20 Feb How To Identify If Someone Has an Addiction Dr. Gerald May wrote a book called Addiction and Grace. I must have read this book about 5 times over the past five years and it wasn't until the last time I read it that something very profound hit me. There is a question toward the end of the book right in the middle of a paragraph that I never realized before that asks about how to measure a person's level of addiction. It goes like this, very simple and straight forward: "Imagine your life without the thing you are addicted to." Now what
Dr. Gerald May wrote a book called Addiction and Grace. I must have read this book about 5 times over the past five years and it wasn't until the last time I read it that something very profound hit me. There is a question toward the end of the book right in the middle of a paragraph that I never realized before that asks about how to measure a person's level of addiction. It goes like this, very simple and straight forward: "Imagine your life without the thing you are addicted to." Now what
07 Feb How Addicts and Codependents End up in Relationships Codependents and addicts frequently find themselves in relationship with each other. The addict is not responsible for his life, and so the codependent takes over this area of the addicts life. When this happens the codependent is fulfilling their need to be needed. It's a classic dance. I was working in a rehab facility years ago and asked an addict once how they get access to their drugs without money or having a job. They said it was easy, just find a girl who needs to be loved, make her
Codependents and addicts frequently find themselves in relationship with each other. The addict is not responsible for his life, and so the codependent takes over this area of the addicts life. When this happens the codependent is fulfilling their need to be needed. It's a classic dance. I was working in a rehab facility years ago and asked an addict once how they get access to their drugs without money or having a job. They said it was easy, just find a girl who needs to be loved, make her
03 Jan Why Addiction Counseling Is Difficult Not all counselors work with addictions. Over the years I have often pondered as to the reason why and and at times will ask. I get the same response almost every time, “it's too difficult to get positive results with this type of client, so I refer them out.” That's fine, I'll take them, because I know a thing or two that gets movement. I was fortunate to be mentored early on in my career from a couple of rock star level addictions counselors. For starters, I learned that if you can counsel
Not all counselors work with addictions. Over the years I have often pondered as to the reason why and and at times will ask. I get the same response almost every time, “it's too difficult to get positive results with this type of client, so I refer them out.” That's fine, I'll take them, because I know a thing or two that gets movement. I was fortunate to be mentored early on in my career from a couple of rock star level addictions counselors. For starters, I learned that if you can counsel