Troy L. Love - The Art of Peace

Troy L. Love is on a quest to help individuals, couples, and organizations find greater peace, joy, happiness, and success.

Troy serves as the President and Clinical Director of Yuma Counseling Services. He has over 20 years of experience in the mental health field. Troy received his Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh, PA in 2000 and much of his training has focused on addiction recovery. Troy also received Certification in Human Resource Studies from Cornell University. He recently completed certification as a Sexual Addiction Treatment Professional from Mid-Nazarene University.

Troy specializes in working with individuals trauma-related concerns, couples struggling in their relationships, and individuals who numb their pain through compulsive or addictive behaviors. Troy also helps couples find deeper connection. Troy is training in EMDR, a research-based treatment for trauma survivors, Brain spotting, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, and Addiction Recovery.

WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT

Finding Peace: A Workbook on Healing from Loss, Rejection, Neglect, Abandonment, Betrayal, and Abuse

"This book is for people serious about changing their life. It is a surgical like guide cutting through the layers that hide what causes us suffering and expose them. More importantly, Troy has laid out a raw and honest healing process. It is a simple, concise, and direct process for healing your emotional wounds, and changing your core beliefs that support them. Use it as a stand-alone process, or to supplement other techniques you apply." - Gary van Warmerdam, author of Mindworks: A Practical Guide for Changing Thoughts Beliefs, and Emotional Reactions, and creator of Pathwaytohappiness.com .
"Finding Peace" is the antidote needed to combat the debilitating effects of trauma. As a Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in treating addiction in families, I know this work will benefit the therapeutic world immensely. Troy's experience and excellence in bringing his own style to many good theories and ideas will help therapists like me, new interns, and especially, the individuals who want to start their own path to healing. Bravo, Troy! This is a great contribution to the field of healing from deep inner wounds!" - Denise Quirk, MA, MFT, CEO and Clinical Director at Reno Problem Gambling Center, Reno, Nevada
This workbook is a wonderful new tool! It provides keen insight into issues surrounding various forms of attachment wounds. The exercises help readers develop insight and create strategies for healing. I would highly recommend this book for my own clients." - Floyd Godfrey, LPC, CSAT, Executive Director of Family Strategies Counseling Center, Mesa, Arizona

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

1. The art of finding peace is of vital importance to the state of ones being.

1. Peace within is a matter of life and death. When we are at war internally, we are at risk of dying emotionally, spiritually, or even physically. We can behave in ways that kill others emotionally, spiritually, or physically. Finding peace is a subject which cannot be neglected.

1. There are five constant elements in Finding Peace. These are: (1) Moral Principles; (2) Light; (3) Earth; (4) Higher Power; (5) Strategy and Discipline.

1. Living by moral principles guides us in making choices that best lead to peace. When followed, the principles provide a sense of security in making courageous but sometimes challenging decisions, especially in times of danger or crisis.

1. In the midst of battling our shadows, moral reasoning can often be thrown away in the moment of a quick-fix. When we are at peace, we stand courageously, undismayed by any danger. The shadows of shame may tempt us to make choices not aligned with who we truly are or in what we believe, but do not have the power to persuade us to act contrary to our value system and principles.

1. LIGHT refers to the energy around us that brings us enlightenment. Whether it be from the heavens above, uplifting literature, art, and music, the light within, or any other sources of light.

1. EARTH comprises that which keeps us grounded. Whether it is the enriching dirt in which plants and trees draw their nutrients, sand between our toes while walking on beaches, mulchy earth under boots while hiking through the mountains, or grass under our summer-clad bodies while lying on the lawn and looking up at the clouds in the heavens, being grounded is essential in living in inner peace.

1. HIGHER POWER. In recovery 12-step circles, Higher Power is identified as a power greater than ourselves. Many individuals see this Higher Power as God or other forms of deity. Many agnostics and atheists believe that there is a power in the universe. Regardless of which conceptualization a Higher Power takes, the Higher Power inspires us to live peacefully while connecting with the energy around us and striving to live in the virtues of love, patience, and empathy.

1. METHOD and DISCIPLINE. Having accountability measures in place is essential in finding peace. We strive to build integrity by making and keeping commitments with ourselves and following through on those commitments consistently. We also must have accountability partners with whom we can be honest. We create an environment that fosters open communication, trust, and healthy ways of getting our needs met.

1. If we want to live in peace, we need to embrace these five components. In doing so, we will be victorious in finding peace. Without them, finding peace will be more challenging.

1. In our endeavors to seek a peaceful state, the following introspective questions can guide our path: