Substance abuse doesn’t occur in a vacuum. It’s an attempt to solve the problem of overwhelming and intolerable pain. Treating substance abuse requires treating the underlying problem – the thing that is causing the pain in the first place, whether it’s Depression, trauma, or low self-esteem. I specialize in treating dual diagnosis individuals, or those with co-occurring disorders, usually substance abuse and mental health issues. So often, people seek treatment for either the substance abuse problem or the mental health issue, but this can lead to a worsening of the symptoms of the non-treated disorder. I don’t treat one or the other; rather I can help you with both. I am passionate about helping people get into and stay in recovery. To me, recovery is the process of working through and healing from the pain or problem, not just coping with the symptoms. Recovery is a lifestyle, not just not using. We can work together to get you clean and sober and stay in recovery no matter what your substance of choice is: alcohol, prescription meds, street drugs, over the counter meds, Internet, gaming, porn, food, shopping, and so on. Almost anything that can be abused can be considered a substance. I have a PhD and two master’s degrees in psychology and a certificate in chemical dependency. I have also worked in the substance abuse field for over 15 years, in different levels of treatment, from residential programs to outpatient programs to aftercare services. I have specialized training in treating substance abuse and sexual trauma. And, I also have published award-winning research on the effects of mindfulness in treating eating disorders. Additionally, I wrote an international award-winning workbook for adolescents with substance abuse problems called The Adolescent Relapse Prevention Planner. I work with adolescents 12 and older, and adults. I can use my personal experiences along with my training to help you achieve lasting change.