Addiction Counselingsara09212023-07-20T00:12:11+00:00

Have you gotten sober, but life is still a struggle?

Have you recently completed treatment and really committed to staying sober this time? Are you participating in a 12 step or other recovery program, but you aren’t sure who you are without addiction or how to do this on your own? Do you feel lost, because everything seems different now and the things that used to work no longer help or simply are no longer an option?

Or maybe you’ve been sober for a while. You’ve given it your all but feel like something is still missing. Or you’re finding that the old triggers that led to your drug or alcohol use to begin with are still bothering you. You might have noticed that, while you haven’t picked up, you are engaging in other compulsive behaviors that you know aren’t helping you – gambling, eating, engaging in sexual relationships you know aren’t healthy for you, shopping, gaming.

If any of this feels familiar, you are in the right place. Addiction counseling can help you build the life you want!

Feeling lost or frustrated or scared, whether you are early in your sober journey or have a few years, is common.

Most people in sobriety discover that there is much more to sobriety than not picking up a drink or a drug. Their relationships change, with different boundaries and needs. Many find that they can no longer include certain people in their lives because those individuals are not able to support their sober lifestyle and might even want to get them to return to active addiction. They go through a confusing stage of learning how to build open and honest relationships, rather than the guarded or dishonest and manipulative relationships that are common in addiction.

Especially with the widespread availability of stronger and more addictive drugs now, so many have watched friends relapse and hold onto that heartbreak (and fear that it could be them). They also recognize how much it seems they lost while using and have difficulty seeing a way to rebuild a life that is meaningful and fulfilling.

Or the challenges that were numbed by substances begin to resurface once the substances are gone. Almost all of my addiction counseling clients come to me having found themselves struggling with the symptoms of anxiety, depression, grief, childhood trauma or PTSD that were numbed by addiction. Even their giftedness often bubbles to the surface again. Many are highly sensitive, artists, math or science whizzes or gifted in some other way and, in an attempt to fit in, used substances to shut down their gifts.

No matter how far it may seem you fell in your alcoholism or drug addiction or how long you have been working on your sobriety, you are not alone. Working with an addiction counselor, you can learn the skills you need to build the sober life you long for.

Addiction counseling can help you heal and begin to build a sober lifestyle that works for you!

Maybe you stopped using all at once or you enrolled in a MAT program. You may be fully involved in a 12 step recovery program – AA, NA, CA. You may have a sponsor, working the steps, attending meetings, doing service in the rooms, sponsoring others. And that feels like home. Or you may have found that the 12 step programs don’t feel like a fit for you. Perhaps the mention of God doesn’t work for you or some other aspect of the program does not resonate for you.

Wherever you are right now, addiction counseling can help you build the life you want. With an experienced, compassionate and sensitive therapist, you can put the pieces of your life together in ways that work for you. Together, we will begin with the challenges that seem most pressing, then begin rebuilding the picture of your life into a satisfying, meaningful experience.

My approach is gentle, allowing you to set the pace and to begin where you are, while also bringing out perspectives that you may not have seen before. I will take time to get to know you, where you have been, and where you would like to be, offering you room to know me as a therapist as well. During our sessions, you can share openly and freely. I provide a safe, judgment free space, where your background and experiences are welcome, respected and honored.

My toolkit includes psychoeducation about a variety of challenges. I also utilize many mindfulness skills, helping you to be present to your experiences in the moment. Additionally, I am trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). With DBT, you can practice skills that help you cope with and reduce symptoms of distress, build effective relationships, and regulate emotions.

I have been working with people who have struggled with drug addiction and alcoholism since 2007, building a large toolkit to support my clients in their journey. Early in my career, I worked in two treatment centers. In the first one, most of my clients were mandated to treatment by the State, having faced difficulties with either child protective services or the legal system as a result of their addiction. The second provided long term treatment for women, where the clients received residential services an average of 4-6 months before moving to outpatient treatment.

