Top addiction therapists in 92831: Fullerton, CA.

A lot of people who work with addictions are rigid. They demand that their clients all attend 12 steps, abstain from before starting therapy, etc. This is not my approach. Instead, I meet my clients where they are and I support them in finding what works for them. Many do choose to participate in support groups, such as AA or Dharma Recovery. However, others choose to do their work individually. Most end up deciding to abstain but not all, and even if they do eventually conclude they shouldn't use at all they maybe don't start there from the first session.

Addiction can ruin lives. Whether it is a substance (like alcohol of drugs) or a behavior (like eating or gambling) it stimulates that part of or brain that is the reward center and makes us feel pleasure. Humans, not surprisingly, like all animals, seek pleasure and avoid pain. We can get addicted to such a degree that we lose sight of the important things in our lives; our family, friend, job etc. Anything and everything can get side-lined by our addiction. Breaking free can be hard, it can involve many attempts and yet the rewards are enormous. I don't have the magic bullet but I can walk alongside you and help you on the path to recovery and sobriety.

I bring an empathetic, non-judgemental style to my approach to treating addiction. I have extensive experience working with a variety of addictions including but not limited to pornography, gaming, shopping, cosmetic surgery and drugs and alcohol. I am currently the Program Director of The Haven at University of Redlands serving as a Clinical Life Coach for University students in recovery from drugs and alcohol living in a sober collegiate community.

Addicted to alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, romance or food? Counseling can help! I work with clients from a holistic approach addressing the mind, body and spirit. Addiction is associated with deep emotional pain in the human psyche. In order to truly heal your pain, you will need to address the needs of all aspects of yourself. Call me for a consult!

Often, when addiction becomes an issue which impairs an individual's ability to live life fully, the substance abuse is only the symptom and there is a co-occurring disorder present. Perhaps some past pain or trauma has been left unresolved. When working with the newly sober client, I first take time to cultivate a collaborative and safe relationship in which we may begin to explore ways to manage the triggers which may cause relapse. Once this is managed, we may gently and respectfully begin to explore the deeper issues which drive the triggers. Collaboratively, we will work to resolve these issues such that, triggers either become powerless or non-existent.

Struggles with addiction and substance abuse can often be accompanied by guilt and shame, and this guilt and shame are typically triggers for continued use/relapse. Use of a strengths-based approach to treating substance abuse can tap an individual's own strengths to gain insight and to increase coping skills. Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy can also prove useful to address unmet needs, feeling "stuck" and challenging irrational thoughts that lead to continued use.

I strongly believe that the first step in overcoming an addiction is to feel supported in a safe and comforting therapeutic environment. Without trust, it is nearly impossible to address the issues, including shame, that so often accompany substance abuse. My approach is to help my clients learn to identify the thoughts and beliefs (often negative thoughts about themselves and their lives) that lead them to turn to drugs or alcohol. Treatment helps the client unlearn old patterns of behavior and to learn new ways of coping with situations and thoughts that may have led them to use substances in the past.

Addictions medicate being wound up inside. Tools help people release the buried feelings that actually cause addictions! Stop treating the symptoms by trying to "white knuckle it" or give yourself pep talks. Buried feelings in old wounds are the real problem so we need tools to reach the cause, not treat the symptoms! Core wounds can keep you so wound up you can't sleep, feel anxious or crave some way to relax and "get out of your head". Tools help you understand addictions at a deeper level than just trying to say no! Addicts are actually in a great deal of pain underneath the wound up/bored level of living. Really grow out of addictions. You don't need a crutch, you need a cure

We become addicted to certain behaviors when painful feelings about ourself cannot be recognized or expressed, and therefore unprocessed. Caught in these unrecognized feelings that never get understood, behaviors of accommodation take hold and keep us trapped. Therapy is a process of recognizing these emotional patterns leading to a personal empowerment to speak what one really desires and needs. This process breaks the addictive patterns.

Addiction is complex and encompasses many entities. One of them is the participation in an AA program, another one the therapist. I can help on the therapeutic side, as addiction is often connect to underlying trauma. We will work through the trauma and the tools needed, while AA provides the tools required for sobriety. It's an ongoing process, providing growth and stability over time.

Empty places within us create vacuums that long to be filled. Drugs, alcohol, sex, spending money, eating, being excessively busy are examples of the ways we attempt to fill the holes that exist within us. Going back to the origin of what created the 'hole' and repairing at that level releases us from the pull of the various forms of addictive behavior. If we don't attend to this, we may stop one addictive behavior, but we will evitably find another. These 'holes' are always healed in the context of a safe, reflective relationship. The therapeutic relationship can help repair those palces where we were left alone to process things we had no early capacity to handle.

I have dedicated my career primarily to helping the addicted. I have over 23 years of recovery from my addictions so I understand addiction from both personal and professional perspectives. I can offer you an absolutely judgment-free environment. You will be treated with respect and dignity. Alcoholism, drug addiction, codependency or any other addiction, does not have to be your future. Through a combination of insight oriented therapy and behavioral changes, I can help you overcome your addiction, allowing you to enjoy a life of freedom from self-destructive behavior. Trust someone who's been there. My professional experience in this area of psychology is huge. I know this stuff!

I take an environment and harm reduction approach with her clients. I am caring and understanding of addiction issues. I have experience in working with families and friends suffering from a loved ones addiction. I assist my clients in finding the core and underlying issue of their addiction. I look at the client's whole environment and how that plays into their addiction.