PTSD Counseling & Relapse Prevention – Emotional Freedom Technique Can Help!
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects millions of Americans who are struggling to gain or retain sobriety. According to Bessel van Der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score in an article in the June 2019 Psychotherapy magazine: 1 in 8 American children are victims of maltreatment and half of all the children in the world are exposed to extreme violence. “Approximately one-third to one-half of severely traumatized people develop substance abuse problems.”
It makes sense to me that those that have gone through trauma are seeking comfort, relief, or escape from emotional or physical pain. What’s handier than alcohol, drugs, TV, video games, sex? No judgment zone here. The problem is relief is temporary.
I assume when someone comes to see me to see for an addictive problem that it’s likely they have experienced some type of abuse or struggle with anxiety or depression. There may have been parents fighting, parents addictive struggles, divorce, even violence.
Post traumatic stress means that the upset caused by the original event is lingering and affecting a person’s ability to be happy, healthy and have good, secure relationships and of course can affect choices about alcohol and drugs.
Traumatic Stress and addiction go hand in hand. Pain seeks relief and relief can come in many forms; alcohol, pot, vicodin, sex. You name it, people have used it to distract themselves from pain or to cope with it. PTSD counseling can help, you are not alone.
Post traumatic Stress Disorder was first named after Vietnam veterans came home traumatized from war. Later, the psychology profession realized our clients were demonstrating many of the same symptoms: anger, not sleeping well, fighting with spouses, depression, anxiety and inability to function well in life.
One technique I use with PTSD counseling clients and teach them how to use for themselves is Emotional Freedom Technique.
Here’s how Emotional Freedom Technique might help you:
If you struggle with staying sober, if you keep relapsing after regular amounts of time – 90 days, or a year or if you have particular triggers, say, fights with a spouse that give you a good excuse to get drunk, overreacting to anger or pain, or stress or anxiety that fuel cravings then seriously consider learning Emotional Freedom Technique.
Emotional Freedom Technique is easy to learn and very effective to release anxiety, stress or upset. As an addiction counselor I’ve used EFT for over 15 years with my clients on everything from childhood trauma to car accidents, to snake phobias, to driving phobias to simple anxiety or migraine headaches.
One client reduced migraines from over 20 a month to less than 5. EFT was developed by Gary Craig, an engineer. He simplified an older process called Thought Field Therapy. As an addiction counselor I LOVE that once learned I can send clients out the door with the instructions on how to use EFT and they can practice on real life situations that push their buttons.
What that means is say you’re about to pick up the kids from your ex and you’re feeling anxious – you can spend a few minutes tapping to relieve anxiety. Or, let’s come back to relapse – you’re having a craving so you spend 5 minutes tapping and bring the craving down from a 9 or 10 to a 3 or 4. Having an easy to use tool makes relapse less likely, but…of course, you have to use it.
For more on Emotional Freedom Technique check out www.emofree.com or my book: Intentional JOY: How to Turn Stress, Fear & Anxiety or call me for a FREE 15 minute Consult to see if EFT is right for what’s bothering you.
Call 209-505-2675 NOW for a free phone consultation and feel better soon!
Over the past 20 years, I’ve worked with people from throughout the Central Valley. This includes from Modesto to Oakdale, Empire, Ceres, Turlock, Hughson, Livingston and Merced as well as Escalon, Ripon, Manteca, Stockton, Tracy, Lodi.
Are You Ready for a Positive Change in Your Life? Call Me Today at 209-505-2675 or email me at lynntelfordsahl@gmail.com. We’ll set up your free phone consultation ASAP so you can start feeling better soon!