Are You New To Recovery?
Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) and dysfunctional families brings together a diverse group of recovering individuals. In ACA, you will find individuals from all walks of life who are recovering from abuse, shame and abandonment in all its many forms. If you want to focus on building healthy life patters, Adult Children of Alcoholics counseling in Colorado Springs offers individuals a place to dive deep into their recovery.
If you are new to 12-step or recovery, or if you are a seasoned member, you are welcome to join us for a therapeutic ACA group.
The therapy group will be guided by a therapist who will allow you to dive deeper into your recovery.
The term "adult child" is used to describe adults who grew up in alcoholic or otherwise troubled families and homes. Individuals in the group will also include those who grew up in homes where alcohol and drugs were not present, but abuse, neglect, or other unhealthy behavior were.
If your life feels unmanageable and you're looking for a different way, join us for ACA Group counseling in Colorado Springs.
Do You Identify With Any of These Traits?
The following “Laundry List” refers to the traits of adult children of alcoholics and dysfunctional families. Can you identify with any of these? If so, hope and help is available.
- We became isolated and afraid of people and authority figures.
- We became approval seekers and lost our identity in the process.
- We are frightened by angry people and any personal criticism.
- We either become alcoholics, marry them or both, or find another compulsive personality such as a workaholic to fulfill our sick abandonment needs.
- We live life from the viewpoint of victims and we are attracted by that weakness in our love and friendship relationships.
- We have an overdeveloped sense of responsibility and it is easier for us to be concerned with others rather than ourselves; this enables us not to look too closely at our own faults, etc.
- We get guilt feelings when we stand up for ourselves instead of giving in to others.
- We became addicted to excitement.
- We confuse love and pity and tend to "love" people we can "pity" and "rescue."
- We have "stuffed" our feelings from our traumatic childhoods and have lost the ability to feel or express our feelings because it hurts so much (Denial).
- We judge ourselves harshly and have a very low sense of self-esteem.
- We are dependent personalities who are terrified of abandonment and will do anything to hold on to a relationship in order not to experience painful abandonment feelings, which we received from living with sick people who were never there emotionally for us.
- Alcoholism is a family disease; and we became para-alcoholics and took on the characteristics of that disease even though we did not pick up the drink.
- Para-alcoholics are reactors rather than actors.
The following "ACA Promises" refer to shifts in attitude, perceptions, and purpose as an outcome of engaging in the process.
- We will discover our real identities by loving and accepting ourselves.
- Our self-esteem will increase as we give ourselves approval on a daily basis.
- Fear of authority figures and the need to "people-please" will leave us.
- Our ability to share intimacy will grow inside us.
- As we face our abandonment issues, we will be attracted by strengths and become more tolerant of weaknesses.
- We will enjoy feeling stable, peaceful, and financially secure.
- We will learn how to play and have fun in our lives.
- We will choose to love people who can love and be responsible for themselves.
- Healthy boundaries and limits will become easier for us to set.
- Fears of failure and success will leave us, as we intuitively make healthier choices.
- With help from our ACA support group, we will slowly release our dysfunctional behaviors.
- Gradually, with our Higher Power's help, we will learn to expect the best and get it.
You Are Welcome Here. Come Exactly As You Are.
Adult Children of Alcoholics provides a spiritual path to recovery; it is not a religious organization, nor is it affiliated with any religion. As a Twelve Step organization, each person is encouraged to seek a Higher Power of their own understanding. For some, this may well be the God of their religious background or affiliation, the God of their church, synagogue, or mosque. For others, their Higher Power may simply come to be the supportive energy they feel and appreciate within their ACA group meeting.
For more information or a complimentary 20 minute phone consultation, contact us at (719) 235-5325. We can also be reached atmovingforward@hedmancounseling.com
In order to fit the largest number of interested participants, date and time has not yet been determined.