For the family’s and partner’s that we work with, perhaps one of the most difficult challenges is to create and maintain boundaries with a loved one in recovery. So, how do you create and maintain boundaries with a loved one in recovery to ensure that the relationship is strengthened, not fractured further? All too often boundaries are used as a form of punishment rather than as a communication tool or as a way to establish guidelines of acceptable behaviours. This can be because you feel that you are being forced into putting down boundaries that you’re not necessarily aligned with.  May ..read more

In the face of addiction, maintaining healthy eating habits may seem insignificant. The impact of alcohol and other drugs can have a significant effect on an individual’s appetite and ultimately affect their health and well being due lack of nutrients and increased stress on the body. When consuming alcohol and other drugs, appetite is often suppressed, and eating can become a low priority during times of use. WHY IS HEALTHY EATING & NUTRITION SO IMPORTANT? In order for the human brain and body to function normally and efficiently, it needs food. The body needs a variety of foods and nutri ..read more

When clients present with alcohol dependency at The Whitehaven Clinic it’s not uncommon to see that the client initially used alcohol as a way to ease tension or nerves or to help lower inhibitions in social settings. However, as they can often discover, using alcohol to relax and ease anxiety ends up being only momentary and can create a cycle of long-term dependency. It doesn’t help that our Australian culture uses alcohol as a social lubricant.  We’re taught from a young age that alcohol is what we offer people if we’re being “polite”.  In the past, it’s been normal to encourage p ..read more

‘Now that I’m older I can see everyone was my teacher.’ -Mike Tyson Mike Tyson is undoubtedly one of my most favourite redemption stories (type 8). One of the most formidable and feared heavy weight boxing champions of all time now spends every opportunity talking about how he used to be scared inside and that is what made him “un-human”. His wisdom is inspiring because he talks, as a healthy type 8, about the courage it takes to embrace and love every aspect of ourselves. I feel that it’s not by accident that the above quote came into my Facebook feed this morning. Last night, the eve of my ..read more

It took me about 27 years to realise that goal setting was bad for me.  Every New Years Eve I would dutifully put together the most immense set of goals you’ve ever seen.  Then I would break it down into 90-day plans and monthly and weekly and daily plans.  I was the very best at goal setting!  However, I’d then be so disappointed when I only achieved about half of them – which was still about ten times more than the average person did.  But that didn’t matter, my obsessions with goals meant that I had failed.  And that created significant challenges in my life an ..read more

“Get so fixated on what you want, that you drown out any vibration or reverberation that has anything to do with what you do not want” Abraham Hicks As I think about the new year and new habits, I’m also reflecting on what worked well for me last year.  So, when I had a client come into the office asking about journaling and goal setting, I realised that this has been a habit that really has worked well for me over the years … especially when I did it consistently! LOL! Despite my career as a counsellor, it might surprise you to know that I’m not one for languishing in feelings that make ..read more

One of the saddest moments I experienced in recent years was witnessing the heartbreaking impact of the death of my son’s best friend due to accidental overdose.  He had suffered with mental health issues, including anxiety, for several years and had consulted with over 7 psychiatrists by the time of his death.  He died after consuming excessive amounts of prescribed pharmaceutical drugs, and a night out drinking with his friends.  He went to sleep and never woke up. My son’s friend was from a gorgeous loving family.  He had the best private school education and extremely s ..read more

If you think one person can’t change the way we do things, then let me tell you about a client I will call GM.  I met GM during a one-day course that I used to deliver at Hakea, about 7 years ago. During the course, he was attentive and asked heaps of questions.  Afterward, he approached me and told me that he wanted to work with me because he liked my approach.  He added that he had been to “every rehab and every counseling service” throughout his criminal/drug “career” and nothing had quite resonated with him like what I was talking about had.  To be honest I was a little ..read more

At The Whitehaven Clinic we use personality profiling to help identify underlying root cause contributors to addiction.  And a key focus during treatment is relationships and creating and building meaningful connections. For a bit of fun, here’s how we each personality type would match up to Love Languages, a concept put together by Steve Chapman. One: The Reformer Ones are often seen as perfectionists, because of their desire to “get it right”.  That can be both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, they’re always motivated to give 100% to everything they do. On the other hand ..read more

For families, the subject of boundaries is an inevitable topic that will arise when dealing with a loved one in recovery.  However, all too often boundaries are used as a form of punishment rather than as a communication tool or as a way to establish guidelines of acceptable behaviours.  This is because families often feel that they are being forced into putting down boundaries that they’re not necessarily aligned with.  Therefore, defining and creating boundaries can come from a place of resentment and anger, rather than from a place of love and encouraging healthy behaviours ..read more