Codependency

There are more common names for it…

“Enablers.”

“People-pleasers.”

You’re here, so you know what they’re talking about.

It’s your drive to “fix” the people in your life – compelled to rescue your partner, siblings, friends, or family from the consequences of their actions.

That’s why you often gravitate toward people with substance issues, immaturity, or mental health conditions.

It’s not a mental illness and has no diagnostic code, but as you know, it’s a problem when you’re always prioritizing others’ needs over your own.

We should talk about where it comes from…

You may have grown up in a dysfunctional household where your emotional needs were neglected, or you watched your role models place an excessive focus on caring for a family member.

This caused you to conflate love with service, leaving you with intense need to be needed.

That’s why you find yourself doing things for others that they’re capable of doing themselves.

You feel compelled to rescue or help the people in your life based on a deeply held fear that not doing so will result in rejection or abandonment.

Deep down, this behavior is rooted in trauma and feelings of low self-esteem.

I’ll help you break free from it.

In therapy, you’ll explore your past traumas, your family history, and the relationship role models that influenced you.

Using elements of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and EMDR, you’ll practice grounding techniques and bodywork, including progressive muscle relaxation, paced breathing, bilateral stimulation, and polyvagal exercises.

We’re targeting your body to get you out of survival mode. That will then free you to start learning new patterns of behavior.

We’ll also do self-esteem-building exercises, including gratitude and positive affirmations.

Your new skills will start a positive feedback loop, and you’ll start to believe that you are a person worth protecting.

You must learn to set and enforce boundaries.

Codependency leaves you feeling completely run over and drained… because you’re constantly doing for others, even when you don’t have the time, energy, or emotional resources to do so.

Through role-play, I’ll teach you how to communicate assertively.

You’ll start to say “no” to requests and discover that guilt is a temporary and tolerable emotion… and a small price to pay for your independence.

Your relationships will begin to be characterized by feelings of love, appreciation, and reciprocity rather than obligation and guilt.

Codependency is a survival skill you learned; fortunately, you can unlearn it and change course.

It’s not too late to change the rest of your life.

The sooner you start the work, the sooner you’ll reap the benefits.

If you’re ready to stop feeling drained and start having meaningful, satisfying relationships, call (202) 753-9836 for a free 15-minute consultation.