Licensed Co-dependency Counseling

You Can Care For Others Without Having To Take Care of Them

Co-dependency often develops as a way of dealing with dysfunction in an alcoholic, addictive or closed family system. The individual pretends everything is fine, when in reality life is anything but fine! Co-dependents struggle to deal with their own anxiety so they attempt to control others behaviors to not have to deal with their own issues.  These may include having difficulty saying what you want, or letting someone know you are not okay with what they are asking you to do. Anxiety is caused by being more concerned about what others think you should do, or what they believe is the right thing to do.  Co-dependents live in a state of fear and worry. You may devalue your true self.  You may believe that love, acceptance, security, success and closeness are based on the premise of you doing the right thing.  This thinking often results in you taking care of others needs before, or in place of your own needs.  You may believe having your own needs and acting on fulfilling these needs makes you selfish. Selfishness is not necessarily a bad thing. Licensed co-dependency counseling teaches you that honoring your needs is taking care of yourself.  If we are more worried about others needs this behavior results in selflessness, which is defined as believing you are less than a self. 

Typical Characteristics of Co-Dependents:

·         Assuming responsibility for others feelings and behaviors

·         Feeling overly responsible for others feelings

·         Difficulty identifying how you are feeling

·         Difficulty forming and maintaining close relationships

·         Afraid of being hurt or rejected by others, so you won’t get too close

·         Perfectionistic, overly critical of self, place unrealistic expectations on self

·         Difficulty making decisions

·         Minimize, alter or deny the truth of how you feel

I believe licensed co-dependency counseling can help you take care of your needs as well as balance your time to be there for others, with limits. Come in if co-dependency plays a role in your life.  I look forward to supporting you in balancing your self-care, loving yourself as well as being there for others; only you get to make the rules on when you are available. I look forward to supporting your licensed co-dependency counseling journey in making “Your Self” a loving, priority in your life!