About
Singleness of purpose
The advantage of being seen by an addictions’ specialist is that our training and professional focus is treating substance abuse issues (6000 hours for an LAADC).
Mental health professionals receive a minimal amount of addiction training as part of their general coursework and probably haven’t had a ton of experience with clients presenting with addiction-specific problems.
We will spend at least 20 minutes in a conversation at the beginning to see if this is a good fit for you and that working together can help resolve your problems. If so, we’ll schedule a first session for a more detailed discussion about the specific situation you’re in and the best course of action.
Sessions
We begin at the end
A detailed assessment is crucial to discover how you got to this point and what the end game is. It’s a long list of questions that we’ll have as a conversation.
I’ll get to know you better, and we can avoid backtracking later. From this conversation comes the plan. You’ll already have the ideas; I can help clarify and offer specific strategies tailored to you.
With your vision established, we’ll have a clear idea of what we’re working on and can evaluate progress and make adjustments as necessary.
No advice giving
The answers you are going to come up with are things you knew all along. I don’t need to take the credit.
Most of the work I do involves supporting you while you recover your best self and create the outcome you want. This may involve looking at difficult thoughts and behaviors and dedicating the time to develop your specific replacement thoughts.
It can be challenging, so it also involves a safe place to vent frustrations and practice relaxation techniques.
The best defense is a good offense
Self-Actualized (Practical) relapse prevention is based on 20 years of working with addicts and alcoholics in all stages of the disease.
Avoiding returning to problem use is a necessary first step but also risks becoming problem-focused. Once the focus shifts from “preventing” to “creating,” the risk of a full blown relapse declines dramatically and ultimately becomes a non-option.
The Details
I was born and raised in the South Bay Area. I worked for years in sales and in the restaurant business – mostly focused on staying out of trouble. After coming to terms with my own addictions in 1999, I began working as a volunteer in that facility and went back to school to get my counseling credentials.
Over an almost 20-year period, I worked for Contract Agencies in Santa Clara as a Counselor, Supervisor, Manager and Director. Seeing the way we treat addiction evolve has given me a unique perspective on what works and what doesn’t.
In 2018, I decided to semi-retire and move north to be closer to family in the Sacramento area. I spend my spare time with my three children; I enjoy reading and exploring the area. I like classic cars and am enjoying my current project.
The “Princess,” 1968 Chevy Camaro