In both experiences, I gained a deep respect for the journey my clients walked, courageously making dramatic changes in their lives and giving themselves the space they needed to heal. I continue to honor my clients for bravely moving forward in their recovery, often leaving virtually nothing in their lives unchanged, sometimes stumbling and getting back up to continue moving forward.

Like other clients I have worked with, you too can rebuild family relationships, develop new friendships and partnerships, create a career you are passionate about, and mostly, heal your relationship with yourself, gaining confidence and treating yourself with compassion and patience.

You believe addiction counseling can help you, but you may still have questions.

I’ve tried counseling before, but I still relapsed. Will this time be any different?

I know the journey of getting and staying sober can be a bumpy ride. While I don’t know if this time will be the time that you stay sober, I do believe that you never go all the way back to the beginning. Even if you’ve tried several times before and relapsed, one thing I know is that you have gotten up each time and tried again. And you learned things each time. Your courage continues to carry you forward.

Together, we can work on the challenges that get in your way, building on the foundation you’ve already constructed. I have had many clients over the years who have felt the same way. A few have relapsed while working with me, but were even more committed to their sobriety when they returned to therapy. By truly connecting with a therapist and an extended support system, they have accumulated many years of sobriety and begun to live wonderful, fulfilling lives.

I’m already going to meetings and working with a sponsor. How will seeing a therapist help any more than that?

Twelve step and other support groups, along with working with a peer mentor, like a sponsor, is an important step, for sure. Building connections with people who are walking a similar path and have experienced some of the same challenges is essential to staying sober. A therapist can help you with difficulties that perhaps your support system cannot.

Perhaps you are struggling with anxiety or depression or old traumas are coming to the surface. Or maybe coping skills for situations that you find triggering seem difficult to master. A skilled therapist is able to guide you through these challenges and ultimately can help you strengthen your relationships with your peer supports.

How do I know if you are the therapist who is best for me?

This is always a great question to ask! Working with a therapist who is a good fit for you is so important. To do the deep healing work of addiction counseling, you need to trust the person you are sharing such personal information with, feel safe with them and believe that they get you. You can find out some things just by reading a therapist’s website, but you likely still want to know more before choosing to make an appointment. That’s why I encourage you to reach out to me to ask me questions and explore whether I feel like the right fit for you.

You can find lasting sobriety.

If you are ready, I invite you to make an appointment for a full session or schedule a 15 minute phone consultation at (561) 533-0948. And if you don’t feel a connection with me during our first session, that’s okay. I can offer suggestions for another colleague who may be a better fit for you. My priority is that you get what you need from your therapy experience.

Contact Sara

How You Can Have a Meaningful Holiday Experience While in Recovery

The holiday season is officially here. For many, that means it’s a time of celebration. Whether you’re going to family get-togethers, work events, or parties with friends, it’s a wonderful time to connect with the people you care about, and be a little extra merry. Unfortunately, many holiday events have alcohol present. On top of that, the holidays can be stressful. You might experience certain “triggers” that want to drag you back toward different substances. For someone in recovery, those problems can turn the holiday season into a time of dread and worry, rather than happiness and joy. So, what can you do to have a meaningful holiday experience while in recovery? How can you enjoy yourself with friends and family without backtracking? Don’t Over-Commit One of the best things you can do this season is to manage your expectations. People tend to wear themselves thin over the holidays because they think they have to. That can cause a lot of unnecessary stress, and may make it harder for you to stay on the right path. So, manage your own expectations, first. Decide what you want the holidays to be this year, and how realistic that really is. It’s also important to manage your expectations of other people. It’s important to have people in your corner and a strong support system. But, it’s also not fair to expect them not to enjoy themselves, even if that includes having alcohol at a party. By learning how to say “no” to certain events and invitations, you can avoid triggers and keep yourself from feeling burnt out throughout the season. Be Kind to Yourself People in addiction recovery can often have a hard time boosting their self-esteem. That’s especially true around the holidays. You might be jealous of those who can enjoy a party or event with a drink in hand. Or, maybe you’re envious of a friend who doesn’t have to worry about money the way you do. When you compare yourself to others, you’re more likely to exaggerate your flaws. This is the time of year to show compassion and kindness to others. That includes being kind to yourself. If you had a friend dealing with recovery throughout the holidays, chances are you’d be as supportive as possible. You would do whatever you could to boost their self-esteem. So be sure you’re taking the same approach with yourself. Make self-care a top priority, and do something that makes you feel good about yourself every day. Focus on Fun, Healthy Traditions—or Create New Ones! This could be a perfect year to start new trends and traditions around the holidays. If years past have been heavily focused on partying, consider taking a different approach this year. Watch cheesy holiday films on TV. Have a cookie-baking day with your family. Go to a tree farm with friends and take funny pictures. Volunteer at a local food bank or homeless shelter with your children, nieces, or nephews so everyone learns how to appreciate what they have. By starting new traditions that don’t have anything to do with drugs or alcohol, you’ll have something to look forward to each year, and you can spend time with the people you care about without worrying about slipping into old habits. You can (and should!) have as much fun as possible this holiday season. If you’re concerned about how to have a meaningful experience while enjoying yourself, feel free to contact me for a complimentary consultation call. It can help to have a strategy in place. Together, we can talk through different ideas and “plans” you can have to make sure you keep moving forward while maintaining your merriment! For more information about addiction counseling, click here.
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What is Codependency and How Does It Influence Addiction Recovery?

