Addiction Therapists in La Crescenta, CA.

I believe in a harm reduction model for addiction. I spent years in a clinic dealing with 50 clients, who were addicted to alcohol, opiates, cocaine, crack, and various prescription medications. Clients and I collaborated in finding the motivation to change. Every addict has entertained the thought of quiting. What we do in session is engage you in "change talk" expand on it, and reinforce it. Once the motivation for change is there, learning more positive reactions to triggers can begin. We will deal with self-esteem issues and possible traumas that may have led to self-medication. 12-Step programs are effective in relapse provention. Remember, you are not alone.

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.

Addiction can be a tricky and slippery issue to deal with due to its nonlogical nature. I know this from personal experience because I dealt with with addiction issues before becoming a psychotherapist. It is this combination of personal and professional experience that makes me uniquely qualified to help people recover from this particular issue. With the aid of tools like EMDR CBT and guided visualizations I can help you overcome this issue and heal from the issues that drive it. Additionally, I can provide tools, coping skills, and other resources to help you manage particular issues while I’m helping you heal.