Theories That Guide My Work

In the past, psychotherapy and addiction services were separate and distinct. The field has shifted. The confluence of psychotherapy and addiction treatment creates a comprehensive framework that addresses both the neurobiological drivers of dependency and the underlying psychological roots of the struggle. By integrating interventions like dialectical behavior therapy and mindfulness-based approaches, clinicians can help individuals build the emotional regulation and distress tolerance necessary to navigate complex underlying issues and triggers for continued use. This confluence allows for the therapeutic focus to include 'one day at a time' symptom management to the cultivation of a resilient, value-aligned life. Ultimately, merging these disciplines ensures that recovery is not just about maintaining abstinence, but about achieving profound personal transformation with psychological flexibility and values based living.

Psychotherapy for men requires courage. Looking into our conception that strength and stability are not separate from vulnerability and emotions. True strength is not found in the absence of emotion, but in the courage to be with and share emotions and feelings.

By reframing vulnerability as critical for healthy relations, men can move from a rigid defensiveness to greater authenticity and integration of our whole selves. This transition allows for strength that isn't a performative mask, but the ability to navigate life’s pressures with greater clarity and deeper connection.

In the context of relationships, showing up in a healthy way requires moving beyond traditional provider or protector roles to understand the nuances of our own psychology.  This means being present not just physically, but as a whole person who can witness others' experiences without the immediate need to fix or minimize it.

This approach looks at how our thoughts affect our emotions and behavior. Many people have a tendency to think negatively about themselves and others. Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps us learn to shift thought patterns to decrease criticism and increase neutral and/or positive thoughts about our lives, ourselves, and other people.

This approach looks at childhood experiences and family dynamics and how one's childhood affects adult lifestyles. Also important are unconscious mental states, which affect every person's daily functioning. Psychodynamic therapy helps people become more aware of the ways their past affects their present and helps people conceive of a new, future view of themselves and their lives.

This approach acknowledges that people need positive regard and attention to help actualize their personal hopes and desires. It focuses on present life situations and how current issues can be avenues of growth through life's ongoing challenges. Existential therapy helps with understanding ways to expand ourselves in relation to our sense of personal freedom, personal meaning, and increased capacity for intimacy.