Counsellor/Therapist, MA, RCC (Registered Clinical Counsellor)
Growing up in a home with an Alcoholic parent can be an unstable experience. You never know what to expect. If you have experienced chaos in your childhood, dealt with unpredictable mental state of your parent, and witnessed and responded to ongoing unsafe situations, then this will be familiar to you. In an unpredictable home, it can be difficult to trust yourself and your experiences. To survive, and avoid, sometimes you need to bottle up your feelings so much that you forget how to experience emotions. When your needs are ignored, seeking approval from others can result in losing your own identity. Feeling responsible for others can outweigh your own needs and wellbeing.
I have been providing counselling services in the community since 2014. I have supported many people who have a loved one struggling with addiction. I am excited to support you as you heal from some or all of the above experiences. Counselling can also help you set healthier boundaries in relationships and start putting your own needs and safety first.
Many adult children of alcoholics (ACOA):
Carry shame.
Remember how they hid their parent’s addiction.
Experienced an alcoholic parent’s behaviours and reactions.
Have experienced domestic abuse, violence, neglect, and unpredictable behaviours.
Experience worry and anxiety.
Avoid family/events.
Have internalized negative beliefs.
Have never experienced being fully cared for.
Feel a sense worthlessness and resentment.
Take care of an alcoholic parent, putting their own needs last.