Almost everyone has a bit of codependency in their personality. But, someone who is described as a codependent typically seeks out people who might struggle with anything from self-esteem issues to addiction. Unfortunately, codependents can have a negative impact on addiction recovery. A codependent person in a relationship, or even a codependent friend, thrives on taking care of their partner. They want to be extremely helpful and functional. On paper, that sounds like a great thing. In practice, it can actually be dangerous and enable a recovering addict’s destructive behaviors. So, what is codependency, really? More importantly, how does it influence addiction recovery? What Does a Codependent Person Look Like? If you’re a recovering addict, it’s normal to be attracted to a codependent person. They’ll likely pour on as much love as possible and do whatever it takes to make you feel cared for and appreciated. But those behaviors often cross over into martyrdom and a lack of boundaries. If there’s one “positive” to those behaviors, it’s that it makes some characteristics of codependency easy to see. Some of those common traits include: An inability to set boundaries Justification of poor behavior Low self-esteem Attempts to control other people Anxiety when there are relationship issues Because codependents take on the “pain” of their loved ones, they might encourage you to do what makes you feel good. Unfortunately, that can lead to poor choices and harmful behaviors, including relapsing. How Can a Codependent Make Things Worse? Just because you’re a recovering addict doesn’t mean life won’t have its struggles. If you’re in a relationship with a codependent, the last thing they’ll want is to see you upset. Unfortunately, their behaviors can be enabling to make you feel better. Not only can they make it seem “okay” to fall off the wagon, but they might further enable you by purchasing the alcohol or substances you’ve fallen victim to before. They might also let you stay with them instead of suggesting or encouraging a rehab facility. Ultimately, they can bind you to the relationship. They can make you feel you need them to survive or to even feel good and get the things you want. When you strip it down, it’s a very basic “needs”-based relationship. Think of a parent who only gives their child candy to eat. The child might be happy and feel love, but they aren’t really getting what they need to grow and thrive. In reality, the codependent ones “need” the relationship so they can feel a sense of self-worth. What Can You Do About Codependency? If you or someone you love is codependent, it’s important to take control or encourage that person to do the same. Without that empowerment, codependency can cause you to relapse or fall into old habits/patterns that fueled your addiction. It doesn’t take much to become depressed, anxious, or even fall back into a battle with substance abuse if you’re with someone who is codependent. Alternatively, if you feel you’re the one with codependency, you might fall back into those habits to strengthen your own value and self-worth. If that’s the case, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Talk to your support system, for starters. It’s important to have people in your life who aren’t codependent and who won’t enable your own codependency. If your support system doesn’t help or you’re worried that you might need more of a direct approach to getting rid of codependency in your life, please contact me for a 20 minute consultation call to find out if we would be a good fit. In therapy, we can talk more about the problems with codependency and how they can hinder your addiction recovery. Whether it’s you or someone you care about displaying these traits, it’s important to know what to do and how to empower yourself as you continue to recover. If you’d like to learn more about counseling for addiction and codependency, click here.
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What is the Role of Resilience in Addiction Recovery?

