The relationship between a person and an illicit substance or a behavior is as simple as it is complex. Whether the addiction is to alcohol, drugs, food, technology, gambling or the myriad of activities which initially entice but in the end threaten one’s existence, feels like a choice at first which promises excitement from the everyday mundane and sanctuary from the pain of unpleasant emotions. In the end, it engulfs the psyche and traps the person in a cycle of pain and regret. What starts out as a best friend and confidant, soothing the ailing soul, soon alienates the individual from real connections and interpersonal relationships. Hobbies and favorite pastimes become ignored; family members, children and friends are left abandoned and neglected. Work and vocational ambitions soon become forgotten in search for the next moment of fabricated bliss.
I treat addictions, substance abuse and process addictions, from a bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective. Paying close attention to biological predispositions and vulnerabilities within the client’s family systems; unmasking underlying mood disorders, past traumas and situational stressors which exacerbate the attraction to illicit substances and avoidance of painful emotions; attending to the environment and the social support in place – so often, these are actually toxic relationships leading to relapse, while healthy new relationships await to be cultivated and strengthened to help in healing and staying on a healthy path. Lastly, an addiction is a crisis of personal meaning and the finding of an authentic sense of comfort within one’s inner and outer world becomes a spiritual journey of recovery.
If you are aching and lost, stuck in the cycle of addiction to drugs, alcohol or behaviors which appear to be taking over your life, please call me to discuss how we can work together to find a way back to your empowered sense of self. For a list of addiction services offered, including substance abuse evaluations, individual counseling and group therapies, please click here, or on the Clinical Care Consultants logo to your right. I look forward to speaking with you and I honor the courage it takes to make these first steps on the journey to recovery.
Clinical Care Consultants
Serving Chicago's North and Nortwest Suburbs
Arlington Heights, Barrington, Buffalo Grove, Inverness, Kildeer, Lincolnshire, Long Grove, Mt. Prospect, Palatine, Prospect Heights & Wheeling
Mówimy po polsku/We speak Polish