One of the saddest moments I experienced in recent years was witnessing the heartbreaking impact of the death of my son’s best friend due to accidental overdose. He had suffered with mental health issues, including anxiety, for several years and had consulted with over 7...
If you think one person can’t change the way we do things, then let me tell you about a client I will call GM. I met GM during a one-day course that I used to deliver at Hakea, about 7 years ago. During the course,...
At The Whitehaven Clinic we use personality profiling to help identify underlying root cause contributors to addiction. And a key focus during treatment is relationships and creating and building meaningful connections. For a bit of fun, here’s how we each personality type would match up to...
For families, the subject of boundaries is an inevitable topic that will arise when dealing with a loved one in recovery. However, all too often boundaries are used as a form of punishment rather than as a communication tool or as a way to establish...
A question I’m frequently asked is, ‘what increases the likelihood of a client getting better during treatment’? Although there are several factors to take into consideration, the one clear leader is having a solid family-based support network. Ensuring that a clients’ support network is aligned...
In the face of a disease like addiction, maintaining healthy eating habits may seem insignificant. The impact of alcohol and other drugs can have a significant effect on an individual’s appetite and ultimately affect their health and well being due lack of nutrients and increased...
One of the very first things that I ask clients when they haven't seen me for some time, is "what's happening to your routine?" Why? Because routine, or rather lack of it, is one of the top contributors to relapse. As outlined in the Dynamics...
Addiction in Australia is one of our country’s most significant issues. In recent years, Australia has experienced significant growth in addiction, where the number of sufferers is rivaling with drastically larger countries. WHAT IS ADDICTION? “Addiction involves craving for something intensely, loss of control over its use, and...
𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝘂𝗻. WHAT ARE PERSONAL BOUNDARIES? Healthy boundaries are a necessity for self-care. Whether big...
Good sleep is essential to good health, yet 4 out of 10 Australians don’t get enough healthy sleep. WHY IS SLEEPING WELL SO IMPORTANT? It is significantly important to get a good night’s sleep, in order to maintain good mental and physical wellbeing. Getting adequate sleep is...