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Addictions:Addictions:
Getting to the CoreGetting to the Core
IssuesIssues

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About Tom’s QualificationsAbout Tom’s Qualifications
 Licensed Mental Health Counselor - LMHC
 In private practice since 1997
 Using EFT since 1998
 Vietnam Veteran & PTSD/Trauma Specialist
 Research coach for the Veterans Stress Project
 Diplomate of Comprehensive Energy Psychology – DCEP
 10 years facilitating DA/DV groups
 PhD in the school of life and hard knocks
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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GoalsGoals
 Define Addictions
 ACE Study – Research of the mind body connection
 Techniques for getting to the core issues
 Holistic approach to treating core issues – EFT
 Client story – CSA survivor
 Q & A as we go along – conversation and interaction
 EFT Demonstration
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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What I DoWhat I Do
 I help people solve/resolve problems that are causing them
emotional distress
 Essentially, I help people reclaim their lives from their stressful,
emotional baggage
 I do this using Energy Psychology Techniques, esp. Emotional
Freedom Techniques/EFT/Tapping
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues
Question of the Day:Question of the Day:
Are you willing to suspend what you think you know about
healing and addictions?

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Addiction: Disease or Dis-Ease?Addiction: Disease or Dis-Ease?
 How many different addictions are there?
 Is there a bacteria, virus, or other pathogen involved?
 Is there self-medicating of physical and/or emotional pain?
 Unconscious choice or victim?
 Issue or Symptom of larger issues or both?
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Addiction: Disease or Dis-Ease?Addiction: Disease or Dis-Ease?
 Pre-disposition: Genetic or Epigenetic? 5
 Genes/DNA – No Choice: DNA in charge – can’t change it
 Epigenetics – Control is outside of DNA

Could be Chemical or Energetic or both

Energy faster – can switch genes on or off

Expression changes interpretation of the blue print

Mind/Body connection
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Two types of addictionsTwo types of addictions 22
 Arousal – substances/behaviors that speed up nervous system
 Cocaine, amphetamines, caffeine, sex, gambling, working,
making more money, violent video games, high risk behaviors
 Satiation – substances/behaviors that cause relaxation
 Heroin, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, food, TV, pot
 Alcohol fits both categories.
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Definition:Definition:
 Persistence of any behavior in the face of known harmful
consequences1
 Dis-ease of Lost Selfhood 2
 Caused by ACEs
 Physiological loss – not connected to body
 Psychological loss – self esteem
 Familial loss – family dysfunction
 Interpersonal loss – healthy vs. unhealthy relationships
 Social loss – racism/sexism/isolation, etc
 Cultural loss – cut off from partnership roots
 Spiritual loss – not connected to spiritual dimensions of life
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues
The Circle of AddictionThe Circle of Addiction 22
““Everyone is addicted to something
at some point in their lives” 2
Addiction Statistic:Addiction Statistic:
Male addicts are 2.5 to 4 times
more prevalent that female addicts

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Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues
Adverse Childhood Experience Study DesignAdverse Childhood Experience Study Design 11
 Kaiser Permanente & CDC
 17,000 adults studied – Average age: 57
 In depth health history
 Gathered responses to 10 questions
 Each question answered YES scored 1 point
 High scores = illness or behavioral problems later in life
 Trauma is foundational to illness – Including the top 10 disease
caused death
 Traumatic stress affects expression of >1000 genes 6
 Evidence of Mind-Body Connection

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Synopsis of Adverse Experiences/TraumaSynopsis of Adverse Experiences/Trauma
 Personal Perception of the experience
 Unexpected
 Out of the ordinary
 Life changing
 Potentially dangerous
 Overwhelming & Shocking
 Potentially life threatening
 Challenges sense of what is right and safe in the world – Moral Wounds
 Creates Separation from:_____________________
 Creates chemical imprints on amygdala, thalamus, & hippocampus
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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ACE Study QuestionsACE Study Questions
1. Emotional abuse
2. Physical abuse
3. Sexual abuse
4. Emotional neglect
5. Physical neglect
6. Mother was treated violently
7. Household substance abuse
8. Household mental illness
9. Parental separation or divorce
10. Incarcerated household member
ACE STUDY

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Trauma & The BrainTrauma & The Brain
EFT
Extinguishes
the alarm
response in the
Amygdala

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Mind-Body ConnectionMind-Body Connection
 Activates SNS 7
 Systemic & individual reactions 7
 Responses are: 7
 Neurobiological
 Behavior & social
 Intellectual & emotional
 Interpersonal & cultural
 Societal & global
 Stuck energy imprints in body
 Chakras may stop spinning or spin backwards
 Meridians may flow backwards or not at all

