Addiction Therapists in El Cerrito, CA.

Addictions are very difficult to seek treatment for. Often there is guilt and shame as well as some resistance to giving up the addiction forever. As a result, it is important to help people learn what the addiction has done for them so that other strategies can be developed to fill the same or similar needs in more productive ways. Sometimes with addiction, people need to change friends and that can be challenging because isolation is very difficult for early recovery. I do believe 12-step type meetings can be helpful for some people but it is an individual decision and I do not push it. Recovery is an active and collaborative road.

Addicted to alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, romance or food? Counseling can help! I work with clients from a holistic approach addressing the mind, body and spirit. Addiction is associated with deep emotional pain in the human psyche. In order to truly heal your pain, you will need to address the needs of all aspects of yourself. Call me for a consult!

Addiction is a treatable illness. All that is required is that you want to stop using the substance(s). Therapy can help you overcome your addiction. Not all people fit into the AA model, although all people could benefit from the support. Even without the 12 steps, I can help you think about your cravings and your triggers so we make a plan to help you stop using - and stay stopped.

Are you sitting with feelings of shame, guilt, regret, angst, or fear in regards to your battle with addiction? Have you been through one program after another, but keep resorting to the same old patterns that ultimately lead to relapse? Are you struggling to understand what has you turning to drugs time and time again despite your various efforts to abstain? I specialize in working with people through profound shame and helping them understand the various ways it manifests in their lives. I work with those battling addiction in trying to understand their patterns and thirst for something more in life by getting them to focus more deeply on the complex issues they face in a safe space.

There are so many different approaches to treating substance abuse and addiction. Without shame or judgement I work with clients to help them uncover the underlying pain that often maintains addictive behaviors. I encourage clients to take back control of their lives by exploring and understanding their unique relationship with the addictive substance or behavior. Clients can learn to make different, healthier choices and will begin to feel that they really do deserve a better way of life. This increase in self worth and new found peace can guide clients as they heal from within and work to improve the relationships in their lives.

If you are an addict or in a relationship with an addict, you know what an insidious disease this is. Gambling, alcohol, drug, eating disorder, internet, sex, or shopping addiction affects not only the addict, but the addict's family and friends; the grip of addiction is crushing. The manifestation of any addiction is cunning, baffling, and powerful. It feels impossible to live without your drug or behavior of choice and impossible to live with it. If you are the loved one of an addict, you might experience monstrous resentment at them for their behavior. You have probably said or thought, "If they loved me, they would stop." If it were about love, they'd stop. Contact me for a consultation.

For many people who did not get the emotional support and security that they needed as a child, drugs, alcohol, and other compulsive behaviors can become a powerful way to experience a sense of calm, comfort, and internal cohesion. Ultimately, however, these same substances that once offered somewhat of a haven and a comfort, become a source of great stress, anguish and upheaval. I try to help my clients understand both how this behavior serves them and the damage that it has done to them and to get them to the point where they feel capable of giving it up because they have the tools available to help them to cope without it.

Addictions are highly entrenched behavioral patterns that seem to take on a life of their own. I view addictive patterns as ways that parts of ourselves are trying to fill unmet needs, search for comfort, relieve stress/tension and sometimes to express a powerful urge to be independent or defiant. In addition to encouraging group supports such as AA/NA, I use body awareness to help us identify triggers and to allow them to act out/ express themselves in sessions. This lessens the likelihood that they will be acted in the world- and fills in the unmet needs. I also teach ways of grounding in our body, and holding a strong stance, so that we can contain the urges when they arise.

Are you having difficulty coping with stress and find yourself repeatedly doing those unhealthy things that you want to quit? This does not have to be a full-blown "addiction" to substance but maybe you find yourself having problems stopping yourself. If so this is the perfect time to get some help to understand what you need and how to stop those habits.

I take a collaborative approach to working with issues of addiction. I believe that addiction stems from attempt to maintain the belief that one is in control of their consumption in spite of lots of evidence to the contrary. I partner with clients to help them objectively evaluate this belief and consider whether they have less control over their use than they had thought. Once one can acknowledge that they do not have control over their use, the path to full recovery becomes accessible. Each person must come to this conclusion on their own and with the aid of support rather than judgment. I strive to do this in my therapy practice.

Addiction can be a powerful force that can quickly take over your life and can lead to many negative consequences. Trying to understand your addiction(s) and the underlying reasons that led you to this way of coping can be the beginning of more control and management of these behaviors. It can be difficult to look at behaviors that have caused harm, hurt and shame. Together we can work through this process and I will support you throughout.

I am a Substance Abuse Professional, providing assessment and referral for treatment for individuals who have failed drug and or alcohol tests at work. DOT and safety sensitive work requires drug and alcohol testing to ensure the safety of the public. Once a positive test is returned, there is a procedure that must be followed for assessment, referral and follow up. Please contact me for further information on this specialization.

Addiction is usually the symptom, not directly the problem. Addiction is usually present initially because someone has really hard experiences and feelings that they are trying to escape from. But once we find a substance or behavior, it can be physiologically and emotionally/psychologically addictive. The addiction is so hard to break partly because it helps relieve us of the thoughts and feeling that we don't want to or even can't deal with. Don't beat yourself up for having addictive tendencies. A large portion of our community does. I can help you find relief, understanding and compassion as you evolve to a more nourishing and growthful existence. You're not alone.