C.C. Sabathia and You: Help your clients assess their drinking privately
Martha Teater, MA, LMFT, LCAS, LPC
Yankees pitching sensation C.C. Sabathia has announced that he will miss the post-season this year to get treatment for a drinking problem. If he is part of the post-season at all, he’ll be watching it from his room in a Connecticut alcohol treatment center.
Sabathia seemed to have it all: $25 million salary (the 4th highest in baseball), endless raw talent, a philanthropic organization of his own, a lovely wife, and four beautiful children.
Often termed a “gentle giant”, the 6’7” Sabathia has had a very public stumble. As tough as the scrutiny of the masses may be, his internal struggle has probably been even more grueling.
People who know Sabathia are saying they didn’t realize he had a drinking problem. They had seen no signs. Are we also missing signs in the people we serve? How many of our clients (and family, friends, coworkers) also have a private struggle and could use our support?
Clearly this is an issue faced by millions of Americans in every walk of life. If we can open our eyes (and theirs) we have a chance to help people get the help they need before the consequences build to a dangerous level.
If you think your client may be facing a problem with alcohol you may want to check out these resources. Both of these are online and can be taken privately and used to assess the likelihood of an alcohol problem:
Even when it means missing the post-season.
Martha Teater, MA, LMFT, LCAS, LPC, brings expertise, experience, and insights drawn from a career as a respected clinician, international trainer, and author. A prolific writer, she has published over 175 articles in newspapers and magazines, including Psychotherapy Networker and Family Therapy Magazine. Check out a preview of Martha's article: Shedding Light on the DSM-5®: The View from the Trenches.
Sabathia seemed to have it all: $25 million salary (the 4th highest in baseball), endless raw talent, a philanthropic organization of his own, a lovely wife, and four beautiful children.
Often termed a “gentle giant”, the 6’7” Sabathia has had a very public stumble. As tough as the scrutiny of the masses may be, his internal struggle has probably been even more grueling.
People who know Sabathia are saying they didn’t realize he had a drinking problem. They had seen no signs. Are we also missing signs in the people we serve? How many of our clients (and family, friends, coworkers) also have a private struggle and could use our support?
Clearly this is an issue faced by millions of Americans in every walk of life. If we can open our eyes (and theirs) we have a chance to help people get the help they need before the consequences build to a dangerous level.
If you think your client may be facing a problem with alcohol you may want to check out these resources. Both of these are online and can be taken privately and used to assess the likelihood of an alcohol problem:
- National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence: Alcohol Abuse Self Test
- Check Your Drinking Survey
Even when it means missing the post-season.
Martha Teater, MA, LMFT, LCAS, LPC, brings expertise, experience, and insights drawn from a career as a respected clinician, international trainer, and author. A prolific writer, she has published over 175 articles in newspapers and magazines, including Psychotherapy Networker and Family Therapy Magazine. Check out a preview of Martha's article: Shedding Light on the DSM-5®: The View from the Trenches.
Topic: Addictions
