The following are guidelines to finding a sponsor, therapist or counselor who will usually tend to be helpful rather than harmful. The person will tend to have or be: 1} Demonstrable training and experience. For example, a clinician or therapist has training and experience in helping people to grow mentally, emotionally and spiritually, as well as being effective in helping with specific problems or conditions, such as being an ACoA or an "AC" {Adult Child of a troubled family}. 2} Not dogmatic, rigid or judgmental. 3} No promises of quick fixes or answers. 4} While you sense that they genuinely respect you as a human being and your recovery and growth, they are firm enough to push you to do your own work of recovery. 5} Provide some of your needs {listening, mirroring, echoing, safety, respect, understanding and accepting your feelings} during the therapy session. 6} Encourage and help you learn to find ways outside the therapy session to get your needs met in a healthy way. 7} They are well progressed in healing their own Child Within. 8} They do not use you to get their needs met {this may be difficult to detect}. 9} You feel safe and relatively comfortable with them.
( Charles L. Whitfield )
[ Healing the Child Within: ]
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