Ela Senghera

Most people think addiction is about the substance. In reality, it almost never is. In my work I often notice the same thing. Clients arrive presenting with very different stories on the surface, different substances, different behaviours, different circumstances, and yet underneath all of that variation they are often carrying remarkably similar things. A pain that has never been fully named. A need that has never been adequately met. A feeling that has become so unbearable, so consistently...

Do you remember that feeling when you first started dating someone new? The butterflies in your stomach, the constant desire to be together, the merging of your lives. It was magical. But it was also so all-consuming. In those early stages, it's so tempting to spend every waking minute with your new love. To tell them your deepest secrets, cancel plans with friends, and make your new relationship the centre of your universe. I've been there. And chances are, you have too. The thing is, amidst...

Most people who reach out to me often feel a bit lost. Lost in life, lost in a relationship or generally overwhelmed. It's fair to say they haven't found their purpose and don't have a life plan. What's that anyway? They might not have a vision of where they want to end up, but what they do have is a feeling. A low-level hum of something has to change – and absolutely no idea where to start. So, if that's where you are right now, I want to say something important: that feeling is not a...