CHOOSING AN ADDICTION COUNSELOR
My deepest sympathies to the 2 families who suffered such tragedy recently, losing their young sons. Let their deaths inspire the living. It's the least we can do for them.
I've stated many times that rehab should be a last, not first, resort to addiction treatment. Outpatient, one-on-one counseling is best. By meeting with a person over a period of time I can truly impart to them my experience, knowledge and strategies on how I, a fellow addict, stay clean and live a sober life. By living in their regular world while going through recovery we get to learn as we go and test all we learn in real life instead of practicing in theory in a rehab meeting and then being forced to face challenges, virtually alone, when released.
But by what criteria should you choose a private counselor?
1) They must be an addict themselves, no exceptions! No other addict will trust or have confidence in someone who has not had the extremely unique experience of suffering through this horrible issue. Not only should they be an addict, but they should be equal or greater to your own addiction. Their experience through addiction and recovery should exceed your own by far. How else can they help you if they themselves have not been where you're going?
2) Your counselor should come from a similar background. Here in SCV we have good families and good kids. We don't have inner city problems; we're the suburbs!
3) Your counselor should be able to cite many cases to give examples on how they've helped others. These examples should show more than being familiar with program policies, but an ability to be inventive and daring when helping someone, not merely recommending meetings and sponsors.
4) Their explanations and answers should be cogent, cohesive, understandable and fresh, not cryptic or generic. You should feel confident and inspired, safe and comforted after speaking to them. Many programs use fear to convince you.
5) They should have time for you. I return all my calls within a few hours and spend 10-15 (unpaid) hours a week in evenings, weekends, vacations and holidays on the phone with clients in crisis or asking questions.
6) Mature, organized, professional, sense of humor, established... SOBER AT LEAST TEN YEARS!
7) Trust.
8) Experience. The most essential, the hardest to gauge. It's not about documents on the wall or how much time on the job; it's about their story and the battles they fought in the trenches, for themselves and for others.
When considering counseling, keep the highest standard. You can't afford to compromise.
| LIFE-COACH, HYPNOTHERAPY, COUNSELING:
A WINNING COMBINATION
Life is full of options and you should have access to all of them. In the past, when a person felt confused or overwhelmed, they would seek a therapist. This would typically consist of sessions of cognitive therapy (a lot of talking) resulting in some new understanding of the self and a period of change followed by reverting right back to old behavior. A newer and more effective method is hypnotherapy where cognitive work is done and then the mind is sort of rewired to reinforce the new and better behavior at its source: the subconscious. Hypnotherapy is very effective, plain and simple. More and more people are recognizing this every day. The days of “trying” to feel better are over as hypnosis has been de-mystified and revealed for the true science of mind that it actually is. However, to be truly effective hypnotherapy needs to combined with other methods, like coaching and/or counseling.
Life-Coaching assists clients in determining and then achieving personal goals. These goals can be health, profession, relationship, educational, or anything else the client can dream of. A qualified Life Coach acts as a mentor and understands that success in reaching goals is a formula. I provide effective strategies, not merely ideas to my clients.
So what can happen when these two highly effective practices some together? Life-changing and mind-altering success, that’s what.
As a hypnotherapist I have been extensively trained in consciousness and subconscious behavior. As a Life-Coach and state licensed counselor, I draw from a variety of disciplines that include sociology, psychology, mentoring, management, counseling and even western and eastern philosophy. Between the two of them I have built a successful practice. A private practice only succeeds if my clients succeed. By using non-conventional and highly assertive methods, my clients succeed… and so will you.
When seeking the help of a professional, interview them thoroughly and make sure they have the skills and experience you need for permanent change.
Here’s what Hypnotherapy and Life-Coaching can treat for you: depression, anxiety, unwanted habits, health and weight concerns, relationship and sexual enhancement, career choices and goals, motivation, creativity, memory, life direction/purpose and too much more to list here, including conditions that range form sever to mild. If you truly desire change and feel that a better life is possible, it can happen with a winning combination. Your professional's expertise should cover spectrum from everyday self-improvement to crisis and severe issues.
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