Counselors, coaches and sober companions help hundreds of thousands of people affected by Addictions and Mental Health issues each year. Learn about the current research and practical counseling tools to improve your skills and provide the best possible services. Counselor Toolbox targets counselors, coaches and companions, but can also provide useful counseling self-help tools for persons struggling with these issues and their loved ones. AllCEUs is an approved counseling continuing educati ...
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1065-How Attachment Trauma Leads to CoDependency & Personality Disorders
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1:27:1800:00:00 - Trauma and Personality Disorders00:05:12 - Caregivers and Inconsistency00:10:31 - The Effects of Disregulated Stress Response System00:15:59 - Anxious Attachment Styles00:21:29 - The Impact of Chaos on the Family Unit00:26:53 - Fear of Emotional Intimacy00:32:12 - The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences00:37:35 - Attachment and Trust…
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1064-Uncovering the Power of Total Family Intervention
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1:01:05Chapters:00:00:00 - Overview of Total Family Intervention00:02:18 - Empathy and Interventions for Mental Health Issues00:04:44 - The Importance of Interventions for Mental Health00:06:52 - The Importance of Interventionists with Adequate Training00:09:09 - Effects of Addiction on Family Dynamics00:11:27 - Involving the Whole Family in Interventions…
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1063-You did what? Avoiding Common Ethical Violations in Counseling
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21:56Chapters:00:00:00 - Applying ethical principles to common violations00:00:57 - The Four Pillars of Ethical Mental Health Services00:01:51 - Ethical Decision-Making Process00:02:45 - Ethical dilemmas in counseling: Sexual relationships with clients00:03:35 - Dating Clients and Unchecked Feelings00:04:45 - The Four Windows of Awareness00:05:31 - Boun…
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1062-Unveiling Counseling Ethics: Setting Boundaries & Avoiding Abandonment
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1:02:12Chapters:00:00:00 - Boundary Extensions00:03:01 - Attending Clients' Formal Ceremonies00:06:00 - Navigating Dual Relationships in Therapy00:09:17 - Providing Support in Difficult Situations00:12:16 - Setting Healthy Boundaries with Clients00:15:15 - Ensuring Continuity of Counseling Services00:18:23 - Safety Issues with Home Visits00:21:18 - Ensuri…
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1061-Exposing Enabling Behaviors and 20 Tips for Providing Healthy Support
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1:14:32
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1:14:32Chapters:00:00:00 - Supporting the Person Without Enabling00:03:29 - Enabling Behavior in Caregivers00:06:58 - Coping with Chaos in Family Environments00:10:35 - Enabling and Resistance00:14:34 - Enabling Behavior and Attachment Trauma00:18:14 - The Progression of Addiction and Enabling Behaviors00:21:52 - The Role of the Enabler00:25:27 - Enabling…
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1060-How Stress Alters Hormones, Neurotransmitters & Mental Health
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2:54:34I. Introduction to Stress and Its Impact Stress affects the body's hormonal and neurotransmitter systems. Chronic stress can lead to significant mental health challenges. II. Hormonal Responses to Stress Cortisol: Known as the "stress hormone," it increases in response to stress. Elevated cortisol levels can impair memory and cognitive functions. …
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1059-Overcoming the scars of ACEs and parental alienation
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44:17Parental Alienation Defined Parental alienation is not abandonment or protecting a child from abuse; it is a form of psychological abuse. It involves a deliberate campaign of denigration, brainwashing, and manipulation of the child to reject the other parent. Alienating Behaviors Alienation occurs when one parent actively manipulates a child agains…
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1058-Overcoming Defensiveness_ The Key to Active Listening
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1:01:06What is Defensiveness? Defensiveness occurs when individuals feel emotionally or psychologically unsafe, leading them to put up barriers in communication. It can manifest as fight (verbal aggression) or flight (withdrawing and shutting down). Defensiveness often indicates past experiences of betrayal, disrespect, or invalidation that leave people o…
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1057-A Trauma Informed Approach to Creating Safety
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1:09:52Understanding Psychodynamics and Safety The presentation begins with a focus on psychodynamics, particularly how early experiences of trauma impact one’s sense of safety. Trauma can manifest in emotional, physical, and cognitive symptoms that disrupt everyday life, relationships, and well-being. Effects of Trauma on Health Trauma increases inflamma…
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1056-ACEs Childhood Trauma's Lifelong Effects
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26:50Types of Trauma in Childhood Childhood trauma can be intentional (abuse, neglect) or unintentional (caregivers unable to meet the child's needs due to issues like depression or addiction). Trauma affects children physically, emotionally, cognitively, and relationally, causing a sense of insecurity and powerlessness. Physical and Emotional Trauma Ph…
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1055-20 Essential Mindfulness Tools in My Arsenal to Defeat Anxiety
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43:46Introduction to Anxiety Relief Strategies Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes presents 20 strategies to help alleviate anxiety, focusing on individualized approaches based on intake assessments. It's important to address anxiety before it reaches a crisis point, as early intervention can prevent escalation. Understanding Anxiety Triggers Anxiety triggers can ste…
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1054-Demystifying Trauma Responses 12 Signs of PTSD You May Not Know
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32:04Trauma vs. Traumatic Injury Trauma is an event that causes a sense of helplessness and horror. Traumatic injury refers to the physical, emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal effects of trauma. Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD or complex PTSD (CPTSD). Symptoms Often Misdiagnosed Conditions like ADHD, anxiety, and addiction are oft…
