If you find that your relationship with alcohol and/or drugs is problematic and you’ve thought about getting help, you’re in the right place. Together we will unpack the ways in which your substance use is negatively impacting your life and assess what course of action you need to either change your behavior or quit entirely.
At the root of most substance abuse and addiction is an underlying mental health issue such as anxiety, depression or trauma. We will begin to treat this underlying issue while working on tactical tools to help with your chosen goal of either harm reduction or sobriety. These may include but are not limited to: changing thinking and behaviors connected to use, addressing triggers and cravings, finding the right philosophy and community of support (AA, SMART Recovery, Refuge Recovery), creating new structure in your daily life, taking care of your physical body and, most importantly, finding meaning and renewed purpose as you approach your life in this new way.
As a former clinician at Promises Treatment Centers, I have walked countless individuals through the journey of sobriety. I have found over and over again, it simply takes a committed desire to stop using and an open mind to take one day, one moment, at a time. Clients share that working with me on substance abuse has allowed them to reduce shame, develop insight into what’s driving the addiction and have a box of tools to draw from to aid them in recovery. Addiction thrives in secrecy and isolation; you don’t have to do this alone.
LOVED ONES
If you are the loved one of someone struggling with addiction, you may feel lost and confused about how to help and how to cope with the multitude of emotions you are experiencing as well. A family member’s addiction—be it spouse, parent, sibling or child—disrupts the entire family system. Often times, we believe if our loved one can just “fix” the problem, our family will be okay again. This is erroneous. Whether your loved one is in treatment or not, you have your own path to recovery in this.
In our work together, we will look at the ways you may be unintentionally enabling your loved one’s behavior and learn how to create healthy boundaries. We will deconstruct why you can’t control your family member’s behavior and how you may be unknowingly worsening the problem by trying to do so. We will address the complicated feelings you are experiencing and make sure you are doing all you can to care for yourself and connect with support such as Al-Anon. The fundamental principle of recovery is coming into acceptance that the only person you can change is YOU. This shift in thinking often produces trickle-down effects for the whole family system.
CONTACT: 323.388.5384