Substance addiction is a disease of the body, mind and spirit. We, at LifeSkills Rehabilitation Centre, apply a holistic approach toward the treatment of alcohol/ drug de-addiction. The body repairs and rejuvenates itself with eliminating the addictive substance, a healthy diet and exercise suited to individual levels of fitness. The mind begins to understand its disempowering patterns that keep the disease of substance addiction alive and learns to beat them with cognitive work in recognizing and preventing a potential relapse. At the very core, the addict's spirit struggles to make peace with a painful past. It is here that in this rehabilitation centre, sessions of Reiki and regression therapy provide a huge plus in the emotional and spiritual therapy process.

Reiki

Reiki, now popular worldwide, originated in Japan. It is based on the principle that all humans are a channel for the Universal life force energy and uses symbols to relax and rejuvenate. A reiki session leaves one radiant with inner peace and also has a beneficial impact physical aches and pains. Clients are given Reiki sessions every day for a 21 day cycle and therapy for any specific ailment or disease for an additional period. For one suffering from substance addiction, Reiki works on the relevant chakras –
The root chakra is strengthened to renew the joy of living (many have had thoughts of suicide to end the misery and humiliation of addiction)
The sacral chakra is healed to rekindle appreciation for the finer tastes of life. Most addicts lose their appetites for food, fragrance, fine clothing, good music and visual art. Therapy this chakra brings back the fun of experiencing beauty through the five senses.
The solar plexus chakra is energized to bring back lost self-esteem and confidence as well as financial stability and courage.
The heart chakra opens and the will and ability to give and receive love returns naturally. To learn to love ones-self unconditionally is a valuable lesson.
The throat chakra heals and powers of expression return and guilt dissolve permitting one to speak his/her mind fearlessly.
The brow / third eye chakra opens to visualize a future that is healthy and happy.
The crown chakra connects us to our higher power and channels our prayer and meditation.

Age Regression / Inner child Integration

Childhood is a very important part of our lives.

Many of our problems as adults stem from the traumatic experiences that happened to us early in life and that were repressed from conscious memory by the subconscious defence mechanism. In other words we protect ourselves, our ego and self-esteem from being hurt by burying these negative incidents very deep.

Each time we do this, a part of us stops growing and gets left behind. Similar incidents keep cropping up to distress us and we continue to be troubled by them till we unravel this traumatic memory and heal it to reclaim our power. This forgotten part of us (an inner child) is once again available to us and we are made whole and complete having released the negative emotions.

This process is vital for substance abusers as a lot of their addictive behaviour has its roots in their childhood. None of this might be apparent or obvious but therapy Inner Children leaves addicts/alcoholics with an understanding of their patterns. They are able to break out of them with wisdom.

Therapy Passive Aggressive Behaviour

If a child is not allowed to go out to play, he will not eat as a sign of protest even though the hunger is painful. Taking addictive substances are expressions of PAB or Passive Aggressive Behaviour where the sufferer knows how harmful it is but continues his drinking or drug use to protest against one or more authority figures in his/ her life. Every sufferer has a story of his best intentions being thwarted by a parent, teacher, uncle, cousin or boss. Deep down his subconscious minds keeps creating authority figures for him/her to protest against. Therapy identifies authority figures, heals the inner children that had the experience of suffering them, even allows forgiveness and thereby cuts the behavioural loop of defiance of authority.

Void management

Addictions arise as attempts to fill voids that most addicts are unaware of in their conscious state. Consuming a mind altering substance in order to numb a pain that one is not even aware of in the conscious state, and to the extent that it hinders normal functioning and endangers health and well-being, indicates a void or voids. Therapy creates an awareness of the voids that exist in the subconscious mind and with this awareness the addict or alcoholic can be free of the need to continue abusing drugs and alcohol.

Core Belief Therapy

Our core beliefs formed very early in life, define our motivations and our limitations. Exposure to beliefs of parents, teachers, friends and siblings, even what is read in books or watched on television or a movie theatre at a tender age develops belief systems that create habits and behaviour in sync with them. When these beliefs do not support healthy expression of ideas, views and opinions, the thwarted child and then adult resorts to escaping a world that does not understand him/her by abusing substances that create an alternate reality. Understanding where and how these core beliefs were formed and therapy the inner child that suffered the consequences of these beliefs will facilitate easy abstinence.

Hypnodrama

While traditional talking and hitting the pillow genre of therapy has its uses, when the person is in deep relaxation, it is far easier and more powerful to express a whole range of emotions from anger, bitterness, hurt, pain, rage, to helplessness, despair and disappointment. The person undergoing hypnodrama experiences cleansing and lightness to an extent that makes genuine forgiveness possible. Addicts and alcoholics probably have more anger and resentment to clean up as these have caused people to condemn their behaviour and hurt their sentiments. We will have this therapy as many times as required till all pent up emotions have been released.

Guided Meditation

Meditation creates the gap between the endless stream of thoughts we are caught in. The human mind thinks an average of 42 thoughts per minute or more than 60,000 thoughts in a day. And thoughts are either positive or negative concerning the past or the future. Meditation brings the mind into the ever present now which has no emotions, opinions or judgements about it. In the eternal now, the mind refreshes and relaxes itself to prepare for yet another 12 or 14 waking hours of incessant thinking. Meditation brings the meditator in touch with his or her breath which is the life energy force running in the body. We have different types of meditation to take the addict or alcoholic to the stillness within. At first it is guided and requires instructions. Over a period of time, the meditator learns to slip into silence quite effortlessly. It is extremely valuable and therapeutic for sufferers of substance abuse.