Some call them relapses. Others call them slips. Regardless of what you call it, setbacks in recovery are often a huge source of shame, disappointment, and emotional turmoil. They reopen old wounds, impact trust, and have the potential to generate a lot of hopelessness. The way you respond to your own setbacks in recovery can make all the difference in your progress.
In this episode, I respond to a few questions from a man who is working through his own recovery process and was feeling discouraged after a recent setback. Here are the questions:
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How do you find optimism and emotionally recovery quickly after a relapse?
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How do you deal with a sexual dream? They happen sometimes and, dang it, it always precedes a difficult day.
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How do you stay willing when you know your willingness is the only thing saving you from relapse? It gets tough to not worry when not worrying is the only thing saving you.
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How can I handle emotions of discontent or stress or loneliness when my normal schedule is interrupted by a trip or event? It definitely happens a lot, and I don’t want it to be an Achilles heel for me.
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About Geoff Steurer
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist, relationship educator, and coach with over 20 years of experience. I am the co-author of, “Love You, Hate the Porn: Healing a Relationship Damaged by Virtual Infidelity”, the host of the weekly podcast, “From Crisis to Connection”, and have produced workbooks, audio programs, and online courses helping couples and individuals heal from the impact of sexual betrayal, unwanted pornography use, partner betrayal trauma, and rebuilding broken trust. As a leader in the field, I am a frequent contributor on these subjects at national conferences, documentaries, blogs, magazines, and podcasts. I also write a weekly relationship advice column available on my blog. I founded and ran an outpatient sexual addiction and betrayal trauma recovery group program for over 14 years, co-founded and chaired a local conference to educate community members about harmful media, and founded and administered a specialized group therapy practice for over 10 years. I currently maintain a private counseling and coaching practice in beautiful Southern Utah where I live with my wife and children.