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Internal EffectsInternal Effects
 High Glucose levels
 High Cortisol levels
 High BP
 Illness/Disease
 Depression
 Anxiety
 Low Energy
 Feelings w/o context
External EffectsExternal Effects
Effects of ACEs Over TimeEffects of ACEs Over Time
Isolation
Reactivity

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Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues
ACE Study ConclusionsACE Study Conclusions
 Proves Mind-Body connection
 Direct correlation between a high ACE score and smoking,
alcoholism, depression, stress, obesity and more.
 Concluded that trauma was the underlying cause of illness.
 Time does NOT heal emotional wounds
 Illness is the body’s way of asking for help.
 Personal Opinion: DSM defines the body’s manifestation of the
illness and we should treat the trauma, not the symptoms of the
illness.
 NIMH recently denounced the DSM!

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 One or more items, individually or collectively, that stimulate the recall
of a painful, undesired event
 Triggers the amygdala into alarm mode/fight/flight/freeze
 Pavlov’s dogs 101
 Sight
 Sound
 Smell
 Taste
 Touch
ACE TriggersACE Triggers
The mind believes what it sees and
then sees what it believes. It can
not differentiate between, memory,
imagination and reality.

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Recovery:Recovery: 2
 It is possible for everyone
 It is a life long process
 It is a journey though specific stages
 There are tasks that must be accomplished to become Authentic
 Developing maturity/recovery are opposite sides of the same coin
 Each individual is unique – we have our own time frames
 Everything, including relapse, is part of recovery
 There are inherent differences between men and women
 Must honor the masculine or feminine energies before we can integrate
the opposite energies
 Men and women have much in common along with important differences
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Treatment Approaches:Treatment Approaches:
 Traditional
 “Treat” the addiction

Demands compliance/accountability/truth

Demands abstinence
 “Treat” MH issues (dual dx)

May not completely address the underlying issues

May miss hidden issues
 Requires a change of thinking – CBT/CPT/Talk therapy
 May involve use of medications – esp. for opiates
 Poor success/high relapse: 50 – 90% relapse 3
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Non-Traditional Treatment Approaches:Non-Traditional Treatment Approaches:
 Multifaceted TX with EFT
 Treat cravings
 Treat emotional wounds
 Treat (disconnect) associations
 Treat PR/self-sabotaging beliefs
 Why multifaceted approach?
 Improved outcomes
 Reduce/eliminate pain - no need to self medicate
 Energetic removal of people, places and things
 Probably will succeed w/o meds
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Getting to the issue(s):Getting to the issue(s):
 Open ended, probing questions
 What are benefits/pay-off of continuing?
 What is at risk to change?
 Who/what does it remind you of?
 Is it Safe, do you deserve, are you resisting, p/o identity?
 Gestalt/Parts/Chair work/Covert ego states/Sub personalities
 Timeline
 Body centered sensations
 Role play/experiential
 Kinesiology, Muscle/Energy Testing for PRs
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Effects on Parents and Family:Effects on Parents and Family:
 Guilt
 Stress
 Shame
 Anxiety
 Depression
 Uncertainty
 Feeling Helpless
 Feeling Hopeless
 Delayed onset PTSD
 Distressed Relationships - estrangement
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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What YOU CAN Do:What YOU CAN Do:
 Find a support group for yourself – Al Anon, Narc Anon
 Leave literature out in the open
 Be available to provide support and guidance
 Pray for them whether or not you are spiritual or religious
 Ho’Oponopono
 Support/Organize a PROFESSIONAL Intervention
 Outpatient treatment in parallel with M.H. counseling – preferred
 Outpatient treatment in series with M.H. counseling
 Change the environment when the person comes home
 Learn and use EFT for yourself
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Resolving the issue(s):Resolving the issue(s):
 Combine Energy Psychology Techniques with any of the
aforementioned techniques
 Emotional Freedom Technique
 Tapas Acupressure Technique
 Kinesiology/muscle/energy testing
 Essential Oils
 Work toward reducing the emotional charge of the issue
 Work toward FORGIVENESS
Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues

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Addictions: Getting to the Core IssuesAddictions: Getting to the Core Issues
ForgivenessForgiveness
 Def. - The process of concluding resentment, indignation or anger
as a result of a perceived offense, difference or mistake, or ceasing
to demand punishment or restitution
 It is a process, not an event
 It is NOT about condoning what happened
 It is NOT for or about the perpetrator
 It is for YOU, the carrier of the “burden or pain”
 The purpose of forgiveness is to unburden yourself
 The purpose of forgiveness is to let go of the emotional charge
 The purpose of forgiveness is healing.

