Addiction Therapists in Bethesda, MD.

I work with a variety of addictions - work, food (binge eating), exercise, sex, drugs, and alcohol. My focus is combining compassion with realism. Addictions evolve because of a predisposition combined with a great need. Among other things, this need may be a powerful emptiness, sense of despair, crushing engulfment, desire to feel alive and powerful or a desire to disappear. By addressing the self-destructive behavior, the underlying purpose of the addiction , and the environment which reinforces the addiction, great changes may be made.

Recovering from addiction requires support, commitment, motivation and time. Committing to sobriety involves changes in how you think about yourself, and how you deal with stress and relationships. I believe treatment should address your specific needs and focus on more than the addiction. Success also depends on addressing the reasons for the addiction. I use a comprehensive and holistic approach that also helps you: enhance your motivation to participate in treatment; develop strategies for coping with cravings; learn skills to avoid and prevent relapse; learn to develop a healthier life-style; and address other health problems such as depression or anxiety. I also provide and recommend additional services such as support groups and group therapy,...(view profile to read more)

Addictions can take many forms, but they all have one thing in common; addiction destroys relationships and creates intense loneliness. Most often, our addictions begin as a way to soothe our pain or turn down the “noise” in our minds. Soon, that short-lived relief is nowhere to be found and we become desperate for the next hit, high, drink, fling, etc. If you or your partner are struggling with an addiction and don’t know where to turn, you’re not alone. Call today and let’s start finding the way back.

To help you manage addictive behaviors and dependence on any mood altering substances, we will start with reviewing the history of your addictive behavior and the impact it has on your relationships, health, employment, and functioning. Sometimes addictive substances or behaviors have served to mask underlying sources of pain, such as mood instability, anxiety, relationship stressors, or emptiness and loss of meaning. These underlying factors can be addressed in psychotherapy along with learning new resources for managing addictive behaviors, such as educational lectures, family therapy, 12 step groups, and/or referral to a medical doctor for medication that aids your overall recovery.

If you have been trapped in alcoholism or addictions, I can help you. I have decades of experience, both personally and professionally, with addiction recovery. My first book, "FROM ADDICTION TO RECOVERY," (available at Amazon.com) is about how to navigate the recovery process and create a life that you love, and can be applied to any addiction. I will meet you where you are, help you to identify choices, and assist you in moving towards the best options for you. You will begin to experience more freedom in your life than ever before.