Specialties
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)

Both ART and EMDR can help neutralize the desire to use substances.

Most substance use disorders are evolved because of one’s desire to escape or mask feelings. Using distracts a person from feeling what they don’t want to feel.

Escape or distract from what? Today’s stressors maybe or from underlying issues. However, it is more likely the buried distresses are “trauma” trapped in the mind.

Examples of how ART and EMDR work…

Meet Martin who was struggling with anxiety from the demands of his job. Every day he worked extra hours, skipping lunch, giving his employer all there was to give.

He could not relax at home believing he must have “missed something” on this last project. To settle his mind and nerves, he started stopping for a few beers on the way home every night. Soon his wife objected as this was interfering with their relationship.

Martin sought help to stop drinking. In the sessions that followed, it was discovered he frequently felt pressured by his parents to “out-perform” all his classmates. This went on through grade school, high school, sports teams, and college.

Trapped in the recesses of his mind was the ongoing barrage pressure from his parents to be perfect. Using ART Martin was able to release those negative cognitions of having to be perfect. He was able to accept he can do a good job without being perfect.

Martin began enjoying his work, felt more relaxed and confident, and went home from work without wanting that escape with a beer.

EMDR also works. Meet Ali. Ali is an intelligent, single 30-something-year old. Lives on her own in a cool apartment. Has several friends and dates a lot. She, however, is spending more and more time alone at home with a bottle of vodka. She is lonely. She is depressed. She feels inadequate about her capabilities to ever be loved and in a serious romantic relationship.

When relationships start to get more “committed,” she breaks away from them. Her friend Vodka doesn’t demand more from her than she can give. Except vodka is ruining her life. She is often hung over, late for work, ignores friends and family calls.

At last, Ali starts counseling. Through EMDR she discovers she has unresolved memories of her childhood trauma of her parent’s divorce and her dad leaving. She blamed herself – that she was the problem and no longer lovable, so he left. Hence, her inability to connect in a serious romantic relationship except with vodka.

ART and/or EMDR can help in so many instances of trauma.

ART and EMDR Therapies helps process the past, allows trauma to remain the past. They also address the present-day triggers of distress, and then help create a future template of similar situations with a new adaptive resolution that doesn’t include the use of substances.

It’s about safely changing the mindset of using substances as a coping mechanism.

Reach out now.

To learn more about ART or EMDR and how one of these can help you, please contact me at (602) 903-4977.