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Theresa A. Eschmann LPC, NCC, MAC, CCDP-D, SAP
2 Convenient offices to serve you better:
Advanced Psychiatric Services
807 Collins
Festus, MO 63028
636-931-4206
and Psych Care Consultants
Theresa A. Eschmann LPC, MAC, SAP, NCC, CCDP-D
5000 Cedar Plaza
Suite 350
St. Louis MO 63128
314-843-4333
Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 8:30-5:00
Vision
To see that individuals who suffer from alcohol, addiction and mental illness receive excellent treatment that promotes dignity, respect, encouragement and recovery. And, to see that family members are given the support, education, coping skills, and treatment needed to facilitate their healing and recovery.
Mission
- To provide excellent counseling services and education, to individuals suffering from alcoholism, addiction and/or mental illness.
- To honor client’s rights and provide the best evidence-based counseling and theory-based practices possible.
- To provide compassion, hope and treatment for family members whose loved one suffers from mental illness, alcoholism / addiction.
- To advocate for family members so they receive needed treatment, education and recovery.
The Language of Letting Go
Click to order
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A Critical Point - Abstinence and the Family |
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Denial is at the core of addiction/ alcoholism, and is also at the core of each family member living in that environment. Often you’ll hear the family say “if he or she would just stop drinking or using everything would be fine but what the family members do not realizes is that there is a whole process of change that must take place for both the addict and the family when abstinence begins. This is the beginning of a very traumatic time for all involve. The addict and family now faces the challenge and crises of breaking down all developed destructive behaviors, feelings and thinking associated with the alcoholic/ drug environment. The addict and family must go through a process of change, an undoing of destructive behaviors and feelings that may have taken years to develop if true recovery is to be obtained.
This concept can be hard for family member to except and understand. The focus for years has been on the addict and keeping the family together, surviving unpredictable chaos loneness, shame and guilt. Many times you will heard family members say why should I start recovery or change, I am not the one making the mess or using. This is the denial that needs broken down just as the addict needs to break down the denial of their addiction. .By learning to cope the best way they can the family members develop behaviors that become chaotic and dysfunctional ,these coping behaviors can now destroy the very thing that is needed in each family member , the process of change and recovery.
Family member need to understand that addiction is a disease and that the addict will need to focus on themselves and their recovery. This behavior can cause the family members to feel even more abandonment. But it is the perfect time for family member to start their own process of healing. This is the time the family must shift the focus off the addict and onto themselves. This is time to become educated on the family illness and its effect on the family. This is a time to learn about the process of recovery.
Some recommendation on where to start, read, The Family Recovery Guide by Stephanie Brown, Ph,D and Virginia M. Lewis, Ph.D,, with Anddrew Liotts. Attend Al-anon meetings/Ala-teen, go to an open AA /NA meetings to gain insight and understand of the disease. Seek Professional help . |
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