Addiction Therapists in Cerritos, CA.

The benefits of Addiction Counseling and Treatment are manifold. Too often individuals are controlled by substances in their life and don't feel free to make their own choices. People can be addicted to everything from drugs, to caffeine, to shopping, to gambling, to alcohol, etc. Addiction counseling is about understanding the need one may feel to be attached to a substance. Counseling focuses on developing other coping skills to manage ones' life without depending on a substance to get through each day.

Addicted to alcohol, marijuana, cocaine? Addicted to sex, the internet, gambling, shopping, food, porn, exercise, money? Or perhaps you have achieved sobriety as a recovering Alcoholic or Drug Addict, you attend AA or NA regularly, and want additional support from a psychologist? I can help. In my Newport Beach Private Practice, I draw on my prior experience as a psychologist at celebrity rehab Morningside Recovery in Newport Beach. My specialties in helping you through recovery are Anxiety Disorders, Bipolar Disorders, Anger Management, and Couples Counseling. Call, click or text (949)791-7127 and get the support you need.

We become addicted to certain behaviors when painful feelings about ourself cannot be recognized or expressed, and therefore unprocessed. Caught in these unrecognized feelings that never get understood, behaviors of accommodation take hold and keep us trapped. Therapy is a process of recognizing these emotional patterns leading to a personal empowerment to speak what one really desires and needs. This process breaks the addictive patterns.

Are you abusing, addicted, or not sure? Are you concerned about substances (alcohol, pot, cocaine, meth), behaviors (sex, porn, computers, gambling, spending, cutting), or both? Together, we can see if these issues are really a problem for you. If you’re having problems in these areas, we can sort it out and deal with it. Some people benefit from 12-step programs, and others don’t want them. I can work either way. Together, we’ll see what triggers you, how you deal with them, what works, what doesn’t, what situations affect your using and not using, and how this ties in with your earlier life. We’ll see what helps you to cope, where that works and doesn’t, and what other options might be.

No one likes pain. No one likes to feel alone, or stressed, or scared. Wouldn't it make sense to do what it takes to give ourselves relief from our despair? Turning to drugs, alcohol, food, spending, tv...you name it, can be our best way to get relief from our pain. And it works...momentarily. Unfortunately, it can become much bigger than we planned. Sometimes, it can hurt those we love and get in the way of living the life we want. Finding out what is underneath that pain, and helping it to be soothed without our addiction can be hard...but it can set us free. If you are ready to reclaim your joy, begin with this first courageous step of reaching out for help.

Does it feel like sex or a substance is out of your control? Maybe it feels compulsive, it's the fix for sadness, hurt, anger and stress its also what you’ve used to increase your joy, peace and good feeling. Whether you call it addiction or just problematic, you're reading this because you're hoping things could be better. I'm here to tell you they can be. Together we will work to understand what's really going on and get you to a place where you feel a sustained sense of goodness. If you're ready--let's connect. I'd love to meet you and see how I can help.

The hardest part of addiction is often the cycle: the relief, the regret, the promise to stop, and then the return — each loop chipping away at your confidence that anything can change. That cycle isn't a sign of weakness; it's a sign that the real need underneath hasn't yet been met another way. Our work goes after that underlying need. Together we'll explore what draws you back — the feelings you're managing, the emptiness or anxiety the substance fills, the parts of your story that haven't been spoken — so the behavior loses its hold from the inside out. Insight on its own isn't magic, but understanding why you reach for it, paired with real support, is what makes lasting change possible.

I believe that as we grow up we are shaped by our relationships; this starts from the time we are little and continues for the rest of our lives. Through these relationships we are also shaped by society. In being shaped we create various meaning from our experiences as well as receiving and giving instructions on how to live. When we form new relationships of any kind, this gets challenged; coming together and finding a path forward that celebrates all involved is the key to success. Sometimes this gets stalled through unspoken expectations and anticipated or unanticipated pressure related to shame. Lets explore this!

Struggles with addiction and substance abuse can often be accompanied by guilt and shame, and this guilt and shame are typically triggers for continued use/relapse. Use of a strengths-based approach to treating substance abuse can tap an individual's own strengths to gain insight and to increase coping skills. Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy can also prove useful to address unmet needs, feeling "stuck" and challenging irrational thoughts that lead to continued use.

Any Unresolved issues from your past can lead to more serious disorders such as an alcoholism, drug addiction, sex addiction and others. We will go beyond the symptom of the addiction you are experiencing and treat the underlying cause and possible unresolved psychological trauma. This will help you restore your sense of control and reduce the poweful hold that any the addictive behaviors have on you.

Clients grappling with addiction often feel a profound injury to their confidence, trapped in a cycle that seems insurmountable. In my therapy process, you will discover a compassionate and understanding environment where the underlying reasons for addiction are not only identified but addressed with clear, actionable solutions. My approach emphasizes the your unique experience, helping you to rebuild self-trust and confidence. Through personalized support and long-term management strategies, clients will find empowerment in their journey towards recovery, regaining control, and hope for a healthier future.