Mental Health Struggles & Alcoholism It all began for me in 1997 when I entered a 28-Day Treatment Program for binge/blackout drinking. Soon after, I participated in a Mental Health Day Treatment Program and started therapy at Avalon Sexual Assault Centre. During this time I was misdiagnosed with ADHD, DDNOS and PTSD. Years past as…
Category: My BPD & HPD & Alcoholism
Am I Willing To Trust In God?
Last night during a Nova Scotia based Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Zoom Meeting that I attend on a somewhat regular basis, a member joined us from the UK. It was his first time to this meeting. When he shared, he had a calm knowing about him and radiated a spirituality that inspired me. He rhetorically asked:…
The Distinct Languages of AA, DBT & CPT
I had an Ah-Ha moment last night. I realized that there are the distinct languages of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). August 1st, 2023 – After decades of struggle, I reentered the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous, accepted I am an alcoholic and embraced Step 1. Next, I dove…
Cognitive Processing Therapy – Understanding & Learning – The Life Skill Of Trust
Dreams Currently, I am a recovering alcoholic in a 12-Step Program with over 2 years of sobriety. This past week, I’ve had three separate dreams where I made the choice to drink. Another night this week, I had an awful nightmare where someone was trying to murder me. In the dream, I was terrified and…
Cognitive Processing Therapy – Themes – Safety & Trust & Trust Star
Information provided about Safety & Trust & Trust Star is from the CPT Week 8 Slide Presentation by Susan McDevitt, MSW/RSW – for the CPT 12-Week Group Sessions at Community Mental Health & Addictions (CMHA) Safety Beliefs About Myself Safety Beliefs About Others Trust Beliefs About Myself Self-trust involves the belief that people trust their…
Cognitive Processing Therapy – Levels Of Responsibility
Levels Of Responsibility In understanding trauma, my therapist explains Levels of Responsibility. This information helps me understand how as a child and young teenager, I am not responsible for a tragedy that resulted in a traumatic event for me. How my feelings of guilt as a result of this traumatic event are not a real…
Cognitive Processing Therapy – Thinking Patterns
The Tree of Faulty Core Beliefs My therapist explained The Tree of Faulty Core Beliefs to me. This tree represents the layers of our subconscious that contribute to negative thinking patterns (cognitive distortions) in our lives. The Faulty Core Identity is the “soil” that nourishes the seed of unhealthy beliefs, often formed during early childhood….
Cognitive Processing Therapy: Understanding Stuck Points
As I continue on my 12-week run of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), I am starting to experience its healing results. I wrote: Cognitive Processing Therapy: A Path To Healing From Trauma as an introduction to CPT. Below is a brief overview of CPT by the American Psychiatric Association: Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a structured form of cognitive-behavioral therapy designed to help individuals process and overcome the effects of trauma, particularly in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Overview of CPT CPT is generally delivered…