Everyone faces hardship at some point. Life is difficult, and people struggle. It’s how everyone handles those challenges that makes a difference. While everyone has to deal with struggles, people who are recovering from substance abuse disorders and addiction may take the cake. Recovery can be one of the most difficult things someone has to go through in a lifetime. Active, long-term recovery is about making choices every single day while fighting against extreme temptation, triggers, and your own past. It’s no wonder why relapsing is so common for recovering addicts. It’s also no surprise that resilience is incredibly important. Resiliency is a crucial trait for anyone who has to deal with challenges in life. But, for someone recovering from an addiction, it’s also one key to getting through it, especially when things get hard. So, what is the real role of resilience in addiction recovery? Why is it such a crucial component? What is Resiliency? Resiliency describes the ability to bounce back. It’s the way you stand up again and again after being knocked down. In addiction recovery, showing resiliency might mean getting back on track after having a relapse. It doesn’t mean you ignore what happened. In fact, resilient people tend to accept reality. They choose to learn from it, rather than try to hide it. So, don’t consider a relapse or caving into a trigger a “failure”. Considering it a learning experience and an opportunity to grow. That’s one of the first ways resiliency can play an active role in addiction recovery. You can use your own past experiences (even the negative ones) as a guide for the future. How else does resiliency affect your recovery? Resiliency Allows You to Adapt No one wants to experience struggles in life. When you’ve worked so hard to overcome an addiction, the last thing you want to deal with is a relapse or anything that could cause you to stumble. For some people, relapses never happen. But, it’s okay to accept the fact that they might. It’s okay to accept that you’ll face challenges. Resiliency will allow you to adapt to those challenges and make the right kinds of changes moving forward. Adaptability and flexibility are crucial components in addiction recovery, and resiliency allows you to put them into practice. How to Be More Resilient Some people are naturally more resilient than others. If you’ve struggled with addiction in the past, you also might struggle with building up your resiliency once again. Thankfully, there are several ways to do it. In the process, you might also find that you’ll boost your confidence, self-esteem, and sense of self-worth. One of the best things you can do to be more resilient is to practice self-care. It’s more than just a buzzword, it’s a necessity. Take time every day to do something you enjoy. It should be something that reduces your stress levels and allows you to stay focused on the present. It’s also a good idea to have a support group that will help to boost your resiliency. Even when you aren’t feeling strong on your own, family members, friends, or even other recovering addicts going through the same thing can help you through it. Resiliency doesn’t have to mean dealing with everything on your own. It’s the mental will to get back up again, even if it requires help. You already know how much addiction can knock you down. Relapsing or struggling to recover is just as difficult. That’s why the role of resilience in addiction recovery is such a major one and something you should focus on building up as much as possible throughout your recovery journey. If you are ready to learn more, feel free to contact me to schedule a complimentary consultation call. You can also learn more about treatment for addiction recovery here.
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What to Do if You Encounter These Difficult Situations in Your Addiction Recovery

