What brings someone here
You've probably already tried to stop, slow down, or change your relationship with alcohol, cannabis, or whatever it is. Maybe you've succeeded for stretches, then found yourself back. Maybe you've been managing it quietly, or openly. Either way, you're here now — and something brought you to this page.
A different question about addiction
Most approaches to addiction ask: why can't you stop? The work I do starts with a different question: what is this doing for you?
Dr. Gabor Maté's research asks not "why the addiction?" but "what is the pain?" Addiction doesn't happen in a vacuum — it happens in a person who learned to use something to soothe, to feel, to belong, or to stop feeling. That's not an excuse. It's a door. Understanding what the substance has been doing is the beginning of being able to do something else.
The IFS lens on addiction
In Internal Family Systems, substance use often lives in what's called a firefighter part — a reactive protector that jumps in when a wounded, vulnerable part gets activated. The firefighter doesn't care if the method is healthy. It cares that the pain stops as quickly as possible.
Working with addiction in IFS doesn't mean fighting the firefighter. It means getting curious: what is it protecting you from? What's underneath that it's managing? When we can approach those exiles with compassion rather than avoidance, the firefighter's job changes.
Recovery as reconnection
The Recovery 2.0 framework understands addiction as a response to disconnection — from self, from others, from meaning. Recovery, in this view, is not abstinence-first. It's reconnection-first. My work with clients in recovery integrates this lens, exploring the relational, developmental, and sometimes spiritual dimensions of addiction alongside the practical work of building new patterns.
How we track what changes
I use validated tools including the AUDIT (for alcohol use) and DAST-10 (for drug use) to establish a baseline and track meaningful change over time. These aren't judgment tools — they're a shared map that helps us see clearly where you are and where you're going.
Ready to take the first step? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation — no commitment, no pressure. Just a conversation to see if we're a good fit.