• Codependency

    Codependency

    “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
    ~ E. Cummings-Poet

    Codependency in a Nut-Shell

    Do you care so deeply about other people that you have forgotten how to care for yourself?  Have you become so absorbed in caring for other people’s needs and wants that you don’t recognize your own?   If so, you may be codependent.

    Codependency is often established in early childhood.  Often it occurs through parentification, a concept that involves a role-reversal of the parent–child relationship where the child’s needs go unmet.  This happens when the parent’s own developmental needs aren’t met either.  As a result, a cycle of codependency is often created and passed down from one generation to the next. One of the most devastating effects of this unhealthy way of relating is the loss of self.

    Some Common Characteristics

    • Have you lost touch with who you are—your true authentic self?
    • Do you have a persistent need to help others while ignoring yourself?
    • Do you feel compelled to control the circumstances or people around you?
    • Do you feel it is your job to take care of or fix others?
    • Do you insert yourself into other people’s lives and then wonder why your life is so chaotic and out of control?
    • Are you more aware of the wants and needs of others, than your own?
    • Do you have difficulty feeling or trusting your own emotions?
    • Are you the one in the relationship that seems to make all the sacrifices?
    • Do you sometimes feel trapped or stuck in your relationship?
    • Do you struggle with feelings of loneliness, emptiness, guilt or shame?

    If this sounds like you, there is hope.  There is a way out of the chaos and the pain!  Painful wounds can be healed.  You don’t have to remain stuck in unhealthy relationships or patterns of being.  Growth and change are possible!

    The Process of Growth and Change

    Therapy is one of the most effective ways to treat codependency.  It can help you rediscover who you are and lead to a more fulfilling life.

    In therapy we will explore the ways in which you feel obligated to take care of other people.  We will work through painful childhood experiences to develop a solid sense of self.  Through this process you will gain a new perspective of yourself and your life experience.  You will also learn how to:

    • Recognize and listen to your feelings and use them in healthy ways.
    • Identify your wants and needs and learn how to get them met.
    • Grieve your ungrieved losses, hurts and traumas.
    • Set & maintain healthy boundaries and limits.
    • Let go of the things that are outside of your control.
    • Find your voice, connect with yourself and the things that make you uniquely you.
    • Trust your gut feeling (instinct or intuition) when your boundaries are crossed.
    • Care and nurture yourself
    • Embrace your freedom to choose.

    Healing, Growth and Self-Discovery are within your reach.  If you are struggling with codependency, and you are ready to begin your healing journey towards wholeness,  please give me a call.  You don’t need to struggle alone….
    I provide A SAFE PLACE to BE… YOU!