Counseling can play an integral part for someone recovering from substance use disorder. However, many counselors will tell you that a treatment plan should include more than just going to counseling once a week. Counseling can be a great resource for people in recovery because the counselors are an objective third party for the addict or alcoholic.
“We’re really opening the portal of inner dialogue,” said Lindsey Stanley, a co-owner of Prime Counseling. “We help people with addictions normalize and identify thoughts that are part of being a human.”
That normalization takes a lot of work. With addiction, it is not enough to just tell someone about your feelings. You actually have to do work to stay sober. What helps most people is doing work that challenges you while having faith.
But for an alcoholic or addict, just going to church once a week or talking to a counselor is not enough.
Lindsey works with people seeking recovery from alcohol use disorders, substance use disorders, and sexual addiction. She takes a collaborative and transparent approach to care.
Generally though, someone who is in active addiction has a problem with inner dialogue and they focus more on external factors.
The goal is to help clients recognize their thoughts. Often this is something addicts and alcoholics do not do well.
“Our thoughts are something you should notice but they are not who you are,” Lindsey said.
Chris Shanks, a counselor in Austin who helped Renewal Lodge launch its mindfulness training, said that this fundamental knowledge of not being your thoughts is transformative.
The nature of the mind is that it can make you feel emotions even if they are not true. The brain at rest creates tens of thousands of thoughts and often brings an illusion to our thinking.
“We really help you swap negative narratives with a positive narrative about yourself,” Chris said.
Chris said that with so many thoughts, often his clients and others get lost in thinking that they are their thoughts.
“But we are the listener,” he said.
Renewal Lodge serves people who struggle with addiction, co-occurring disorders, and find themselves ready to accept help. Our specialists focus on meditation and holistic practices to help build a better recovery for you. We include your family and meet you where you are emotionally and spiritually to support your journey of healing.
