Communication is complex and when it breaks down we often feel emotional distress and overwhelm. Whether it's about boundary setting, identifying feelings, or resolving conflict, learning a handful of communication tools can make a huge difference.
Feel like you're caught in a hamster wheel, or maybe "Groundhog Day"? Let's talk about it and see if we can't uncover the root of the struggle and equip you to get off the wheel.
Sometimes recovery is realistically about learning practical tools to manage the symptoms you are experiencing related to anxiety, depression, PTSD, neurodivergence, low self-esteem, or substance misuse. Tools you can use in the moment can help you feel empowered and even life-changing.
Substance misuse, and/or addictive behaviours, do not happen in a vacuum. Therapy can help you sort out why you may return to old ways of coping despite your desire to change. Research has taught us that addiction is a bio-psycho-social-spiritual issue and that approaching it in a holistic way supports the best possible outcomes. I have been actively engaged in learning about and treating addiction for over 35 years, including specialized training England, working as an addictions counsellor for several years, and most recently, four years of intensive research during my master’s degree in clinical social work. You are more than your behaviour ,and therapy should therefore focus on more than just behaviour.
Research has taught us that when trauma is not healed, specific experiences (related to the senses that were activated during the traumatic event), may get reactivated. When our brain continues to function in a state of hyper/hypo-vigilance (fight, flight, freeze, or fawn) we may not feel physically or emotionally safe, and therefore, may struggle to have a sense of inner well-being. Truama-informed approaches to therapy should always include: trust, safety, choice, and empowerment. You should always feel like you have control during your therapy experience.
Whether it's a happy change or a difficult one, good stress is still stress for the nervous system. Adjusting to changes in our health, marital status, parenting stages, new boundaries, moves, and job or school changes, can all overload the nervous system. An unbiased neutral and supportive ear can make the transition less stressful.
Work through the effects of trauma and learn how to manage symptoms of PTSD.
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