Is it bad if I don't go to counseling?
My self-healing process was initiated when I left home for six weeks. In that time, I've read books by alcoholism/codependency experts like Melody Beattie, Debra Jay, Ketchum (Under the Influence), and Harriet Lerner.
I've gone regularly to an Al-Anon group here in the town I'm living in.
I've been stepping up my practice in my Christian faith by attending church regularly, helping out at a food bank, going to Lent programs once a week and finding a spiritual director to help me with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.
I did agree also to attend counseling with AH, to support him more than anything else. AH is trying to sober up completely, but has recently been complaining about the cost of the counseling, because we just learned our insurance only covers 50% and is subject to a high deductible. He can find another counselor in-network that will still be 50% without a deductible.
The counselor we started with has asked me to see him on a regular basis (once a week). But, I spent $1300 on this "hermitage" that I'm living in, despite my great efforts to pay down a huge amount of personal debt that I have. I really don't know if I can afford this counselor.
But I'm worried that it's just denial on my part, and that I'm just trying to find excuses not to work on myself.
How would I know which is true--are all my other efforts enough, or do I really need to sort this out with a trained alcoholism counselor?