Are you enabling or empowering? By Matt Blagys PhD

Matt Blagys, Ph.D. photo

It can be scary and confusing for family members to wonder whether they are helping or hurting the one they love.

 

  • Enabling refers to help offered that perpetuates rather than solves a problem

  • Empowering means giving someone the responsibility and authority to change.

Individuals who habitually enable unhealthy behavior are often referred to as co-dependent. It is a telling word because the enabler’s sense of safety and ‘okayness’ is, in a sense, dependent on his or her ability to feel in control of an uncontrollable situation.

By steppingn in to “solve” the problems of a substance abuser or a person engaging in unhealthy behaviors, the enabler takes away any motivation for the individual to take responsibility for his or her own actions. Without that motivation, there is little reason for the person to change.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering whether you are enabling or empowering your loved one to change:

We believe that treatment shouldn’t only be for the priority family member. Rather than a ‘car wash model’—where an individual client enters treatment, does surface level work, and comes out looking shiny and new— our aim is to get ‘under the hood’ to make deeper and more long lasting changes for the entire family. In addition to the individual struggling with mental health issues and addiction, clients in our IOP and PHP programs receive a separate family therapist to support, educate, and help heal the whole family.

Have feedback for Dr. Blagys, contact him here.

In-Person IOP Groups Starting 2/28

It’s no secret that COVID-19 has greatly impacted everyone. When the pandemic began, Mind Therapy Clinic moved quickly to a virtual platform which has allowed us to provide care to our clients and those from greater distances from the clinic.

We feel it is now safe and feasible to return to live care. We believe live care has many benefits including increased intimacy and connection to Mind Therapy Clinic staff and client peers as well as decreasing the sense of isolation and separation that has characterized the pandemic for so many people. It also provides opportunities for social engagement and offers greater access and accountability.

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New! Equine-Assisted Therapy

Providing equine-assisted therapy to individuals, groups, and families

Horses have been used for therapeutic purposes since the time of the ancient Greeks, and today, equine-assisted therapy is used in a variety of setting with all types of people. As a part of Mind Therapy Clinic program, we are now offering this new experiential therapy.

Christina Nicholson is a lifelong horsewoman and an Equus, life and leadership coach in the Bay Area.

Coming from the corporate world, Christina got into this line of work because she believes in her bones that we each have the power to connect more deeply to ourselves and, in doing so, show up as more compassionate, authentic humans. In a world where we are constantly pulled in different directions and bombarded with distractions, Equus coaching allows clients to walk away from the chaos and fully immerse themselves in the present moment.

Coaching with horses provides an opportunity for clients to get out of their comfort zones and examine default behavior patterns and ways of thinking. This unique experiential learning modality provides a safe container for clients to explore their inner voice and dialogue, their approach to relationships, their leadership style and non-verbal communication. Clients walk away with greater awareness, a stronger sense of self, a deeper understanding of their strengths, and a sense of gratitude for their equine teacher and guide.

Equine-assisted therapy is now available through E-Street House and Mind Therapy Clinic’s intensive outpatient program.

For more information, click here and ask your question.

 

Welcome Betsy Thompson!

We are pleased to welcome Betsy Thompson, LPCC who is a licensed Professional Clinical Counselor.

Betsy has experience providing individual, group, and family therapy to adolescents and adults. Betsy has obtained her undergraduate degree in psychology from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and completed her master’s degree at the University of Denver in Denver, CO. Betsy has worked in various therapeutic settings including residential treatment centers, outpatient private practice, and outpatient clinics.

Betsy has experience working with clients with PTSD, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, change of life issues, social skill struggles, and behavioral concerns. Betsy utilizes an integrative approach with an emphasis on Psychodynamic Theory, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

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7 Signs You Could Benefit from Supportive Housing

Are you in the process of working through issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as illnesses such as obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Is your current living situation getting in the way of your recovery or preventing you from independent living. Here is a quick test to see if you can expedite your recovery by living at a supportive housing.

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Depression & Mental Health Screening Tool

Should You Seek Professional Help?

October observance brings attention to the need for depression awareness and mental health screenings. Not everyone experiences depression in the same way, but it can affect anyone at any time. So, it is important to take steps and seek out professional help and be screened if you or someone you care about feels they may be depressed.

Depression Anxiety Stress Screener

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