Addiction Therapists in Cedar Grove, NJ.

Overall, I treat addiction much like I would treat any other crisis. I would do addiction assessment to make sure I'm the right person to treat you. I'd identify triggers, what makes you more likely to repeat the addictive behavior. I can work with substance use and sex addiction. My general belief is that addiction is a way that people avoid dealing with other people and their problems. It can be a learned behavior. In order to stop doing the offensive behavior, it is important to focus on what you do want to do. This is the process of recovery, and I will do my best to facilitate this.

Our credentialed music therapists tailor sessions to each individual, utilizing personalized music exercises and interventions to address each person's unique symptoms of addiction. Our music therapists work with each client using musical elements like songwriting, processing, and guided imagery to help clients find their own voice and learn new coping skills to help manage addiction of any kind and severity.

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.

ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) can be adapted for addiction treatment by exposing individuals to triggers associated with substance use while preventing the typical compulsive response. Through repeated exposure to these cues, clients learn to tolerate cravings and resist the urge to use substances. ERP for addiction targets maladaptive patterns of behavior and helps individuals develop healthier coping mechanisms. By breaking the cycle of avoidance and compulsive substance use, ERP promotes long-term recovery and enhances overall well-being.

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.

I show people who are misusing substances that overcoming an addiction is quite possible. I emphasize work and practice at coping skills. I first help the individual to judge only their self-defeating behavior but never to put themselves down as a person for being addicted. This helps reduce guilt, shame, anxiety and denial. We focus on developing coping skills to handle problems and change behavior. I show the individual how to develop emotional and behavioral control even when life is difficult and stressful. I teach how to increase frustration tolerance. I lay out a specific plan for coping with temptation. I build and maintain motivation for staying with the recovery process.