LifeStar Therapy is hosting a Facebook Live Event tomorrow, Tuesday November 7, 2017

I have great news! Tomorrow, November 7th, LifeStar Therapy is hosting a Facebook live event. For those of you who have read my blog or checked out my articles, you know that LifeStar is a great resource and help for those who are struggling with pornography and sexual addiction, as well as their families. So you don't want to miss out on this opportunity to hear from them.


LifeStar Therapy helps to treat the addict, as well as the trauma caused to the rest of the family from the addiction.




The following is a press release from LifeStar about their Facebook Live Event:

Pornography addiction can be devastating, not only to the addict but to their family as well. It’s much more common than you might think, however, and there are resources out there to give you hope.

Join us on November 7th, 2017, at 7 PM MST, for an exclusive Facebook Live event. This event is hosted by Lifestar Therapy, and we’ll be talking about how to take back your life, today. We’ll go over the science of porn addiction and why it can be so difficult to overcome. We’ll share the steps you can take to recover from a porn or sex addiction. Finally, we’ll talk about what to do if you discover that your spouse has a porn addiction.

Lifestar Therapy has over 25 years helping people from all walks of life overcome their addiction. We offer those suffering from porn addiction and their families a safe place to talk about their struggles with others like them.

When you are struggling with a porn addiction, or when you discover that a spouse or loved one is hiding a porn addiction, it can feel pretty lonely. But the truth is, there are many other people just like you who have gone through the difficult, long process of overcoming addiction. Repairing relationships, rebuilding self-esteem, strengthening bonds, and forming new habits all takes time and work, but it is worth it, and it is easier if you are surrounded by people who support you. There’s a whole community out there, waiting for you to connect and gather strength from them.

Follow this link or post the following into your browser so sign up for the live event:


http://www.lifestartherapy.com/facebook-live-event/

6 important steps in quitting porn

Have I told you recently that LifeStar therapy is amazing? They help so many people who are struggling with the effects of sexual addiction, they offer a life line to both addicts and their families.

Recently LifeStar published an article, "How To Quit Porn, 6 Important Steps To Breaking Your Addiction." 

I would highly recommend this article, whether you or your loved one are at the beginning of breaking this addiction, or are somewhere in the middle.

It is a good reminder of hope, that with some elbow grease anything is possible, and that you don't have to go through the rest of your life with this awful addiction.

It can be overcome.

It can be conquered.

Read the article and let me know what you think!

UPDATE: EXPIRED - Tomorrow is the Last Day for the $500 discount to LifeStar Therapy's 6-day Intensive Outpatient Program!!!!

Wow! That is a long title!!

Tomorrow is the Last day to get in on this discount!!!!! $500 off is a huge deal. If nothing else and you could use this, give them a call to find out more information. And mention this blog - Get 2 the Gist - when you do.

Follow these links for previous posts on this discount. Hurry now before time runs out!

Reminder

Original Post

Reminder!!!!!!!!!! $500 discount for LifeStar 6 day IOP

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Don't forget about the $500 discount for the Life Star 6 day Intensive Outpatient Program!!!!! Spread the word if you wish, let others who might benefit know! I mean, come one! $500 off? Holy cow!!!!!!

The discount ends on the 23rd!!!!! So you've only got a week to get in on this!

Just mention Get 2 the Gist blog when you talk to them and set up your appointment!

LifeStar offers tons of awesome programs for spouses of addicts, addicts, couples, teen addicts, etc. So, even if you are just wanting information, make sure to mention that you saw LifeStar on my blog (Get2theGist) so that they know running coupons and information  on my blog is worthwhile!!!! The discount may only be for the 6 day intensive, but they have many other amazing programs to offer.


To see my original post for this coupon, check out the link:
http://get2thegist.blogspot.com/2016/01/new-500-discount-for-lifestar-6-day.html

New: $500 DISCOUNT for the LifeStar 6 day Intensive Outpatient Program !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited to post this coupon!!!!!!! We posted a similar coupon last year, and I have been looking forward to doing this again!

Life Star is a therapy network that specializes in treatment for pornography and sexual addiction. I personally think that they are amazing! This year they have agreed to give you a $500 discount towards their 6 day Intensive Outpatient Program.

And, honestly, who couldn't use a $500 discount? Treatment for an addiction is such an important thing, and getting that treatment for a good price is so helpful!

The 6-day Intensive Outpatient program is for pornography and sexual addicts who need a boost in their recovery. For more information on the program, visit: http://www.lifestartherapy.com/take-your-life-back/  .

All you have to do is call 888-980-1600 through February 23, 2016, mention this blog and coupon, and they will give you a $500 discount. How awesome is that!!!

Call the number - 888-980-1600

Visit the website - http://www.lifestartherapy.com/take-your-life-back/

Even if you are just wanting to find out more about the program, give them a call and they'll help you out.

