Many adult children of alcoholics/ dysfunctional families learned to deny and block painful feelings as a means of survival. But those feelings don't just go away. They continue to affect us as adults and influence our behavior, health, success and ability to be happy. Symptoms may include depression, anger, addictions and pain.
"America's leading growth expert", John Bradshaw, explains how childhood abuse and neglect can have a lasting affect. He also performs interactive healing exercises for tapping into and expressing core feelings as a road to emotional freedom.
Thought his was recorded a while ago it is still powerful and insightful!
Childhood Wounds Seminar
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Music For Stress Relief
Relaxing can sometimes be a challenge for ACAs. Adult children of alcoholics have a higher incidence of anxiety, eating disorders, over-achieving and other forms of compulsive behavior. They may be more susceptible to chronic diseases including depression and heart disease.
Listening to music has been found to increase serotonin levels and reduce heart rates. According to the American Society of Hypertension, listening to half an hour of music each day may significantly lower your blood pressure.
For a limited time, Amazon.com is offering a FREE download of "Music for Massage, Meditation & Yoga". Click the link below for your free MP3 download of this soothing music collection. You can sample and download individual tracks or get the entire thing at once. Includes over an hour of chilled out music featuring Tibetan bowls, flutes and sitars.
This music is great for stress relief, relaxation and finding calm in our sometimes hectic lives. Compatible with all MP3 players.
Click here to sample and download: Music for Massage, Meditation & Yoga
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Need To Relax?
Busy? Stressed? Frantically trying to catch up?
Adult children of alcoholics tend to take on too much responsibility, overwork and put lots of pressure on themselves. Pressure like that can seriously affect your blood pressure, hormone levels, mood and mental health.
You may need to relax. See if you can pass this simple test:
Click here: Relaxation Test
Can you make it to the two minute mark? Good luck!
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
A Real Life Portrait Of Recovery In Group Therapy
Breaking the cycle: Children of alcoholics: MyFoxBOSTON.com
In honor of National Children of Alcoholics Week, "Together We Heal" is being offered as a free e-book download!
This insightful book follows several ACOAs through their group therapy sessions with author Szifra Birke. You may benefit from their breakthroughs and growth and find connections to your own life.
From the book:
"The people in this book began meeting for group therapy after they learned about how alcoholism and codependency continued to impact their lives—years, even decades, after they had left home. Even if you didn’t grow up in an alcoholic home, you will undoubtedly share many common feelings. Dysfunctional family patterns and unresolved issues that we continue into adulthood are not reserved for families of alcoholics only."
The American Group Psychotherapy Association Journal says:
The volume takes the reader on an in-depth voyage through 15 meetings of a typical ACOA (adult children of alcoholics) group, and introduces us to several real-life patients of the therapist Szifra Birke. The book is coauthored by a patient in this group, and the perspective alternates between that of patient to therapist.
Unlike many self-help books in the addictions field, which offer primarily an educational view of the various roles and dilemmas that ACOAs face, this book allows us to see first-hand those roles played out in a group, and also allows us to see the impact of the group process in altering these roles, which are initially rigid and confining. These roles, such as the scapegoat, the mascot, the family hero and others, are described by the patients themselves as they recall their painful family histories in a benign, somewhat structured environment.
Szifra Birke holds a Master’s Degree from Purdue University and a BA in psychology from Boston University. She is a licensed mental health counselor and a licensed marriage and family therapist.
This limited time download offer ends Feb. 20, 2011.
Here is the download link: "Together We Heal" Free Download
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
"No" Is A Complete Sentence
Struggling To Keep Everyone Happy
I heard it said the other day, "'no' is a complete sentence". The point being that you do not have to explain or make others understand why you can't or don't want to do something. Often, codependency dictates that we make it alright and try to soothe disappointed feelings when we cannot live up to others' expectations.
In fact, "emotional vampires" may use our willingness to please to take advantage of us. They seek to have power and control over us. And as soon as we feel the need to explain, they have it. Saying "no" and just "no" can be difficult and stressful for people pleasers. We hate the thought of hurting other people's feelings or letting them down. But true friends will understand and those who don't are not worthy of our friendship.
Adult Children Of Alcoholics may fear the awkward silence after we have just given a negative response and be tempted to fill it with explanations and regrets. But if we just let it be, things will be ok.
Check out the Orange County ACA website at: Orange County Adult Children
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
