Addictions - Including Substances, Phobias Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)

Addictions - Including Substances, Phobias

While some people can use prescription or recreational drugs with no negative effects, many others become addicted and face dramatic health and lifestyle problems as a result. Substance addictions negatively affect relationships, home, school or work, leaving the person feeling ashamed, helpless and isolated.

Physical symptoms of substance abuse and addiction are varied depending on the drug of choice, but the symptoms of the addiction itself are similar. People who are addicted to substances may neglect their responsibilities, take potentially dangerous risks and get into trouble with the law. As their drug use spirals out of control, they will lose interest in activities that used to be enjoyable and continue to take drugs despite knowing the harm it causes.

Substance addicts tend to build up a tolerance to their drug of choice, and get angry when they can't get more of it. Withdrawal symptoms are highly probable when an addict goes without it for too long. Depression, nausea, insomnia, sweating, restlessness, anxiety and shaking are all common withdrawal symptoms.

Psychotherapy can help you to overcome substance addiction by focusing on correcting maladaptive behaviors. Substance abuse is usually a coping mechanism against emotionally overwhelming past events or memories. Substances are often used to provide instant gratification instead of facing certain issues.

Therapists are equipped to help clients deal with addiction recovery through empowerment and helping them set simple short term targets. The first target is sobriety, followed by empowering the client with adaptive skills and finding new coping strategies that deal with the issues that caused the addiction. Substance addiction can be ended, allowing the person to live a healthy, productive life.

If you need a counsellor or psychologist to help you address the effects of substance addiction, you can search the directory below to find a professional with the approach best suited to your situation.

Phobias are classified as irrational fears that impede on normal daily life. While everyone has one or two irrational fears, they are minor. However, if irrational fears become so intense that they cause extreme anxiety that interferes with normal life, it is time to get therapy to help overcome these fears.

The most important thing people should understand is that phobias can be controlled and even cured. Between self-help strategies and professional phobia therapy, anyone can overcome irrational fears and start to live a life of freedom from phobias.

Phobias can interfere with life when you are forced to face them on a regular basis. People with phobias are generally afraid of things that pose little to no real danger at all. People with phobias generally fear heights, clowns, flying, driving, insects, small spaces, wide open spaces or needles.However, phobias are not limited to this, but to anything about which the fear is highly exaggerated.

While phobias are usually developed during childhood, adults may also develop new phobias. People will go to extreme lengths to avoid exposure to whatever they are phobic about.

The good news is that phobias are easily treated using a range of therapies. Cognitive behavioural therapy can help a person recognize their phobias and find different ways to react to their exposure to the things they fear. Desensitization therapy helps a person to learn how to manage being exposed to what they fear in a safe environment. A therapist will help the person understand that their fears are unfounded and as such, manage and eventually cure the phobia.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers phobias and related issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT)

Emotionally focused therapy (EFT) has helped couples and family members to treat distressed relationships, depression and a range of other emotional difficulties. It is one of the most common treatments used in private counselling and psychologist practices, training centres and hospital clinics around the world.

The main goal of Emotionally focused therapy is to create a secure bond between romantic partners and to reorganize and expand critical emotional responses. It helps to improve communication between partners, which is more beneficial to the relationship. EFT is a practical therapy that has been used successfully in relationships and marriages for many years, due to the fact that it creates a spirit of respect and harmony.

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy generally only lasts between six to twenty sessions and has been shown effective in 90% of relationships.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Note:  Some practitioners practice Emotion Focused Therapy rather than Emotionally Focused therapy.  You will want to confirm that it is indeed Emotionally Focused Therapy that the counsellor/psychologist practices.

Note: You may narrow your search by selecting more than one filter below.

Eileen Peterson

M.S.W., RCSW
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