Recovering from an addiction can be a long and rocky journey. As much as you might want every moment to be smooth and easy, that usually isn’t the case. Real life is still out there, and it’s often filled with difficult situations. When you’re a recovering addict, those situations can sometimes make it feel impossible to stay on track. But, the best thing you can do is prepare yourself ahead of time as much as possible. You won’t always know what to expect on your recovery journey. But, if you’re in the right mindset to handle difficult situations, you can overcome them more readily, and continue on a positive path. With that in mind, let’s cover a few examples of difficult situations you might encounter, and how you can get through them. Understanding High-Risk Situations Difficult situations are often considered “high-risk” for those recovering from addiction. They don’t have to be life-changing occurrences. Instead, they can be small triggers that might make you feel the need to relapse. Your high-risk situations might be different from someone else’s. So, it’s important to know what triggers you and what affected you in the past when you were using. Some of the most common difficult situations recovering addicts face include: Mental health conditions like anxiety or depression Experiencing happy, excited emotions Loneliness or isolation Attending celebratory occasions You might also be in a high-risk situation based on your location or the people you’re with. If the people you spend time with are still using drugs or drinking, you’re putting yourself at risk every time you’re around them. They might even encourage you to “try something”, making it even more difficult to avoid a relapse. Avoiding Difficult Situations One of the best things you can do to cope with high-risk situations is to avoid them as much as possible. That means never keeping drugs or alcohol in your home. It also means avoiding the people and places associated with your addiction. By putting yourself back in those situations, you’re automatically creating a higher risk of relapse. Even using drugs or alcohol on special occasions is risky, so it’s best not to give yourself a “pass” of any kind while you’re recovering. How to Deal With Difficult Situations Unfortunately, there may be times where you’re unable to avoid every high-risk situation. Life happens, and much of it is out of your control. When you’re in recovery, learning how to handle those situations that are out of your control will make it easier to cope. That starts with a proactive mindset. Acknowledge that challenges will come instead of convincing yourself everything is going to be easy. When you know the battle is real, you’ll be more ready to fight in it. Anticipate those situations as often as possible. You might not have control over what happens. But, many times, you might be able to have an idea of whether something might be hard for you to handle. When you’re able to anticipate, you’re also able to formulate a plan of action. Obviously, you’ll have to be flexible. But having a basic plan in place before going into a situation will provide a sense of comfort, as well as strength. Finally, make sure you have a support system in your corner. Some days will be harder than others. Some situations will be more intense than others. It’s important to have people in your life who are safe. That could be friends, family members, a mentor, or even an addiction recovery support group. Knowing that you’re not alone in your recovery will make any situation easier to handle, because you’ll always have someone who believes in you to help you through it. If you are ready for additional support, please feel free to contact me to schedule a 20 minute consultation call. To learn more about therapy for addiction recovery, click here.
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4 Ways Journaling Adds to Your Personal Growth and Recovery

Journaling has many benefits to your overall mental health. It can be especially effective if you have a hard time opening up to others or can’t seem to organize your thoughts verbally. But it goes beyond conditions like anxiety or depression. Journaling is actually a great tool to use throughout your recovery process. Writing in a journal regularly will help you grow, learn more about yourself, and find new ways to open up about ideas you may not have spoken about before. Still not convinced journaling is right for you? Let’s look at a few ways it can add to your personal growth and recovery. You might find yourself picking one up today. 1. It Reduces Stress One of the biggest obstacles those in recovery face is stress. When you’re feeling overly stressed or your mental health is suffering, you’re more likely to turn back to old habits. Depending on the severity of your addiction, you might even be tempted to relapse when things get too hard. Journaling allows you to get your thoughts out into the open immediately. Even if you only write down a few words or bullet points, it can help to calm your nerves and reduce the tension in your mind and body. 2. You Can Organize Your Thoughts Maybe you have a lot to say about how you feel, but you’re not sure how to say it. Not everyone is a great communicator when it comes to talking one-on-one, or in a group. But maybe you’ve always had a knack for words in writing. Journaling gives you the opportunity to keep your thoughts organized. You can take your time to really think about what you want to say. As a result, you can feel more confident in your ability to express yourself. You can even use your journal entries as a guide when you’re trying to talk to a support person or therapist. 3. It Can Help You Set Goals You can use your journal however you want. Some people choose to write about their daily experiences. Others want to strictly write about their feelings and/or struggles. You can also use some of your writing space to set goals for yourself. Goals can help you stay on track and motivate you, especially when things get hard. Being able to see those goals in writing will make them more “real”, and you’re more likely to stay dedicated to reaching them. It’s a good idea to start small with whatever goals you set. After all, you want them to be attainable. Plus, every time you accomplish one, it’s a boost to your self-confidence and motivation. 4. You’ll See How Far You’ve Come The more you write in your journal, the more informative it becomes. If you choose to do it every day, you’ll quickly have a strong recollection of everything you’ve been through in the past few days, weeks, months, etc. Why is that important? When you’re in recovery, being able to see growth and progress is a great motivator. Sometimes, it’s easy to feel as though you haven’t made any forward motion and progress is slow. When you journal, you can look back at where you were a year ago, or even a month ago, and see how far you’ve come. There are so many additional benefits to journaling. It’s a resource you should keep with you at all times since you never know when the urge to write will come up. Getting your thoughts and feelings down immediately will ensure that they’re always genuine and not overly polished. If you’ve never used a journal before and you’re interested in starting one, feel free to contact me to schedule a complimentary consultation call. In addiction counseling, together, we can go over some basic ideas about what to include and how you can get started.
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Spirituality and Addiction Recovery: How The 3-Legged Stool Model Can Help

