Substance Use Disorders

With me, therapy for substance related disorders is almost identical to therapy for trauma and PTSD. In most cases, we talk very little about substance use. That may sound strange, but substance use is more likely an attempted solution to the problem than the problem itself. I believe, as do many other providers, that substance use is a relational issue. Histories of all types of trauma are prevalent, as are cooccurring disorders. It takes time to gently pick those issues apart.

As with trauma and PTSD, I utilize EMDR as my primary approach to therapy related to substance use disorders. I also integrate exercise and diet, yoga, and meditation into each client’s treatment plan. Each of these has proven effective in improving functioning in numerous areas, and each is an opportunity to rejoin positive experience. I schedule and attend weekly exercise groups with clients and meet clients each week at area yoga studios.