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Ingrid Clayton Ph.D.

About

Ingrid Clayton, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She holds a Master's in transpersonal psychology and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. As a psychotherapist and writer, she is interested emotional sobriety, holistic health, and authenticity. Since 2004, she has been working in diverse clinical settings including inpatient and outpatient dual-diagnosis treatment centers for alcoholics, addicts and their families. Ingrid's expertise in addiction led her to conduct research on spiritual bypass (the use of spirituality to avoid dealing with one's reality or emotional experience) in 12-Step recovery. She is the author of Recovering Spirituality: Achieving Emotional Sobriety in Your Spiritual Practice (Hazelden, 2011). Her memoir, Believing Me: Healing from Narcissistic Abuse and Complex Trauma, uncovers her personal experience of childhood trauma from a psychologist’s perspective.

Books by Ingrid Clayton Ph.D.
Recent Posts
What Is Trauma-Bonding?
A Personal Perspective: When "knowing better" didn't bring relief, I learned how the nervous system could be wired for unhealthy attachments.
What Is Complex PTSD?
I always knew I had trauma in a colloquial sense. But I didn’t think it was "real trauma." Now, I know better.
The Homing Pigeon

As a psychologist, I might have “known better” than to date a true sociopath. But that was part of the appeal—thinking I could win a game designed to devour me.

As a psychologist, I might have “known better” than to date a true sociopath. But that was part of the appeal—thinking I could win a game designed to devour me.

Stop the Self-Diagnosis

I assure you, most people have binge watched a TV-show when they could have been at the gym. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be more active, but diagnosing ourselves as deficient when we don’t hit the mark isn’t helping matters. And it’s just not true (and it’s just not kind).

I assure you, most people have binge watched a TV-show when they could have been at the gym. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be more active, but diagnosing ourselves as deficient when we don’t hit the mark isn’t helping matters. And it’s just not true (and it’s just not kind).

Cake Drunk

I’ve always said that the reason I’ve never tried a Krispy Kreme donut is the same reason that I have never tried cocaine - either way I’m sure to wake up three days later in a daze with white powder all over my face, wondering what the hell’s just happened. My name is Ruthie, and I’m a cake drunk.

I’ve always said that the reason I’ve never tried a Krispy Kreme donut is the same reason that I have never tried cocaine - either way I’m sure to wake up three days later in a daze with white powder all over my face, wondering what the hell’s just happened. My name is Ruthie, and I’m a cake drunk.

Cult of Personality

Moving from self-rejection to self-acceptance.

Moving from self-rejection to self-acceptance.

Turning It Over

The essence of Step 3 is to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him. In short, we are asked to “turn it over.” This begs the question, “what exactly am I turning over?” And the subtext, “what are my opinions and preferences about how I would like things to go?”

The essence of Step 3 is to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, as we understood Him. In short, we are asked to “turn it over.” This begs the question, “what exactly am I turning over?” And the subtext, “what are my opinions and preferences about how I would like things to go?”

Becoming Integrated

How do you hold on to who you are, who you are becoming and where you are headed in the midst of incredible uncertainty?

How do you hold on to who you are, who you are becoming and where you are headed in the midst of incredible uncertainty?