Addiction Therapists in Las Flores, CA.

Just about everybody knows someone who is struggling with the abuse of a substance. Alcoholism in particular is so widespread in our society that in the last fifteen years there are more treatment centers than ever before providing assistance to those who have lost control over their drinking. What about family members? Alcoholism is a relationship buster. It breaks down families and damages children. It leaves spouses feeling helpless, confused and frightened. Family members know there is a problem. Everybody walks on egg shells. Talking to a loved one doesn’t help and sometimes makes it worse. Living with addiction makes life unpredictable every day. There are fights and arguments and chaos, and then there is peace-until there isn’t again and the...(view profile to read more)

Most often, nothing becomes an issue until it starts to interfere with your own level of functioning. Depending on the level of addiction, may depend on your level of treatment. Outpatient therapy is focused on those who are more stable within their addiction, and are wanting continued accountability and personal growth as their focus. Treatment may be more collaborative at this level (psychiatrist, physician, sponsor) to ensure that progress is continuing. Types of addiction treated in my practice: drug/alcohol use, food/exercise, shopping and co-dependency issues.

We see a variety of clients who struggle with addictive or compulsive behaviors and impulsivity. People who struggle with these symptoms may choose one or more repeating behaviors, actively engaging in pornography, alcohol, food, a belief, another person, gambling, gaming, or acquiring material possessions. Helping clients to understand the nature of addiction and the factors contributing to the behavior is the first step toward freedom. Tailoring treatment to the problem, we engage with the pattern using a multi-level approach. Not limiting therapy to only behavioral methods, we use CBT as well as Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Motivational Interviewing.

I do not work with severe drug and alcohol addiction. I work with clients who are able to function, yet finding it becoming more difficult and needing to stop their behavior before they hit bottom. We use cognitive behaviorial techniques to protect them from acting out and build up a support network. We also begin to explore soothing and coping techniques which are needed and missing.

I am a trained facilitator for Smart Recovery, a non-12 step alternative program which offers practical tools to help those suffering from the harmful habits called addictions. I work with clients to build and maintain motivation to overcome addictions, manage cravings and urges, and to control unhealthy thoughts, behaviors and feelings. Together, we can create a lifestyle that celebrates long term vs. short term satisfactions.

Addiction has many external forms (i.e. substance, alcohol, sex, gambling, shoplifting, etc.) and in looking at recovery for addiction, one needs to be able to: acknowledge the addiction, be open to a more balanced way of living, be honest with themselves, and be willing to make the appropriate choices to counter-act one's addictive behaviors. In recovery from addiction, it becomes the little things that build and grow into the big ones.

One of my specialties is addiction. I have over 20 years of knowledge in working with chemically dependent mind. I have professional as well as personal experience with Addiction. I can relate and support the addict or loved ones of the addict it handlebar understanding of how recovery works. Addiction affects not only our relationships but our inner being. Addiction doesn't have to be a disability or secret. I treat addiction in my practice and at hospitals in the Orange County and Los Angels areas.

Addictions are ways people have learned to cope and regulate difficult and painful feelings. My approach is to teach you how to talk about and process the underlying emotions which fuel your addiction, and find alternative ways of coping. No matter what the addiction, it can distract you from important relationships in your life and keep you from being the person you know you can be.

Addictions are a complicated area of work. Often the specific addiction is a symptom for much deeper discontent and shame. Along with the physical body addiction, many times the psycho-emotional issues have been present for a long time. Gaining insight and understanding to these usually very early aspects of oneself can be a useful life long tool in recovery and maintaining that recovery.

Empty places within us create vacuums that long to be filled. Drugs, alcohol, sex, spending money, eating, being excessively busy are examples of the ways we attempt to fill the holes that exist within us. Going back to the origin of what created the 'hole' and repairing at that level releases us from the pull of the various forms of addictive behavior. If we don't attend to this, we may stop one addictive behavior, but we will evitably find another. These 'holes' are always healed in the context of a safe, reflective relationship. The therapeutic relationship can help repair those palces where we were left alone to process things we had no early capacity to handle.

I specialize in helping people overcome sex or porn addiction. I know the chaos these addictions can bring to relationships. I have helped many people from the troubled beginning of their journey to the loving conclusion.Finding the right person to help you is a lot to do with chemistry. Please call me at (949) 288-3123 if you have any questions at all. I want your therapy journey to be as successful as possible.

Scientists have researched for years to isolate and locate a physiological marker that would identify someone’s predilection for addictive behavior. However, even if they were successful, any addict could tell you that addiction is much more than a physical problem. No matter the addiction, multiple factors contribute to the descent into this common form of mental illness. Physiological factors do play a role in addictions, as well as do family, cultural, environmental, and psychological considerations. So, which is it for you? If you are a typical addict, all of them apply to a certain extent. Relapses into addiction after typical rehab treatments, usually occur when all factors haven’t been ....

Substance misuse is a common phenomenon in our culture. Sometimes we use substances to cope with physical, emotional and psychological pain and discomfort. We also may feel substances enhance happiness and create a party—until the party becomes a problem. Whether you are currently struggling with addiction or addiction has been part of your journey, we will work together to understand what role substance plays or has played in your life, as well as identifying your preferred relationship recovery. I practice motivational interviewing and and emphasize a recovery oriented care model, which recognizes the many facets to a person beyond their addiction.