Spirituality has been used by therapists and counselors across the globe as a construct to help those dealing with mental health issues and addiction. Unfortunately, it’s often hard to conceptualize. Because spirituality can be different for everyone, it has been difficult to control in a clinical setting. My friends and colleagues at Florida Atlantic University, Professors Gail Horton and Naelys Luna, studied this challenge and developed the 3-legged stool model as a potentially helpful approach to spirituality in addiction recovery. It provides a practical approach to developing a sense of spirituality. The 3-legged stool model focuses on a structured operation that can help therapists with spiritual interventions. The “seat” of the stool is spirituality, itself. The three legs are service, solitude, and creativity. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction and you want your spirituality to guide you, this model can help. Let’s dive deeper into what it truly is and how it can aid in your recovery. Service There has been plenty of research that shows helping others, volunteering, and providing a service to someone else can help with addiction recovery. There are a few reasons why. First, many people who struggle with addiction have been involved in the wrong social circles. Maybe your friends are drinking or doing drugs and you think you can “just have a little”. Or maybe you feel pressured. Or, you might feel social anxiety, and you’ve turned to drugs or alcohol to cope. Doing something good for others can give you a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose. Service can be as simple as making the coffee at a 12 step meeting or taking a meal to someone who has not been feeling well. You might enjoy volunteering for a charity or looking out for a neighbor who needs a little help around their home. It may not be easy for the individual at first, but it’s an essential part of healing. Solitude Solitude is an important part of the 3-legged model. But it’s just as important to define what that looks like. When you’re struggling with addiction, one of the worst things you can do is cut yourself off from people who love you. Having a support system can be a crucial part of the recovery process. In this case, solitude means taking time for contemplative prayer and reflection. Take the time to meditate and be mindful every day when there are no distractions around you. Even if you only find a few minutes to do so, it can set the tone for your entire day and help you feel more centered. Creativity Most people who don’t think they’re creative think that way because they aren’t “artistic”. But you don’t need to be a great artist to explore your creativity. In addiction recovery, creativity is an incredible tool. Getting involved with creative arts or even play therapy can help you tap into parts of yourself you may have otherwise ignored. Allowing yourself to explore your creative side can help you open up and be more vulnerable. It can allow you to get to the root cause(s) of your addiction. If you’re working with a therapist, that’s an integral part of moving forward. The creative arts can be anything you enjoy, from making music to drawing to writing. You don’t have to have some kind of natural “gift” or talent, you just need to use your creativity as a positive outlet. The Seat of Spirituality The 3-legged stool method all comes together at the seat of spirituality. Spirituality can be the basis of your recovery when you work through this model. It is the “glue” that holds the process together, and can become your focus as you’re trying to keep moving forward. If you’re interested in learning more about the 3-legged stool model, feel free to contact me. You don’t need to be a spiritual person already to benefit from this model. Together, we can tap further into this method and discover how unfolding your spirituality can help you on your road to recovery. If you would like support and are looking for a therapist, you can learn more about addiction counseling here. When you are ready, please contact me for a free consultation.
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