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1053-Revolutionizing Opioid and Trauma Treatment with Neurostimulation
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58:32Introduction to Neurostimulation in Recovery Neurostimulation techniques, like vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), have been researched for their role in treating neurological diseases, including addiction and trauma-related disorders. Dr. Navid Kodaparash shares his insights into how neuroplasticity, triggered through VNS, helps the brain recover and a…
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1052-Expert tips for setting and maintaining boundaries in relationships
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29:47Defining Boundaries Boundaries are behaviors that communicate what we will and will not tolerate from others. Think of boundaries as a door to your safe space that you control—deciding whom to let in or out. Types of Boundaries Physical Boundaries: Cover personal space, touch, and eye contact preferences. Affective Boundaries: Reflect the ability t…
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1051-Addiction Counselor's Guide to the Neuroscience of Stimulants
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1:00:40Introduction to Stimulants Stimulants affect the neurological system by altering neurotransmitter levels. Key neurotransmitters impacted include dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, GABA, glutamate, and acetylcholine. Dopamine’s Role in Addiction Dopamine regulates movement, motivation, and mood. It plays a major role in the brain's reward pathways…
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1050-Mastering Healthy Relationship Boundaries
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7:16Definition of Boundaries Boundaries in relationships are like a house: you choose who enters and how far they can go. Just like a house has doors and windows, you decide who to let into your personal space (physically and emotionally). Types of Boundaries Physical Boundaries: Involves personal space, touch, and eye contact. Interpersonal Boundaries…
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1049-Mastering Trauma-Informed Screening and Assessment _ Counselor CEUs
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1:05:58Importance of Trauma-Informed Screening Screening must be trauma-informed, even if not directly screening for trauma. Trauma is at the core of many mental health, behavioral, and physical health problems, so it's crucial to recognize its role. Trauma and Health Problems Trauma, including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), can contribute to a ran…
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1048-Healing the Wounded Inner Child _ Counseling CEUs
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1:00:48What is the Inner Child? The inner child refers to the emotional and experiential part of an individual that holds childhood memories and trauma. Childhood trauma or unmet needs may result in emotional wounds that persist into adulthood, manifesting in behavior and relationship patterns. Impact of Trauma on the Inner Child Childhood trauma, such as…
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1047-Overcoming Adversity and Mastering Resilience
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53:33Resilience Definition Resilience is the capacity to bounce back from adversity, demonstrated by emotional strength and the ability to handle crises without being overwhelmed. Resilience is like a ball that, when pushed underwater, bounces back to the surface. Characteristics of Resilient People Resilient individuals are self-aware, have healthy sel…
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1046-Helping the Inner Child Process Grief
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55:46What is the Inner Child? The inner child refers to the collection of memories and experiences from childhood. These memories shape mental shortcuts, called schema, which influence how individuals interpret and react to present-day life events. Children’s Cognitive Development Children process information concretely and personally, often believing e…
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1045-CBT Tools to Address Chronic Pain_ It is NOT all in your head!
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56:47Biopsychosocial Impact of Pain Chronic pain affects not just the body but also mental health, including anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. Pain can disrupt circadian rhythms, causing sleep issues, and leads to grief due to loss of function or identity. Types of Prevention Primary prevention focuses on preventing pain flare-ups and pain condition…
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1044-Reset Your Nervous System _ Understanding the Dopamine Connection
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34:26What is Dopamine? Dopamine is often referred to as a motivation chemical rather than just a pleasure chemical. It regulates mood, movement, energy, sleep, libido, and pain tolerance. Dopamine plays a key role in cognitive functions like memory, attention, and decision-making. The Concept of Dopamine Fasting Dopamine fasting does not reduce dopamine…
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1043-9 Powerful Tips for Rewiring an Anxious Brain_ Neuroplasticity Secrets
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46:44Understanding Anxiety and the Stress Response Anxiety is a natural emotional reaction, often triggered by physical and cognitive stressors. It activates the body's HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis), leading to physical reactions like increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and digestive issues. Emotional Reasoning Anxiety may arise from…
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1041-Understanding Unique Needs of BDSM Practitioners_ A Counselors Guide
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1:18:38Understanding BDSM BDSM involves consensual sexual practices including bondage, dominance, submission, and sadomasochism. The core principle is that all activities must be safe, sane, and consensual. The Role of Counselors Therapists must provide a non-judgmental space for clients practicing BDSM. Recognizing biases and understanding the nature of …
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1040-Sexual Diversity & Kink_ What Every Counselor Should Know
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1:06:58Overview of Kink and Sexual Diversity Kink is a broad term that includes alternative sexual practices like BDSM, polyamory, and consensual non-monogamy. Kink behaviors often fall outside of mainstream practices, but they are a normal part of sexual diversity for many people. DSM-5's View on Kink Kink-related behaviors, including BDSM and fetishism,…
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