Professional substance use counselors and mental health therapists ask many things of their clients. For example, they ask them to be willing and open-minded about changing their thinking about people, places, and things, and especially themselves. Counselors and therapists ask clients to reconsider their condition and what they may need to do differently to change and transform their lives.

However, many of the individuals working with those suffering from addictive behaviors and mental health conditions do not do the same. Many professionals are not willing and open-minded enough to consider the possibility that their current philosophy or perspective about the condition they are treating may be a problem. As we know, the treatment methods used today are ineffective and possibly even harmful to clients.

In the substance use field, counselors and therapists continue to tell their clients that they are not responsible for their addictive behavior, that they did not choose the condition they are experiencing, and that there is no cure or solution to the malady that they suffer from. Regardless of the ineffective and even adverse outcomes of their current programming, most professionals continue to remain steadfast in their refusal to consider any other possible explanation for their client’s addictive behavior.

I believe that there is an alternative explanation and path to better understanding addictive behaviors and effectively assisting those suffering from this condition to heal their life and even end their self-destructive behavior forever. The transformation that is needed in the treatment of addictive behaviors will seem revolutionary to some. For others, it will make perfect, almost common sense.

We are responsible for all our experiences and lives, including our addictive behaviors. We also choose everything we think, say, feel, and do concerning creating our experiences. With this comes our power to change and transform our lives, including our addictive behaviors, to eventually end our addictive behaviors forever. Many professionals still need to understand the missing link in recovery treatment: a lack of self-love on the part of those we help is a serious problem. Believing that I am not good enough is the real problem to there being a missing of self-love for the individual active addictive behavior.

I have often wondered why substance use professionals and the treatment industry, in general, struggle to recognize that a key element in understanding addictive behaviors is the belief held by individuals suffering from addiction that they are not good enough. This belief leads to a lack of authentic self-love. My experience as a therapist over the past forty years has confirmed this belief for me.

I contend that the reason many addiction and recovery professionals fail to grasp this fundamental cause of addictive behavior is that they may share similar negative core beliefs about their own value and worth as human beings. This unconscious belief can impede their professional performance.

Rather than confronting and transforming these hidden thoughts and beliefs, many professionals choose to repress their negative feelings about their self-worth. This repression not only hinders their ability to change their negative self-image and low self-esteem but also limits their capacity to recognize similar distortions of thought in the individuals they treat. Consequently, this lack of awareness affects their cognitive empathy and ultimately diminishes their ability to provide effective support and treatment.

Dr. Harry Henshaw