Substance Use Disorder

It starts slowly.

Substance use disorder starts so slowly that you can’t remember when it began. During the pandemic? After the divorce? It doesn’t matter right now.

You started seeing signs – when you took out the recycling and realized all those bottles were yours, when the weed dispensary gave you a loyalty card, or when your friend died of cancer, and you helped yourself to leftover pain meds to get you through.

Then, it escalates all at once.

You start to see the escalation – when you had that “close call” driving home from the bar, when you had to fight to “look straight” so your co-workers wouldn’t notice, and when you started searching for a doctor who isn’t afraid to prescribe you the strong stuff, unlike your last doctor. And the one before.

Substance use disorder starts affecting your work, health, and relationships. Soon you’re locked into a vicious cycle. You can’t go to the office loaded, but you’re too uncomfortable straight. That stuff gave you the energy to go all night, and now you can’t wake up without it. You lie to your family about your use, feel guilty about lying, use more to chase the guilt, lie more to cover up the use…

You stop being present with your loved ones. No matter who you’re with, you can’t wait for them to leave so you can return to your sad little party of one. You start to wonder if maybe you have a problem. You’re no expert….

But I am.

I’ve got fancy certificates on the wall to prove it. I’ve got a battery of tests to determine the criteria for diagnosis. Twenty-plus years of experience in evidence-based recovery modes have equipped me with the skills to help. And to this expert, the most reliable sign of a problem is asking yourself if you have one. Take my word for it, and I’ll take yours.

You’ve heard the horror stories and know how it will end – in jails, institutions, and death. But that’s for other people. You have money and resources and a respectable-looking life. The concept of being locked up or worse sounds so far-fetched to you. I agree.

Let me tell you a more likely story.

You might not go to jail, but being too high or hung over to function will make you a prisoner in your own home.

You might not sell your body for a fix, but you will seek out romantic partners who facilitate your use or look the other way.

You might not actually die, but your use – and inability to stop it – will beat you mentally, emotionally, and spiritually until life no longer feels worth it.

You could also die or end up in jail. Rehab is for the lucky ones.

You’ve come to the right place.

But only if you’re ready to do the work.

See, I’m the most sympathetic and least sympathetic therapist regarding recovery. That’s because I know firsthand how hard it is – and I also know it’s possible.

The work will challenge you. It will require you to be honest and vulnerable. I’ll make that easier for you by coming from a place of practicality and nonjudgment. Our work together is not a moral test. You’re not a bad person. We will even laugh a lot.

That’s right – we will laugh. It’s powerful medicine, and I laugh a lot with my clients. These issues are too severe to contemplate without a dose of humor.

Laughter loosens the tongue and frees the mind. It reminds us that we’re all just trying to navigate this absurd adventure we call life. It’s okay if you’re not ready to crack a joke or even a smile. When you’re done crying, you will laugh.

There are no shortcuts to my approach.

I will go easy on describing my methods. In the first place, there’s no one-size-fits-all. Your usage and issues are unique to you, and we will develop a plan to meet you where you are.

Suffice it to say that I am intimately familiar with interventions such as 12-Step, Rational Recovery, SMART Recovery, and harm reduction, to name a few. If you’ve tried any of these in the past and they didn’t work, we will come at them from a different angle or try a new approach completely.

Here comes the resistance!

If you’ve come to this page because you think you have a problem, your resistance reflex will kick in at the most random moments. I see it all the time. A client comes in, life in shambles, sobbing, with a history of putting things into their system you wouldn’t use to clean a toilet.

When treatment seems real, they suddenly become very picky. Everything becomes a deal-breaker. Some won’t try 12-Step because of talk about God. They can’t commit to regular sessions because what if their childcare schedule changes? They don’t like the therapist’s tone, haircut, or outfit.

In my experience, people who are serious about getting better rarely notice my outfit. And the truth is that nothing will work if you’re unwilling to work. I’m bound to piss you off sometimes, tell you things you don’t want to hear, and give you assignments you don’t want to do. It will be one of the most challenging things you’ve ever attempted. But it’s so worth it.

On the other side is freedom.

The work won’t be difficult forever. One day, you’ll come back to me sooner than you think with a story about how you were out having a great time and completely forgot you weren’t loaded or how you got through that difficult presentation without a little bottled courage.

You might tell me about how you’ve rediscovered something you used to enjoy and enjoy it more with a clear mind and healthy body. You will say these things and mean them.

If you’re ready to make the hard changes and are not afraid of facing yourself, reach out, and we will get started. You only have the freedom to gain. A life of connection, health, and prosperity greater than you could have imagined.

It’s up to you. If you don’t want it, I will cheerfully refund your misery at any time.

If you’ve decided you want a better way of life, stop stalling and call me. Get ready to laugh. Haven’t you spent enough time crying?