Addiction Therapists in Mamaroneck, NY.

Addiction is a mental health condition and I treat addiction by a multi-pronged process predominately from a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) model. I help my clients understand the reasons they use a substance or engage in an addictive behavior, teach them skills regulate their emotions and tolerance distress that might otherwise lead them to engage in their addiction, and address any underlying issues that contribute to their addiction. I also help clients with with concerns about their substance use or compulsive behavior to avoid developing addictions.

Addiction Counseling can include substances, alcohol, behaviors, eating, technology, gambling and others will be addressed in therapy sessions. Taking a look at current patterns in behaviors and how changes can occur will be explored and processed. Natural ways to target urges and cravings will be discussed in order to build confidence in the ability to tackle any challenge.

Individuals in the process of recovering from substance use can learn how to prevent relapse, identify and process triggers associated with substance use, learn interpersonal and emotion regulation skills to navigate life in recovery from using substances and assist in developing a positive support system. Individuals can learn about treatment and recovery from substances.

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.

Having worked in the addiction counseling and psychotherapy field has allowed me to become a certified alcohol and addiction counselor (CASAC) where I offer treatment for substance abuse understanding individuals who suffer from addiction and their families who also might be suffering. I have helped many clients find treatment help whether its in Westchester or Putnam County partnering with substance abuse rehabs and other treatment providers. Often the client likes to talk about their struggles or a family member might call for an intervention. Call to discuss your needs.

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.

Recovery is hard work, and the work doesn't stop once treatment ends. I support individuals in recovery from addiction who are committed to maintaining sobriety and building a life that actually feels worth living. Using EMDR and DBT, we'll address the underlying experiences that fueled the addiction, strengthen your emotional regulation skills, and develop a solid relapse prevention plan that holds up when things get hard. Personal accountability, long-term wellbeing, and genuine growth are at the center of this work. Please note that I work with individuals in recovery, not those actively in the throes of addiction.

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.

Sexual addiction (SA) is complex and runs deep. Addicts don't mean to spiral so far out of control, but, untreated, SA takes over and progresses. In recovery, addicts experience relief from leading a double life and keeping up with secrets and lies. Betrayed partners universally feel a range of emotion, including, rage, shock, fear, and confusion. Devastated by broken trust and safety, betrayal trauma makes it hard to function and regulate emotions. This is normal. Working from a betrayal trauma approach, your safety is priority. You can heal in the aftermath of this trauma! Specializing in betrayal trauma recovery, I help couples heal after betrayal and rebuild trust deeper than before.

I will help you find freedom from your compulsive and addictive behaviors. Leveraging a solutions-focused approach via an 8-session curriculum to help men understand and overcome sex and porn addiction, or compulsive sexual behavior disorder. We will discuss problem definition, solution creation via the miracle exercise, understanding control through understanding internal/external variable assessment, brain mapping, identity, sustainable sobriety, defense mechanisms and ultimately determining what fix your compulsive behavior is delivering.

Cyber and video game addictions or abuse are a relative recent phenomena. This is a issue that effects youth and adults. It can cause loss of sleep, social isolation and result in neglecting basic and important responsibilities. Through psychotherapy we will explore the need for the escape, what is the secondary gain, as well as working on tools to help change the behaviors that have become routine and habit.

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.

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.