Don't forget to mention the Get to the Gist blog to get your discount. Do it quick, because this offer is only good through February 23, 2016!

The Dreaded Question: How are you?

Ok, this is a strange thing here. I may or may not have already posted this. I didn't think I had posted it, it was marked as "Draft," but then when I went to post it it acted like it had been posted as of the day I originally created it. I made sure that it wasn't posted anywhere and now I am officially posting it. If you haven't read this yet, then huzzah! If you have, then I am sorry. Oops.



I think there comes a point in everyone's life where you hate the question:

"How Are You?"

A loved one dies, your marriage is suffering, you're having infertility problems, your children are making choices that give you tons of grief. Whatever the issue,

And then comes the follow up lie:

"We're good."

or

"We're fine."

Ok, maybe "lie" is too strong of a description. Because the goal is to go through these things in life and still find happiness. But you know what I mean. Those times when your real answer would sound something more like:

"I'm not good, actually. I feel used, betrayed, ugly. I've never cried so much in my life and my husband's therapy bills, while totally worth it, are going to send us to the poor house. But, yeah, other than that I'm good!"

or

"I'm good except for every time I meet with my friends, log onto facebook or go to work. Everywhere I go people are announcing pregnancies. If one more person asks me when we are going to have kids, I think I'll scream."

or

"Someone I loved very much just passed away. Please don't ask me how I am doing."

We all do it. We all keep those thoughts to ourselfs and answer: "Fine." But, in all reality, it's a burden to answer with fine. Especially if your trials are being kept a secret. It makes you feel like you can't answer correctly, which means you may not be getting needed support.

There have been times in the past when I was going through something and I had family members ask me how I was doing. I answered with the lame old: Fine. But really I was wishing I could talk to them and get their support.

Make sure that you have someone to talk to, someone that you trust. I've blogged about this before, but I'll say it again. Don't keep this all inside. Therapist, clergy, ligitamite support group, trusted family member or friend. Or better yet, all of the above.

Find someone that you can answer truthfully to. No "Fine" or "Good."

This is important!

Day 5 of Fake Therapy Week: "And how do you feel about that?"

It's Free -Fake- Therapy Week! Disclaimer: This is NOT real therapy, and I am NOT a real therapist. This is just a GOOD excuse to watch GOOD movies.

It's been a fun week, thanks to everyone who came!

Today we are going to visit "Dr. Tess Coleman." Or at least her daughter... Spoiler alert!





So, I have a question for you. How do you feel about that? That as in whatever you are going through.

Sometimes people quarantine their feelings, suppressing them from others and themselves. Maybe because it is easier to just disregard your feelings than to deal with the pain you are experiencing? I don't know.

What I do know is that how we feel definitely matters. We may not be able to do something, we may not be able to act, maybe we even shouldn't. We may need to work through how we feel. Every situation is different. But how we feel definitely matters. It will affect your actions and your abilities.

That's one reason why we are constantly told by therapists, church leaders and even memes to try and find joy despite the trials.

So... How do you feel about that?

Day 4 of Fake Therapy Week: Bad therapists!

It's Free -Fake- Therapy Week! Disclaimer: This is NOT real therapy, and I am NOT a real therapist. This is just a GOOD excuse to watch GOOD movies.

For today's session we are visiting our local hairstylist!

Ever get your hair done at a salon and and get a heavy dose of advice while you're at it?

Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's...






Moral of the story is: choose your therapists - and who you take advice from - well!

Recognize when advice should not be taken seriously.

Fake Therapy Week Day 3: Confronting your Fears

It's Free -Fake- Therapy Week! Disclaimer: This is NOT real therapy, and I am NOT a real therapist. This is just a GOOD excuse to watch GOOD movies.



Today we are visiting with "Dr. Archibald" for a lesson on confronting our fears.




Do you have any fears that you know are irrational but you have them anyway? Or maybe you have fears that are totally rational but there isn't anything you can do about it?

I think victims, addicts and spouses of addicts deal with both of those on a constant basis.

So, what is to be done? How do you work through the fear?

I am not a therapist, but I think that a huge step is recognizing whether or not a particular fear or worry is rational. If you can acknowledge that your fear of losing your lips is irrational, then maybe you are on a better track than if you couldn't. Or if you can acknowledge that your fear of your spouse relapsing is rational but other than supporting good standards in your home there is nothing you can do about it, then maybe that will bring you a bit of peace.

Do what you can, try to find peace for the things you can't.

Day 2 of Fake Therapy Week: Group Therapy

It's Free -Fake- Therapy Week! Disclaimer: This is NOT real therapy, and I am NOT a real therapist. This is just a GOOD excuse to watch GOOD movies.


Today we are all visiting a shopaholic group therapy session.






