Breaking Free: Dr. Nikki LeToya White’s Five Steps to Overcoming Codependency
Codependency, a pattern of behavior where one’s self-esteem and identity are heavily influenced by the needs and behaviors of others, can be a challenging cycle to break. However, with the right approach and understanding, recovery is within reach. Here, I share the five steps that inspired my personal journey to healing, offering a beacon of hope for women navigating the path to independence and self-love.
Step 1: Acknowledging the Need for Change The first step to recovery is recognizing the presence of codependent behaviors in one’s life. For me, it was a moment of clarity during a quiet evening when I realized my happiness was too dependent on others. This acknowledgment is a powerful catalyst for change.
Example: Becoming, a mother of four and trucker wife I noticed I felt lost without the constant support of my husband who is an over-the-road truck driver. I began to see the importance of finding joy in my own leadership, parenting skills, and accomplishments, separate from my role as a caregiver, and trucker wife.
Step 2: Seeking Knowledge and Understanding Understanding the roots of codependency is crucial. I dove into research, learning about its psychological underpinnings and how it manifested in my relationships.
Example: I found solace in books about codependency, which helped me identify patterns traced back to my childhood, where I often played the role of the peacekeeper in my family and friends' lives.
Step 3: Establishing Boundaries Setting healthy boundaries was a game-changer. It involved learning to say no and prioritizing my needs, which was both liberating and challenging.
Example: I was, once prone to overcommitting to friends, clients, and family demands started to carve out “me time” in my schedule, empowering myself to rediscover my own interests and passions and hiring a spiritual counselor and business coach.
Step 4: Cultivating Self-Worth Building self-worth independent of others’ opinions was transformative. I engaged in activities that fostered self-compassion and celebrated my individuality.
Example: I took up painting again, an activity I loved as a child but abandoned to meet others’ expectations. Through art, I reconnected with my inner self.
Step 5: Embracing Support No journey is solitary. Embracing support from groups and spiritual counselors, life coaches, and business coaches provided me with the strength to maintain my newfound independence.
Example: I found strength in a women’s support group, where sharing experiences and strategies with others on similar paths reinforced my commitment to recovery.
Conclusion The road to overcoming codependency is deeply personal and requires courage, patience, and persistence. These five steps, inspired by my own experiences and those of the women I’ve encountered, serve as a guide to rediscovering one’s worth and establishing a life where one can thrive independently.
Remember, you are not alone, and with each step, you move closer to a life defined by your own terms and filled with self-empowerment.
I hope this article resonates with you and provides the framework you were looking to share. If there’s anything specific you’d like to add or modify, please let me know, and I can adjust the content accordingly.
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I Can Help in Developing A Plan For Self Care
Do you want help developing a self-care plan that works for your own busy schedule? Do you want accountability in implementing a self-care plan? If you or someone you love is struggling to maintain optimal mental and emotional health, consider reaching out to Spiced Life Conversation Art Wellness Studio and Botanica. We are a Metro Atlanta, Conyers Georgia area. We are a coaching and counseling practice with empathetic, skilled counselors and recovery coaches who can help you set goals, develop a self-care routine, and move forward to build a more fulfilling life. Our team would be happy to work with you either just for a couple of sessions to develop and implement a Self-care plan or longer term to work toward overall better mental health within our membership site or other programs.
About The Author:
Dr. Nikki LeToya White MSEd-TL, Ph.D. RHN is the founder, director, and full-time board-certified trauma-informed nutritionist, folk herbalist, and wellness consultant at Spiced Life Conversation Art Wellness Studio and Botanica. She created Spiced Life Conversation, LLC Art Wellness Studio, and Botanica to provide the Metro Atlanta area with counseling and coaching services where clients are carefully matched with the right program for healing abandonment and childhood emotional neglect trauma that cause codependency, emotional eating, financial stress, and imposter syndrome as it relates to the fear of success and being abandon. We help you begin your emotional healing journey with ease. Recently, we have expanded to include an online membership site so we now provide support to people living all over the world. All of our recovery coaches provide at least one evidence-based treatment to assist in your recovery. Dr. White is a big proponent of self-care and helping people live a fulfilling life! She has been in full remission with both codependency and emotional binge eating disorder since 2016. In living a life in recovery from sugar addiction. I love my low-sugar balanced lifestyle.
Best Regard
Dr. Nikki LeToya White