Healing For Hoarders
Up to as many as 4 million Americans could be hoarders...maybe more.
Numbers are hard to confirm as hoarding is, for the most part, a secret disorder.
Reports of hoarding date back to the 1940's, yet extensive research on hoarding did not take place until the early 1990's. It wasn't until the last decade with shows like TLC's Hoarding: Buried Alive and A&E's Hoarders, that hoarding took a front row seat in reality television; putting hoarding behaviors on the media map.
Despite all the things I would love to personally change on the production of these shows...I do have to give both shows credit. As I said before, they are largely responsible for making the masses aware of this disorder.
Shows like this can even give a Hoarder the comfort of knowing that they're not alone; that there are REAL deep rooted reasons for their behaviors; and that they can get help.
When it comes to help, you have to do your research. One of the down sides of a disorder going viral is that a lot of people can come out of the woodwork and pretend to be hoarding specialists or organizing professionals that work with hoarders. Hoarding is a very serious condition that needs to be addressed carefully if you want to be successful in helping the hoarder heal and purge with long-term positive effects.
Unlike some of the so-called professionals I have observed...a professional: will be able to keep negative personal emotions out of the process; will not get defensive; will never be condescending, judgmental, or belittling; will truly understand the many possible reasons behind the hoarder's behaviors; will have a compassionate structured program that produces success; will have the ability to customize exercises that build trust while challenging the hoarder in a positive way; will work at a pace that doesn't push the hoarder into regression; and will be able to offer ongoing support and coaching as needed.
"Helping a hoarder is NEVER about "you - the professional or the family member" and what you expect them to do...
Helping a hoarder and creating behavioral changes is all about "the hoarder" and developing a program that works for them long-term."
You can best help someone who hoards by contacting professionals who can effectively and compassionately guide them through the 5 HC steps:
first-Awareness; second-Healing; third-Clearing; fourth-Manage; and fifth-Empower." CJ Harlan
Despite popular belief, due to the TV programs mentioned, hoarders are not all level five hoarders surrounded by rotting food, no working utilities, roach and rat infestations, wall to wall animal feces, bottles of urine, and every room in their house filled to the ceilings. Although these extremes are very REAL and not made-for-TV...what few know is that there are far more people with hoarding habits and behaviors that lead to these more extreme levels of hoarding, if not noticed and addressed early. Level 1, 2, and 3 Hoarders are mentioned in hoarding books, yet the hoarders that get the most attention for TV tend to be level four and five. Why? It's TV!!!
As seen on TV, extreme hoarding is also what gets the most attention off screen because the conditions are usually "found out" and reported by a family member, doctors, social services, emergency professionals or landlords.
That said...
What about all the level 1, 2 and 3 hoarders?
Where are they, and why don't we hear more about them?
What about the clean and organized hoarders?
What about food hoarders?
What about all the children who are developing hoarding behaviors?
What about all the early-onset hoarding personality traits and behaviors that go unnoticed to the untrained eye?
How do you connect with a hoarder and help them succeed at making positive changes a part of their life?
All these answers, among many others, are provided by CJ Harlan. She can give you the guidance and on-going support you need. CJ also gives support to family, friends, partners, landlords and employers of hoarders.
CJ Harlan also educates and trains other coaches and professional organizers on how to work with hoarders in a way which is sure to increase the healing success rates of people who hoard.
CJ has two hoarding books hitting the shelves in the near future and over 30 years of experience in hoarding to offer you. She is committed to your healing and is determined to make a difference in how you can overcome your pain. Working with CJ in her guidance program, you can heal and learn how to live a healthy, happy, success-filled hoard free life.
To learn more, Contact CJ, today.
Unlike some of the so-called professionals I have observed...a professional: will be able to keep negative personal emotions out of the process; will not get defensive; will never be condescending, judgmental, or belittling; will truly understand the many possible reasons behind the hoarder's behaviors; will have a compassionate structured program that produces success; will have the ability to customize exercises that build trust while challenging the hoarder in a positive way; will work at a pace that doesn't push the hoarder into regression; and will be able to offer ongoing support and coaching as needed.
"Helping a hoarder is NEVER about "you - the professional or the family member" and what you expect them to do...
Helping a hoarder and creating behavioral changes is all about "the hoarder" and developing a program that works for them long-term."
You can best help someone who hoards by contacting professionals who can effectively and compassionately guide them through the 5 HC steps:
first-Awareness; second-Healing; third-Clearing; fourth-Manage; and fifth-Empower." CJ Harlan
Despite popular belief, due to the TV programs mentioned, hoarders are not all level five hoarders surrounded by rotting food, no working utilities, roach and rat infestations, wall to wall animal feces, bottles of urine, and every room in their house filled to the ceilings. Although these extremes are very REAL and not made-for-TV...what few know is that there are far more people with hoarding habits and behaviors that lead to these more extreme levels of hoarding, if not noticed and addressed early. Level 1, 2, and 3 Hoarders are mentioned in hoarding books, yet the hoarders that get the most attention for TV tend to be level four and five. Why? It's TV!!!
As seen on TV, extreme hoarding is also what gets the most attention off screen because the conditions are usually "found out" and reported by a family member, doctors, social services, emergency professionals or landlords.
That said...
What about all the level 1, 2 and 3 hoarders?
Where are they, and why don't we hear more about them?
What about the clean and organized hoarders?
What about food hoarders?
What about all the children who are developing hoarding behaviors?
What about all the early-onset hoarding personality traits and behaviors that go unnoticed to the untrained eye?
How do you connect with a hoarder and help them succeed at making positive changes a part of their life?
All these answers, among many others, are provided by CJ Harlan. She can give you the guidance and on-going support you need. CJ also gives support to family, friends, partners, landlords and employers of hoarders.
CJ Harlan also educates and trains other coaches and professional organizers on how to work with hoarders in a way which is sure to increase the healing success rates of people who hoard.
CJ has two hoarding books hitting the shelves in the near future and over 30 years of experience in hoarding to offer you. She is committed to your healing and is determined to make a difference in how you can overcome your pain. Working with CJ in her guidance program, you can heal and learn how to live a healthy, happy, success-filled hoard free life.
To learn more, Contact CJ, today.
CJ Harlan Hoarding Books for release in 2015:
"Hide 'N Seek, A Guide to Facing and Overcoming The Hoarding Games" copyright © 2012
"Unit 754, A Personal Story About How Abuse and Loss Led to Hoarding" copyright © 2012
"Hide 'N Seek, A Guide to Facing and Overcoming The Hoarding Games" copyright © 2012
"Unit 754, A Personal Story About How Abuse and Loss Led to Hoarding" copyright © 2012