If you obsess over something and focus on it, it will consume you. Am I right? Have you found this before too?

It's hard, especially when you have no control over a situation, to not obsess over it. You think about it, you worry about it, you dwell on it. And I personally think that is natural. But I also don't think it's always healthy.

Especially if you are the spouse of an addict, try to not let everything be about the addiction. I know that is what is on your mind, but life will be horrible if you can't give your mind at least a break from that topic.

We are meant to find joy in this life despite our trials. How can we find joy if all we focus on are our trials? That may be another reason why some therapists suggest [getting to safe place and] taking your pain and trials to your higher power. Let Him deal with it.

Easier said than done, very hard to do, but super true.

Day 1 of Fake Therapy Week: Baby Steps (What About Bob)

It's Free -Fake- Therapy Week! Disclaimer: This is NOT real therapy, and I am NOT a real therapist. This is just a GOOD excuse to watch GOOD movies.

For Monday I figured we'd visit Dr. Marvin and learn about "Baby Steps."





Ever heard the phrase, "Rome wasn't built in a day?" Well, neither was your well-being. If you can't do something big, take baby steps.

Baby steps to courage, baby steps to bravery, baby steps to recognizing your worth.

"Baby Steps!"

What baby steps can you take to accomplish your goals?

Reminder, Reminder!!! Discount For LifeStar Intensive Program!!!!!!!!!! Until February 2, 2015 only!!!

Don't forget about the discount for the LifeStar 6-day Intensive Outpatient Program. LifeStar specializes in treating those with pornography and sexual addictions as well as programs to help their spouses and family. The 6-day program is designed to boost your recovery.

See the original post here - Click Here For Original Post

You have until February 2, 2015 to call in and claim this discount. Send the link to anyone who might benefit from it. Who can afford to not save money?

The spouse's worst kept secret

So many out there don't tell ayone about their spouse's pornography and sexual addictions. Sometimes they feel like the people they tell might feel negatively towards their spouse, maybe they feel that the addiction reflects poorly on them, maybe they are embarrased, the list goes on and on.

This kills me. When your spouse has an addiction, it puts you through the ringer. The spouse ends up needing just as much help to heal as the addict does. Did you hear me? THE SPOUSE NEEDS HELP TOO.

The addiction does not reflect badly on you. The addiction itself has nothing to do with you.

Find someone that you can confide in that is trustworthy. Not the town grapevine.  Maybe you have family members or a friend that would fit this bill. I would personally suggest a qualified, therapist-run spouse-of-addict support group. I'll be talking more about these later.

A word of advice when choosing someone to confide in: The best people to confide in are those that are very good listeners. The people that I confide in have lots of good qualities, some of which are:

1. They are good listeners
2. They don't mind if I need to cry on their shoulder
3. (And this one is very important) They are supportive of the decisions that I make. The people that I confide in have an excellent track record of specifically trying not to say things that might influence my decisions. Not to say that they can't give advice, but the advice has ended up being more general. These are also people that, as my circomstances changed, were able to give specific advice when I asked for it.  In otherwords, these people are supportive.

Speaking of decisions though, some women will stick with an abusive guy no matter what anyone says. If you are in a dangerous situation, get to some-place safe. And don't get mad at your friends if they point out to you that you are in a dangerous situation. They may just be looking out for you.

In conclusion, the spouse of an addict needs help as well. Therapy, church leaders, someone you trust, someone else who has or is going through it.

To the addicts: Having an addiction in the marriage effects everything, even if your spouse doesn't know about it. The addiction changes things. It sets up an unhealthy situation in ways you probably don't even realize. Both you and your spouse are going to need to do your therapeutic work to heal. That is just the way it is. It doesn't make you a bad guy. If anything, supporting your spouse in their healing process is extremely helpful. Whereas not supporting your spouse is not helpful.

UPDATE: EXPIRED. DISCOUNT for the LifeStar Intensive Outpatient Program !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited about this! The awesome people at LifeStar agreed to offer a 10% discount toward their 6-day Intensive Outpatient Program. This is such an amazing deal! All you have to do is call 888-980-1600 through February 2, 2015, mention this blog and coupon, and they will give you a 10% discount. How awesome is that!!!

The 6-day Intensive Outpatient program is for pornography and sexual addicts who need a boost in their recovery.

This is such an amazing deal! Go check it out, tell your friends, tell your family. You never know who may be struggling with this type of addiction and who may benefit from this discount.

Call the number - 888-980-1600

Visit the website - http://www.lifestartherapy.com/take-your-life-back/

Learn more about it and don't forget to mention the Get to the Gist blog to get your discount. Do it quick, because this offer is only good through February 2, 2015, Ground-Hog day.

I have been so excited to be able to post this. I hope that someone can benefit from this awesome opportunity!