Addiction Therapists in Wheeling, IL.

Are you engaged in alcohol, substance (cannabis, cocaine, heroin, meth, etc), chronic gambling and/or pornography addictions? If you are questioning whether you have a clinical dependency and would like an initial evaluation or if you have been in treatment and need continued support in therapy please contact me. I specialize in working with professionals, young adults and dual diagnosis individuals. In addition, I provide services to spouses/partners of those suffering from addictions as well as young adults and adults who have experienced living with an addicted parent. I support those in 12 step, Al-Anon and SMART recovery programs. Contact me today.

This therapy treats substance abuse, sex addiction, overspending, overeating, gambling and internet shopping addictions. Working in collaboration with other 12-step programs in the community, together we will develop a plan to help you and your family through the difficult decisions and process of change of defining, understanding, and coping with addiction. We also offer toxicology screening, breathalyzer readings, and liaison services for those who are court mandated to treatment.

Making the decision to tackle an addiction (substances, sex, gambling, food) is one of the most difficult decisions any of us ever makes. I can help you to examine how your thinking and behavioral patterns may undermine your success in breaking free from an addictive habit and assist you in establishing new, more adaptive ways to work through your addiction. Families who are struggling with an addict are not only critical to the addict's recovery, but most often are behaving in ways that support the addiction. It is important for everyone in a family system to work together to honestly reflect on their role and begin to develop new coping mechanisms to be successful.

Have you ever tried to cut down your drinking or tried to stop other addicting behavior? It can be a very difficult process for you or for the people who love someone who has an addiction I am here to help. There us a way. It takes knowledge, commitment and finding inner strength. It is within your reach if that is truly what you want to achieve.

Treatment of an addiction must take a priority when initiating couples or family counseling. The disease is often inherited from previous generations and can lead to highly dysfunctional patterns evolving such as, codependency, physical or sexual abuse, and diffuse boundaries. At our practice, we offer evidenced-based practices in addiction including psychiatric evaluation, ongoing psychotherapy and family support therapy.

Additions can often be understood as an effort to numb the pain resulting in one’s failure in their relationship with the self. Feeling unable to experience adequate levels of self-esteem can reflect difficulty in loving and caring for yourself or accepting love from others. Feeling vulnerable and exposed can reflect difficulties in feeling able to protect yourself resulting from difficulties with setting effective boundaries, while losing yourself in the face of other’s beliefs can reflect difficulties with identifying and sharing who you know yourself to be. These and other symptoms can lead you to seeking to numb yourself from the pain of feeling overwhelmed. Reconnect with yourself.

I have worked wirh hundreds of substance abusers in the past, and I work with people who are abstinent and involved in a program such as AA or NA. Many times the substance abusers have an underlying psychiatric disorder and may be "self medicating" and I will make appropriate referrals for medication.All of the substance abusers that I have worked with have an underlying trauma or depression or unresolved grief.

I have many years of experience helping those struggling from substance addictions learn the path of sobriety. My approach to addiction treatment is holistic, focusing on regenerating a person's relationship to their body, mind and soul. Without this focus on the entirety of the individual, success in recovery is often limited. I truly believe that addiction robs the human spirit of the ability to accurately think, feel and experience the true world. I work with each person to lift the veil and discover the emotional and psychological pain in need of kindness, discovery and healing in order to begin the life-long journey of sobriety.

I teach the skills from DBT(Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and also use concepts and exercises from ACT(Acceptance Commitment Therapy). Both of these therapies mesh beautifully with the Twelve Step Programs. For instance, DBT and ACT emphasize acceptance, values, and meditation. I reinforce clients working their programs through the use of these therapies.

In my general practice, I employ many of the same approaches and strategies as the famed "12-Step" program. I have worked with drug and alcohol addicts who are able to function at school and work. I do not work with serious drug or alcohol addictions as I am not so qualified. However, I work with families of functional and non-functional addicts.

We have a number of professional counselors and psychologists who are licensed and have specialized training in treating all kind of addictions which include alcohol, drugs, internet addiction, addiction to pornography, and gambling. We use a variety of techniques to provide outpatient treatment. Many addicts have dual diagnoses we attempt to determine their primary diagnosis and develop an individualized treatment plan.

Unlike what we commonly believe, addiction is not a chronic brain disease. Rather, it’s a symptom of compulsions — compulsions that help us escape from dealing with our underlying emotional issues. If their underlying issues are not addressed, the addicts will be back through the revolving door, with addiction resurfacing in another form. Please note: what addicts truly seek is not a drink, a substance or a gaming fix itself. The drink or the gaming fix is merely a displacement of something else they really seek. Something interpersonal. The key to therapy lies in coaching them to use proactive actions to address their underlying feelings more directly, instead of running away from them

Addiction changes normal desires and priorities. It changes normal behaviors and interferes with the ability to work, go to school, and to have good relationships with friends and family. At Portrait Health Centers, therapy can greatly benefit the person seeking treatment for addictions and substance abuse. Schedule an appointment at Portrait Health Centers today!