Does your upbringing in a household affected by substance abuse continue to cast a shadow over your daily existence? Are you currently grappling with feelings of inadequacy, shame, or isolation? Do you find yourself evading conflict and uncomfortable emotions? Are your relationships lacking fulfillment, plagued by conflict, or characterized by avoidance? Do you feel compelled to rescue individuals whose lives spiral out of control? Lynn specializes in therapy for adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs), guiding individuals to heighten awareness and articulate their emotions, thoughts, and needs.
Lynn empowers clients to honor their distressing emotions and thoughts as signals of unresolved past traumas, fostering insights into entrenched defense mechanisms and facilitating the adoption of new coping strategies. Drawing from over twenty-five years of expertise as a clinical social worker/psychotherapist in mental health and substance abuse, Lynn utilizes a blend of therapeutic approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), insight-oriented therapies, EMDR therapy for adult children of alcoholics, and mindfulness techniques.
What are the Benefits of Therapy for Healing Childhood Trauma?
Therapy offers numerous benefits for addressing the lingering effects of growing up in a substance-affected family, including enhanced self-regulation skills, increased assertiveness, establishment of healthier boundaries, deeper understanding of family-of-origin dysfunction, improved capacity for self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others, bolstered self-esteem, and a heightened ability to connect with emotionally available individuals while maintaining a positive and hopeful outlook on life’s challenges.
If you are looking to identify what is not working in your life, clarify your values and goals, and accept and work through painful feelings, Lynn will support you in making gradual changes towards a life filled with greater happiness, balance, and purpose.
About me:
I am inspired by my clients greater understanding into their struggles and how quickly they see what is working and not working in their lives, the courage to work through painful experiences, and their embrace of healthier coping skills , resulting in greater resilience and happiness in their daily lives.
I enjoy spending time with my husband, family and friends, whether it is talking, walking, biking, canoeing, or sharing a delicious meal.
But I also prioritize “me time” by going swimming, journaling, listening to all types of music, or watching a warm hearted series or movie.
My favorite music is:
“Annie’s Song” by John Denver “Fingertips” by Stevie Wonder
“Defying Gravity” by Stephen Schwartz “Guajira” by Santana
“Sofrito” by Mambisimo Big Band “Concerto de Aranjuez” by Joaquin Rodrigo
“Bruchs Violin Concerto No.1 in G Minor” by Max Bruch
My favorite tv series are:
This is Us
Virgin River
Seinfeld
My favorite quotes are:
“It turns out that trust is in fact earned in the smallest of moments. It is earned not through heroic deeds, or even highly visible actions, but through paying attention, listening, and gestures of genuine care and connection.” Dr. Brene Brown Professor and Social Worker
“We rescue people from their responsibilities. We take care of people’s responsibilities for them. Later we get mad at them for what we’ve done. Then we feel used and sorry for ourselves. That is the pattern, the triangle.” Melody Beattie (self-help author)
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that”. “Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that”. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.
Resources for Adult Children of Alcoholics
-How Do I Fix My Relationship? https://brightspottherapy.com/nurturing-relationships-a-values-based-approach-to-tough-conversations/
-Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families – https://adultchildren.org/resources/
-Healing from the Childhood Trauma of Addiction – https://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/articles/adult-children-of-alcoholics
-Why Timing Matters in EMDR Therapy. – https://brightspottherapy.com/why-timing-matters-in-emdr-therapy/
