Therapy For Addiction

 The treatment of addiction requires a multi-pronged approach.  I use a combination of psychoeducation and Internal Family Systems  to help clients understand how their maladaptive behaviors, including drug and alcohol abuse, were originally (and generally subconsciously) developed to  help them survive.  For that reason, I use the term “survival mechanisms” rather than “character  defects.”  

I have never met someone who uses addictively who did NOT experience childhood trauma. Therefore, it is very important to understand that addiction is a traumatized [person's best way of surviving. 

Most people struggling with addiction need tools to help them regulate and tolerate emotions. Alleviating shame, addressing codependence, and promoting self-compassion are crucial to recovery, as is gentle and respectful processing of trauma. 

Many addicts are also Adult Children of Alcoholics/Addicts (ACOA) and so we also address issues of caretaking, compulsion to "fix" others, perfectionism and other ACOA hallmarks.