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Emotional Processing Therapy

Emotional processing is a key part of the therapy program at Alpine Recovery Lodge. With the help of a licensed emotional processor, patients are led to discover and identify negative belief patterns that they have developed and reinforced.

Our perception is colored by our beliefs. These beliefs might be the result of experiences and determinations made early in life. They may not actually be valid or helpful. As we grow, we sometimes continue using these belief-motivated behavior patterns even when they are not effective. These behavior patterns can contribute to addiction.

 

What is trauma?

At some stage in our lives, we all experience trauma. Whether it’s the difficult end of a relationship, a death, or a life-threatening event, a trauma requires us to address the life-altering circumstances and move forward. How we grieve and adjust to our traumas plays a major role in our long-term mental health.

The period of adjustment involves a phenomenon known as emotional processing. Emotional processing refers to a concept that emerged in the late 20th century that describes the ways the human brain adapts to extreme stressors and complicated emotions.

Emotional processing is becoming increasingly prominent in treating and supporting people with PTSD. However, the emotional processing technique has been successfully employed for a variety of people struggling with emotional disorders that have not been recognized or addressed. For people battling addiction, this intervention can put their experience in an entirely new perspective.

 

What is Emotional Processing?

We all face stress and difficulties that make us unsettled. The majority of these challenges won’t linger in our consciousness, and they don’t necessarily affect how we live our lives. Sometimes, we forget them entirely.

But there are some stressors that linger in our minds for a long time. When we fixate on some issues without processing them effectively, they can become problematic and persist as negative thinking. Negative thinking can cause us to make unhealthy decisions to alleviate the pain the memory of the experience causes. Our minds and bodies are highly adaptable, but we still have limits. This is how emotional processing comes into play.

As we change our perceptions of the past, we can become more emotionally honest and discard patterns of thinking and behavior that may be unproductive and may have inhibited healing of the mind and emotions.

 

Does trauma influence addiction?

We are all unique, and we all respond to trauma differently. Some people have a high threshold for stress, while others are affected deeply. We might think that we should be able to brush off certain indignities, transgressions, or anxieties, but if we’re carrying unresolved, problematic emotions for months or years, it can affect our behaviors. Self-medicating is often a sign of experiencing unresolved traumas.

At Alpine Recovery Lodge, we’ve found that if substance abuse traumas are left untreated, they inhibit patient growth or progress. To achieve lasting, positive change, patients must undergo emotional processing.

Alpine Lodge is a safe place where residents can work through their emotions in an environment free of judgment. When patients finally begin to deal with the underlying emotional issues at the heart of their addiction disorder, life-transforming breakthroughs are achieved.

Call us today to learn more.
877-415-4060