Top addiction therapists in 98277: Oak Harbor, WA.

I consider myself an expert in addiction therapy. My focus is not the addictive substance or activity. I focus on the root cause for why you engage in the various activities for the purpose of self-medication. As we flesh out the emotional and traumatic scars from past life events, you will find that your desire to self-medicate reduces significantly.

What sometimes starts as alluring, intriguing and fun...can grow into a habit or behavior that leads to mounting consequences for yourself and those around you. When you continue to engage in something that continually results in pain and problems...it can be really tough to find your way out of the snare of the behavior. Our counselors at Mill Creek Family Services are experienced and trained to help you loosen the grip of addiction. With compassion and commitment we work with you to create the shifts needed to leave the damaging habits in the past and move into a life of freedom.

My approach to helping clients with a variety of addictions is holistic in nature. I address the physical, mental, cultural / spiritual aspects that may contribute to addictive behaviors by using a combination of cognitive - behavioral therapies, neurofeedback and yoga psychology. These modalities can help clients learn how to balance their body chemistry, establish and maintain emotional balance, develop and manage the control of their thoughts and beliefs, and to define and live a life with purpose and meaning.

I work with alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual addiction, spending addiction and compulsive behaviors. I believe that these are coping mechanisms that "worked" at one time. Finding another way to comfort ourselves is key. I like 12 steps and what they have to offer as I believe that the addiction is a force of its own and we need a Power greater than ourselves to get better. I believe that for true recovery to happen, one needs to have a personality change to get away from the dry drunk state that leads them back into addiction. I have a lot of experience with this and have a lot of success stories. This is why I have chosen to specialize in this.

Addiction is a mental health condition and I treat addiction by a multi-pronged process predominately from a Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) model. I help my clients understand the reasons they use a substance or engage in an addictive behavior, teach them skills regulate their emotions and tolerance distress that might otherwise lead them to engage in their addiction, and address any underlying issues that contribute to their addiction. I also help clients with with concerns about their substance use or compulsive behavior to avoid developing addictions.

It's only rarely that addiction 'just happens.' For most who have been caught in the web of addiction, it started for a reason. That reason may or may not be obvious, but through the counseling process, you can gain a deeper understanding of what drew you to substance misuse and why you continued using even when you knew it was a problem. Then you will also learn new ways meet those needs, ways that create vitality rather than disruption in your life.