How can therapy help?

It can take time to arrive at the place where stopping seems like a possibility.

For some people, the desire to stop comes long before it actually seems possible.

Maybe you have spent years grappling with whether or not this is something you can control. To this, I invite you to shift your lens: the substance or behavior may seem like THE PROBLEM, but for most people who struggle with addictions, they have been the SOLUTION.

You might wonder:

• What do I do after I stop?

• How do I live sober?

• And what the hell do I do with all these FEELINGS?

Letting go of a coping skill that no longer works is a process filled with grief. Whether your denial has looked like ‘beer but not whiskey’, taking a trip or not taking a trip, or too many broken resolutions to count (which can also be called “changing your mind”), denial is an important step to acknowledge in the process.

From there, we can explore together what a life worth living means to you. For many people, sobriety is the ultimate goal, because the thought of managing and controlling their use feels overwhelming. And for some, harm reduction is more appealing.

In exploring your relationship with substances or problematic behaviors, you can attain some clarity on what you want your life to look like, how addiction or dependency has impacted this, and begin to focus on finding the fulfillment, contentment and peace you have been longing for.

It is possible, and it is worth it. And you don’t have to do it alone. Click the button below to schedule a free call with me to learn more.

You might find yourself asking, is this REALLY something I need to give up?

Whether fueled by alcohol, drugs, or a behavior that is addictive for you (sex/relationships, screen time, food, shopping, gambling, etc), the root feeling is the same. Addiction is fueled by shame.

You find yourself stuck in the same habits, even though they have stopped working like they used to. Maybe you tell yourself it's not a big deal even though your mental health, sleep, or relationships are affected. Maybe you know the behavior is feels compulsive, but have no idea how to go about changing it. You spend time ruminating about whether or not it’s an "addiction" and maybe even find ways to justify that it's not - so it shouldn't have a negative impact...Right?

The truth is you have wanted to make a change for some time, maybe even switching out one addictive habit for another.

You may not want to stop, but you know that something isn't right and need to figure out how to avoid the negative consequences. Whether it's substance-related (nicotine/vaping, cannabis, alcohol, illicit or prescription drugs) or behavior-based (screen time/social media, gaming, food, pornography, gambling, relationships, sex) there is an emotional component that you just can't ignore anymore.

You might find yourself thinking: 

"Everybody spends time on their phone - I should be able to just put it down."

"When I think of giving this thing up, I truly can't imagine how I would cope without it."

"I didn't used to smoke weed / drink this often, but now it's a nightly thing. What happened? Why is it so hard to go back to how it used to be?"

"I don't wake up and [insert habit], so I don't have a problem. I just need to stop [habit] during the week and I'll be fine."

"Social media and doom scrolling is affecting my sleep and my mental health, and I feel stuck in a spiral I can't escape."

"I know there are other things I can do to care for myself, but none of them seem appealing. They just won't relax me like this does."

Or even:

"I've been sober from alcohol and drugs for a while, why am I still struggling emotionally? 

"I'm sober from alcohol but having compulsions to use food/relationships/nicotine/etc. that I had in my addiction.”

I help by helping you to explore the function of these behaviors, and the thoughts and feelings that come with them. I also teach you new ways to cope with stress that can lessen the overwhelm that leads to these behaviors in the first place. Over time these reward-chasing behaviors can lead to a state of dopamine deficiency, and you find yourself in a pattern of needing MORE dopamine just to avoid the irritability, anxiety, depression and overall lack of joy you may be feeling.

Click the button below to schedule a free consult with me and take the first step to feeling better now.