Addiction and Mental Health
Addiction and Behavioral Therapy
Maybe you or someone you love is struggling with addiction. It is frustrating, frightening, and disappointing to watch yourself or someone you love struggle with alcoholism, chemical dependency. or addictive behaviors and destroying their life and the lives of people around them. Addiction damages relationships, families, and personal sense of worth. It causes illnesses, economic disaster, emotional and mental anguish.
There are solutions. There is hope. There is a better life!
Most people did not stand up in Kindergarten and say “I want to be an addict when I grow up!” or “I can’t wait to ruin my life!” Life happens. Whether it is from early childhood, adolescence, or adult life events. Often times, depression, anxiety, mental health, trauma, grief, abuse, peer pressure, stress, escaping life, are all things that may lead to addiction.
I provide individual, couple, and family therapy to address addiction in a holistic manner. I assist individuals and families recover from these factors that contribute to addiction simultaneously while we strategize a plan for recovery. The therapeutic process embraces all the factors that contribute to addiction and rebuilding life. Therapy is not a blaming or shaming game. Together we look at the facts, come up with plan, address needed healing, develop a support system, and strategize resources for future success. I believe that there is always a way up from bottom. Always! I am confident that I can assist you in regaining hope and help you discover a better way to live.
In addition to my Texas Marriage and Family Therapy Associate License, I am also a Texas Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a Certified Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counselor. I specialize in assisting clients manage their mental health and their recovery. Many clients will have legal issues or agencies such as CPS, Probation, Federal Mental Health Court, involvement. The client, agency, and I can work in a collaborative effort to support recovery and stipulation success.
Types of Addiction
Substances
- – Alcoholism
- – Opioids/Heroin Addiction
- – Prescription drugs – “pill” Addiction
- – Cocaine/Crack Addiction
- – Cannabis(Marijuana)Addiction
- – Amphetamines (Methamphetamine)
- – Hallucinogens
- – Inhalants
- – Phencyclidine (PCP or Angeldust)
- – Other unspecified substances (synthetics)
Mental Health
Maintaining mental health is essential to finding balance in life. Whether you are experiencing symptoms of grief, depression, anxiety, trauma, or other mental health concerns, therapy can assist you in regaining balance emotionally, mentally, physically, and socially. I approach mental health holistically where we review all areas of life and identify contributing factors to your mental health concerns. Collaboratively, we identify a plan of treatment, where we implement physical well-being, decrease/manage life stressors, and process through life events that affect your mental health. Sometimes clients require psychotropic medications or wish to explore alternative methods to manage mental health. As a client-focused therapist, we can discuss which methods of treatment you prefer and develop your ability to manage your mental health effectively. Family or support networks can be included in therapy in order to build interpersonal understanding and support. The following is an example of some of the mental health disorders that I provide therapeutic services for:
- Major Depression
- Anxiety
- Grief/loss
- Mood Disorders
- Trauma/PTSD
- Co-occurring Mental Health & Addiction
- Dual Diagnosis
- Personality Disorders
- Thinking Disorders
- Suicidal Ideation
- Hoarding
- Mental health associated with medical conditions
- Impulse Control
- Obsessive/Compulsive Disorders
IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS AND NEED IMMEDIATE HELP – Call 911
If you are thinking about harming yourself or attempting suicide,
Tell someone who can help right away:
- Call your doctor’s office.
- Call 911 for emergency services.
- Go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
- Call the toll-free, 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at
- 800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or TTY: 1-800-799-4TTY (4889)
- Ask a family member or friend to help you make these calls or take you to the hospital.