| There is an epidemic in society today of people who | | | | follows the natural healing process of a client's |
| are taking anti-depressants and anti-anxiety | | | | unconscious mind, that healing process will guide the |
| medications to survive their emotional and | | | | client back to peace and happiness, much like the |
| psychological pain. Doctors, psychologists, and | | | | natural process of grief.Clients in emotional pain need |
| psychotherapists regularly recommend long-term | | | | to hear from compassionate, experienced |
| medication to deal with depression, anxiety, and | | | | professionals that with patience and persistence it is |
| dysfunctional family issues, usually with the best of | | | | absolutely possible to heal emotionally. People suffering |
| intentions, simply because they are not familiar with the | | | | pain also need to be given clear guidance and direction |
| emotional healing process.As we begin the twenty-first | | | | about what they can expect to experience on their |
| century, psychology as a whole has reached the point | | | | emotional healing journey. Emotional healing is not |
| of being able to diagnose a client's problem and | | | | always an easy road, but when a person overcomes |
| recommend appropriate medications, but it hasn't yet | | | | the pain and creates a happy, fulfilling life, it is |
| agreed on any definitive process for helping clients | | | | extremely rewarding!I am not suggesting, of course, |
| actually overcome their issues. Therefore many skilled | | | | that professionals should never recommend |
| psychotherapists are still recommending psychotropic | | | | psychotropic medication. Clearly there are times when |
| medication and teaching people coping skills for how to | | | | medication is necessary. I like to think of psychotropic |
| live with what is currently assumed to be their life-long | | | | medication as a short-term help for clients who are |
| psychological issues, rather than giving their clients the | | | | suicidal or in severe crisis when used along with |
| tools they need to overcome those issues.Since | | | | counseling or psychotherapy, while the client is learning |
| information about the emotional healing process has | | | | the important skills needed for living without it. The |
| not yet been researched and documented, many | | | | problem with prescribing medication on a long-term |
| clients are not told about the possibility of overcoming | | | | basis is that anti-depressants have only been available |
| their emotional issues and living healthy, functioning lives. | | | | for the past twenty years and anti-anxiety medications |
| I find it very unfortunate that with all the knowledge | | | | only a few years more. We have not yet had time to |
| and skills we have accumulated, many clients in | | | | research the long-term effect of these medications on |
| every-day counseling situations are still not given clear | | | | our physical health.I believe that although |
| direction for how to get from their painful, survival | | | | anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications are |
| existence to a happy, functioning life.Emotional healing, | | | | often a necessary tool to meet short-term |
| a natural process, occurs spontaneously when a | | | | psychological needs, taking high doses of medication to |
| person feels safe and supported in an open, healing | | | | numb emotional pain on a long-term basis will never |
| environment. The doors that have been locked in a | | | | bring a person to that experience of inner peace, joy |
| person's unconscious mind will open naturally and easily | | | | and fulfillment that they are seeking. Only a holistic |
| when he or she experiences the authentic compassion | | | | approach that includes body, mind, and spirit will |
| of an experienced professional. If a professional | | | | accomplish that goal. |