Addiction Therapists in Pacific Grove, CA.

To live authentically and fully, we must have access to our feelings. In short, this means that we can identify, articulate, express, and finally take appropriate action on them. Addictions, while there is a vast continuum in type and intensity, block full access to our feelings. It is our feelings and our ability to effectively manage them (without addictions) that enable us to connect deeply with ourselves and others. They are our "internal compass" allowing us to discern various parts of ourselves as well as our choice in relationships. Therapy is the ideal place to process feelings and learn how to manage them without addictive substances and behavior.

I specialize in working with internet, video game, cell phone, social media, crypto and porn addictions. These process addictions have acquired a power over you that is difficult to break. I take a multi-faceted approach to helping you experience the change you desire. I use Motivational Interviewing to help you solidify your desire to change, I utilize abstinence based strategies and methods to help you establish and sustain sobriety, I help you learn how to replace these addictions with real relationships and interests that foster real relationships and I support you in identifying or establishing a natural support network that helps you to maintain and sustain the new changes in your life

I specialize in helping those struggling with addiction, pain, and psychological trauma. As a psychotherapist, I'm committed to providing a safe and compassionate environment for clients to explore their feelings and experiences. I understand how difficult life can be and strive to provide personalized care that best suits each person's individual needs. My goal is to work together with my clients to gain insight and understanding into their unique situation so that they can ultimately find healing.

In conjunction with couples counseling, I have had extensive experience on porn and sexual addiction recovery for husbands. For drug and alcohol addictions, I am only one part of a team for these clients - they must be participating in an outside group (such as AA, CR, etc.) and be in some type of rehab program, as well as in personal counseling.

If pornography is out of control in your life, or feels like an unhealthy habit, or addiction, I offer therapy specifically intended to help you understand your dependance upon porn, why it's so difficult to stop using, and how you can take your life back and experience freedom. If pornography has become a problem in your relationship, I help couples understand the role pornography serves, how to build empathy and understanding between one another, and how to fill the needs pornography serves in a more fulfilling way.

Addiction can be a tricky and slippery issue to deal with due to its nonlogical nature. I know this from personal experience because I dealt with with addiction issues before becoming a psychotherapist. It is this combination of personal and professional experience that makes me uniquely qualified to help people recover from this particular issue. With the aid of tools like EMDR CBT and guided visualizations I can help you overcome this issue and heal from the issues that drive it. Additionally, I can provide tools, coping skills, and other resources to help you manage particular issues while I’m helping you heal.

Many approaches to addiction emphasize willpower and deprivation, but this only works temporarily. Alcohol, substances, or other addictive behaviours like gambling and gaming offer short-term relief of underlying issues at a long-term cost to one's relationships and health. As an addiction counsellor, I can help you resolve underlying issues, regain control, and build a sense of meaning and purpose, so you can start living the life you want. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to addiction recovery. I meet each client where they are at, tailoring my approach to each person's unique needs. Send me a message and we can connect for a quick call to discuss next steps.