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Treat the memories/beliefs withTreat the memories/beliefs with
 Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
 Thought Field Therapy (TFT)
 Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT
 Other Energy Psychology Technique
 Most Research has been done on EFT
What Can Be Done?What Can Be Done?

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What IsWhat Is
Emotional FreedomEmotional Freedom
Technique?Technique?
 EFT is Acupuncture or Acupressure for
the emotions w/o needles
 Tap on acupoints/meridian points
instead of inserting needles
 Looks strange when doing it
 Maybe Mona Lisa knew something we
didn’t know until the mid 1980’s
About EFTAbout EFT

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Premise:Premise:
The cause of all exaggerated or abnormal emotional reactions is a
disturbance or blockage in the body’s energy system (Involves
subconscious mind and interpretation).
Distorted or blocked energy shows up in the body as some type of
distress, disturbance or illness
The Chinese have been telling us this for thousands of years.
About EFTAbout EFT

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Traditional Psychology:Traditional Psychology:
Change your thinking and your emotional response changes. This
is difficult to do. (Emotional charge still present). It’s like talking to a
pre-recorded tape; there is no mechanism to change it.
This is because neurons that fire together wire together and are not
easy to unwire even though the brain exhibits Neuroplasticity. It
takes 21 day to change a habit (conditioned response), maybe.
About EFTAbout EFT

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EFT Psychology:EFT Psychology:
Change your emotional response by removing the excess emotional
charge and your beliefs/thinking changes as well as behaviors. This
is easy to do with EFT. Basically, we erase and reprogram the tape!
There is plenty of evidence that EFT unwires previously wired
conditioned responses rapidly and easily.
About EFTAbout EFT

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Why Use EFT/Tapping?Why Use EFT/Tapping?
 Easy to use
 Can be self applied
 Corrects Psychological Reversal
 Ability to create rapid, deep changes
 Accelerates healing of Mind, Body & Spirit
 Works when traditional methods have failed
 Discharges the emotional energy of the issue
 Creates counter conditioning
 Reduces or eliminates the emotional intensity of the
file/tape/memory/issue
About EFTAbout EFT

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MAM Before TXMAM Before TX

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MAM’s StoryMAM’s Story
 Raped at 8 years old - multiple ensuing rapes
 In and out of talk therapy & psych wards; over 30 years
 Course of ECT in her 20s
 Suicidal
 Multiple therapists
 Multiple psych meds
 Multiple high risk behaviors
 Over weight (324 lbs), type II Diabetes, neglected her teeth
 Up to 4 sessions/week w/me at times

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MAM’s Current StatusMAM’s Current Status
 Eliminated all medication
 No longer suicidal; PTSD symptoms greatly reduced
 Started getting her teeth fixed
 Lost over 115 pounds
 Ceased high risk sexual behavior
 Reduced cigarette smoking
 Reduced illegal substance usage
 HgA1C level dropped over 1% - currently >5.5%

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MAM’s Current PhotosMAM’s Current Photos

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ReferencesReferences
1. Real, MSW, Terrence, I Don’t Want to Talk About I; Overcoming the
Secret Legacy of Male Depression”
2. Diamond, LCSW Jed, “The Warrior’s Journey Home; Healing Men,
Healing the Planet”
3. Caron Foundation
4. ACEstudy.org
5. Church, PhD, Dawson, “The Genie in Your Genes”
6. Chruch,PhD, Dawson, Quoted in “The Tapping Solution” by Nick
Ortner

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Recommended Reading/ViewingRecommended Reading/Viewing
1. The Biology of Belief – Bruce Lipton, PhD
2. The Genie in Your Genes – Dawson Church, PhD
3. Men Alive – Jed Diamond, LCSW
4. The Warrior’s Journey Home – Jed Diamond, LCSW
5. I Don’t Want to Talk About It – Terrence Real, MSW
6. The Living Matrix – DVDT
7. Bruce Lipton on Epigenetics – YouTube
8. The Tapping Solution – Nick Ortner

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Contact InformationContact Information
Tom Porpiglia, MS, LMHC, DCEP, EFT-ADV, EAS-C
Life Script Mental Health
Counseling Services PLLC
202 Dickinson Road
Webster, NY 14580
585-704-0376
Services in person, group, or VSee (video conferencing)
info@lifescriptcounseling.com
www.lifescriptcounseling.com