Photo of Daniel Gaines, Clinical Social Work/Therapist in 90029, CA
Daniel Gaines
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified Verified
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Having experienced chronic pain, OCD, anxiety and depression, I enjoy working with people who also have these conditions and are looking for guidance and support from someone who better understands what they are going through. I know how hard and isolating it can be to cope with pain or a mental illness. My aim is create a safe space where you can share your feelings and hardships without fear of judgment while I use evidence-based treatments to help you develop the skills needed to treat these concerns. Note: I now do in-person hiking sessions in Los Feliz (as featured in the LA Times) as well as on the basketball court!
Having experienced chronic pain, OCD, anxiety and depression, I enjoy working with people who also have these conditions and are looking for guidance and support from someone who better understands what they are going through. I know how hard and isolating it can be to cope with pain or a mental illness. My aim is create a safe space where you can share your feelings and hardships without fear of judgment while I use evidence-based treatments to help you develop the skills needed to treat these concerns. Note: I now do in-person hiking sessions in Los Feliz (as featured in the LA Times) as well as on the basketball court!
(818) 293-0269 View (818) 293-0269
Alcohol Use Therapists

Are there specific medications for alcohol use?

There are oral medications approved to treat alcohol use disorder—such as disulfiram, acamprosate, and naltrexone, which also comes in an injectable form. These medications do help people reduce their drinking as well as avoid the problem of relapse. Naltrexone helps reduce cravings, disulfiram can make a person feel sick when they drink, and acamprosate may help ease symptoms like poor sleep and anxious feelings.

How do alcohol recovery or rehabilitation programs work?

In inpatient programs, individuals live in a facility with other patients in recovery; in outpatient programs,individuals live at home. These facilities are staffed with healthcare professionals including physicians, nurses, psychologists, counselors, and psychotherapists. Staff can also include people who have recovered themselves, serving as mentors and guides. These programs may use abstinence, harm reduction, detoxification, psychotherapy, and other tools for recovery.

How do 12-step programs combined with psychotherapy work?

Members of 12-step programs help each other reach abstinence and work to maintain it. These programs promote complete change in the individual’s emotional, mental, physical, and even spiritual perspectives. Some programs require that new members attend 90 meetings in 90 days. Many people do attend these programs in conjunction with their work in psychotherapy; the combination of therapy along with 12-step can be extremely effective.

How does harm reduction combined with psychotherapy work?

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, harm reduction prevents death, injury, disease, overdose, and substance misuse. People who choose harm reduction for alcohol use reduce the amount of alcohol they intake. It is not abstinence-based like a 12-step program, but combining harm reduction with psychotherapy proves to be effective for many people.