugs, alcohol and over/under eating, while others may have legal or social consequences such as addiction to sex, spending, or gambling.

Coping with an addiction can feel overwhelming and hopeless. Having a safe place to talk about the difficult feelings that often arise when one wants to stop a certain behavior can be very helpful. In addition to sharing your unique difficulties with a therapist you will be given guidance and support as you transition from using habitual destructive coping mechanisms to productive, positive ways of living.

Adult Child of an Alcoholic (ACA)

If you grew up in a home with an alcoholic or drug addict, you may experience some of the following symptoms: you feel frightened by authority figures, you seek other's approval, you see yourself as a victim, you find it easier to consider what others want rather than what you want, you judge yourself harshly. Research shows that “telling your story” and being able to make sense of your childhood can have a healing and therapeutic effect.  Understanding what happened and how it affected you is an important part of healing and recovery. Please also visit  www.adultchildren.org for more information.

Codependency

Co-dependency is a learned behavior that interferes with the ability to have healthy relationships. Some co-dependent behaviors include doing for others what they should do for themselves, feeling overly responsible, having difficulty identifying feelings, being overly dependent on relationships, having an excessive need for approval, difficulty trusting oneself and others, needing to control others and fear of being alone.

Part of the recovery process for co-dependency is to grieve childhood traumas and losses and to understand the origins of the behaviors that cause problems. Another part of healing is to work with the therapist on a relational level. This means bringing up any negative or positive feelings towards the therapist and experiencing a response from the therapist that is different from the responses received within the family. Changing negative thoughts, increasing self-esteem and self-confidence, and for some, finding a spiritual practice are all important parts of recovery for co-dependency.