Codependency 101

registration deadline 8/28/2026

NOTES:

TRAINER:

Eshan E. LaCoste is a Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor (LADC) for the State of Vermont and has served as a Clinical Supervisor at Rutland Community Care Network for the past 3 years. He is a highly accomplished and compassionate master’s level clinician with over 20 years of progressive experience in clinical mental health and substance use disorder treatment, including work with co-occurring disorders and forensic populations. A proven leader in program supervision, compliance, team management, and the implementation of evidence-based interventions within mental health, Intensive Outpatient (IOP), and community-based settings. His expertise includes integrating mental health and substance use services, program development, grant writing, and professional education.

DESCRIPTION:

Within the mental health world, codependency is a theory that attempts to explain imbalanced relationships where one person or both individuals enable each other’s person’s self-destructive behavior’s, such as addiction, poor mental health, immaturity, irresponsibility, or under-achievement. Definitions of codependency vary, but typically include high self-sacrifice, a focus on others’ needs, suppression of one’s own emotions, and attempts to control or fix other people’s problems. Some individuals who struggle with codependency characteristics on average exhibit low self-esteem, but it is unclear whether this is a cause or an effect of characteristics associated
with codependency. Codependency is not limited to married partnered, or romantic relationships, as co-workers, friends, and family members can be codependent as well.

AGENDA:

Morning: The Head & The Heart (09:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
9:00 AM | Welcome & The Perimeter: Establishing psychological safety.
o Somatic: The Boundary Bubble. Standing and rotating to physically define 360-degree personal space.

9:30 AM | The Inventory: A 30-point diagnostic to identify patterns of external obsession.
o Somatic: The Internal Anchor. Hand-on-heart/hand-on-belly breathing to pull energy back to the self.

10:00 AM | Defining the Self: Differentiating the “Helper” (Healthy) from the “Enabler” (Codependent).
o Clinical Context: Rationale for involving families and the metrics of treatment gains.
10:30 AM | Break
10:45 AM | Family Dynamics (The Heart): Mapping “Family Tree” roles (Hero, Scapegoat, etc.).
11:15 AM | Inner Child & Transference: Discussing the “Savior” complex and childhood voids.
o Local Focus: Identifying catalysts and barriers to family involvement specifically in Vermont.

11:45 AM | Grounding II: Discharging heavy emotions from the family mapping.
o Somatic: The Burden Drop. Tensing shoulders/fists and “throwing” the tension to the floor with a loud exhale.

Lunch: 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Afternoon: The Hands (01:00 PM – 04:30 PM)
1:00 PM | Research-Based Engagement: Strategies for engaging family members effectively.
2:00 PM | The “Yard” Framework: Understanding boundaries as gates, not walls.
3:00 PM | Break
3:15 PM | The “Free” Strategy: Mastering the core clinical tool.

1. Identify: Notice the “itch” to fix (Mental) and throat tightness (Somatic).
2. Detach: Stepping back. Somatic cue: Taking one physical step backward.
3. Decide: Choosing a response based on capacity, not compulsion.
   4:00 PM | Closing Circle: Commitment to one “Small Boundary” for the week.
   4:30 PM | Adjourn

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

 Map Codependent Cycles: Identify “over-reactions” (external fixing) vs. “under-reactions”
(internal denial).
 Trace Behavioral Roots: Connect “savior” compulsions to childhood unmet needs.
 Apply Detachment Tools: Utilize the Identify, Detach, and Decide framework.
 Regulate via Somatics: Use body-based movements to manage the “Fawn” response.