Home > News > Counselor's Corner: The Heavy Lifting: Helping Clients Develop Healthy Relationships in Recovery
Relationships are one of the main causes of relapse (Daley & Douaihy, 2015); thus, an essential part of recovery is helping clients develop healthy relationships. One definition of a substance use disorder is “a relationship with a chemical (drug) that serves as a substitute for true human intimacy.” (Sanders, 2019). Once clients learn to develop healthy relationships in recovery, they no longer need chemicals the same way they needed them in the past.
Some strategies counselors can share with clients working to develop healthy marriages or other relationships in recovery include:
Many clients benefit from counselor patience and non-judgement as they learn to develop healthy relationships in recovery. The transition from the all-consuming preoccupation with drug use to a new focus on healthy relationships and friendships is the heavy lifting in recovery. Clients will need steady support from a counselor as they learn to build the strength, insights, self-compassion, and resilience required for this heavy lifting.
REFERENCES
Daley, D. & Douaihy, A., Relapse Prevention Counseling: Clinical Strategies to Guide Addiction Recovery and Reduce Relapse (2015). Pesi Publishing. Eau Claire, WI.
Sanders, M. Helping Clients Develop Healthy Relationships in Recovery. (2019). Winds of Change. Chicago, IL.
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