What is co-dependency?

Co-dependency is an emotional disease that can affect people whether they are addicts or not. Co-dependency is a pattern of detrimental, behavioral interactions within a dysfunctional relationship with a partner, family or friends.  Co-dependents repeatedly find them selves putting the needs of other people before their own and have a hard time being in touch with their own thoughts and feelings.  Co-dependents often feel shameful and empty as they try to find their fulfillment from other people, causing psychological distress every time this fails.

Symptoms of co-dependency:

• Controlling behavior
• Distrust
• Perfectionism
• Avoidance of feelings
• Problems with intimacy
• Excessive caretaking
• Hypervigilance
• Physical illness related to stress

Tabankulu Treatment for Co-dependency:

The treatment at Tabankulu for co-dependency provides a place of healing where clients can get away from their day-to-day lives and begin to look at their unhealthy relationship patterns.  We understand how painful it is to live in this way and we treat co-dependency as seriously as we do any of the process or behavioral addictions.

The main components of our programme are:

Meaningful Therapeutic Experience:

• The main component of Tabankulu treatment is daily group therapy.  Group therapy is a powerful tool to help clients break free from their denial and shame and begin to make connections and relationships that challenge their distorted thinking and destructive behavior in a safe and supporting way.
• A Primary Counsellor specializing in co-dependency is assigned to each client, and will work on an individual basis with him or her throughout the course of his or her treatment.  Many of our counselors have a personal experience of addiction and co-dependency themselves and are in recovery.
• Our approach draws upon different psychotherapeutic techniques.  Our dedicated staff come from a range of different trainings.  Along with a psychodynamic approach we also draw upon cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT).

Education:

• Activities and exercises that stimulate understanding and learning about co-dependent behavior and relationships.
• Educational groups to think about new skills and the development of emotion tolerance
• Activities around enforcing and maintaining healthy boundaries

Family Involvement:

• Support around communication and expression that will begin to heal the family system
• Family con-joints with an experienced family therapist

12 Step Foundation:

• The foundation of our programme is based upon the Twelve-Step philosophy which is a peer led free worldwide support system.  By linking our clients into this support group we ensure that they have access to an outside support system and a spiritual foundation for long-term recovery.

Healthy Lifestyle:

• Individual advice around incorporating healthy exercise into the client’s lifestyle
• Integrative therapies and activities that include art therapy, organic gardening, mindfulness meditation, yoga, Qi Gong, surfing, and caring for the horses on the property.  Clients have a chance to start truly living and enjoying life again within the beautiful and spiritual surroundings of the Cape Peninsula.