Addiction Therapists in Bogota, NJ.

Addiction can be a powerful driver of actions and thoughts that can disrupt your life and those of your loved ones. As a therapist that specializes in work with couples but also works with individuals, my goal is to help you understand the roots and triggers of your addiction so that I can give you the tools to adjust and modify your behavior. When you're ready to become the best possible version of yourself, let's talk.

This is an area of treatment where I have seen many miracles. Successfully moving beyond substance dependence and abuse is not a matter of will power and character. Addictions are very 'sticky' and nine decades of research and experience confirms that attempting to keep them in check without help does not work. Twelve step programs (AA, NA, CA, etc) are the ‘gold standard’ of recovery, and are tried and true methods of achieving lasting abstinence. I possess a strong 12 Step program background, but know it is very helpful to be introduced to recovery properly to feel at home. Come for a consultation and see what is possible.

Sometimes consuming drugs, food, alcohol, sex, among other things soothe anxiety or satisfy emotional hunger. However, when the roots of the anxiety and emptiness are not addressed, consumption and use have a fleeting effect, leaving you at a loss and in need of consuming or using more, and the cycle continues. As a therapist, I will help you look at the roots of your addiction: together we will do the hard work of searching underneath layers of denial and understand the wounds and pain that lie at the core of your addition. There is no magical wand that would make addictions disappears, but there is caring understanding that will help you find new ways of dealing with wounds and pain.

I help my clients become aware of how they protect against their feelings. These are called addictions We can use anything as an addiction if our intention is to avoid our feelings or to use something to make us feel worthy. I can help you manage the loneliness, helplessness and heartbreak that you may be avoiding with your addictions. Once you know you can handle your feelings then you no longer have to protect against them and can let go of your addiction.

There are all kinds of addictions, from substance abuse to internet pornography. In each case, the bottom line is that a person is dealing with feelings of depression, anger or anxiety in a destructive way. They drink, gamble or look at pornography whenever they feel stress, but do not face the feelings that are causing the stress and work through them. I encourage addicts to make use of 12-step programs in combination with psychotherapy. When they stop denying and commit themselves to both, they quickly make progress.

Addictions are complicated. They arise for a number of reasons -- biological, psychological, experiential and environmental. Different types (e.g., drug, sex, and gaming addictions) pose different risks. And they are frequently accompanied by other mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and trauma. Due to this complexity, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. I will work with you to understand the severity of your addiction; the factors that drive it; its interaction with other mental health issues; and its effects on your well-being, relationships, work, and life. This way, we can address it appropriately, along with whatever other struggles you may be experiencing.

Audrey will help you work through addiction as a symptom to a bigger problem instead of the core problem in your life. She will help you identify behavioral patterns and negative core beliefs about yourself and the world around you. Through this you will work through develop healthy coping skills outside of substance use and develop a fully developed esteemable life you can be proud of.

Drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, love, food, netflix etc. WORK! You would not use them to survive feelings that are otherwise unbearable, if they didn't. Unfortunately, there is simply never enough, or the consequences become dangerous and/or intolerable. Eventually the feelings of neglect, isolation, alienation, paranoia and loneliness return. Treatment for addiction will allow you to accept your feelings and your past so that you can regain control over your life and choices, heal relationships, and restore your sense of esteem, dignity and agency.

As a recovering person myself, I have a firsthand knowledge of the power of addiction and the joys of sobriety. I enjoy working with other people who have the courage to face their addiction, understand what is driving it and who are willing to commit to living a sober life. Living sober is a challenging task, and is best accomplished through education, exploration of triggers and alternative coping strategies, and the support of others who encourage your recovery.

One area of "addictions" I work with is in the sexual arena. However, I view this from a lens of "out of control sexual behavior," rather than an addiction lens. I see this behavior as a symptom of something deeper in the person's history and what is happening in their life, and together, whether individually, or in the context of couples therapy (or both), we explore this. Understanding what is underneath the sexual behavior, is a step toward being able to manage it differently. Regarding substances, though I am not a specialist in this area, substance use issues emerge with clients who come for other things, so I am comfortable working in this arena, and will make referrals if needed.

The cycle of addiction is dizzying to the addict and it creates what I calling "doing" some forward movement in growth. And undoing. The old (by now probably moldy) undoing). The trapdoor for the addict is you know the drug offers relief. And since you live only in the hear and now (emotional and physical pain can cause that feeling) you want the instant relief that it seems only the drug gives you. My job is to gently and sometimes not so gently dispel you of this massive myth. What you really need is to learn to slow down by substitution of behaviors. It will be clearer when we meet.