ACOA Treatment

Treatment of Adult Children of Alcoholics attends to the special issues of people who have grown up in a family where one or both parents abused alcohol.

Life in such families is often characterized by dysfunction, emotional deprivation, lack of trust, and the shame and secrecy associated with the alcoholic's unpredictable moods or behavior.

Fear, frustration, and anger often give way to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Children growing up in such environments often question their own self worth and their ability to control their own lives. They may be confused about what they feel or whether they are entitled to have feelings at all. Close relationships with others later in life frequently reflect these early strains.

Psychotherapy, whether in group or in individual therapy, helps ACOAs to establish trust, to develop a sense of self worth, to learn more about their own needs and how to get them met, and to form more intimate, enduring relationships.