Alcohol Use Therapists in California

Hello, I am Susie VanDyke, and I love working with PTSD, trauma, alcohol use, and substance use issues. I especially enjoy working with veterans, first responders, their families, and anyone going through difficult times. I graduated with a Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2008 and have over fifteen years of experience in various mental health and hospital settings, with a concentration in military and first responders. I love helping people improve their lives and want them to feel better as quickly as possible. I enjoy helping people who are feeling hopeless about their situations because of tough circumstances.

My name is Lara Curry. I'm a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I've helped people struggling with anxiety, depression, alcohol use, relationship issues, and relapse prevention. I employ EMDR, Family Systems, Psychodynamic, Trauma-focused, and Solution-focused brief therapy modalities. I assume anyone seeking psychotherapy genuinely desires to help sort out the difficulties in their lives. I try to work as a co-investigator to understand the issues and help explain how they evolved and how to resolve them in an informal, caring partnership with my clients.

"I see things differently." I see you fully able to achieve your goals. I see you as one who likely needs a non-judgmental place to talk about things: your future goals, how drug/alcohol use, etc fits w/that future, & how you see yourself getting there: abstinence, sober curious. moderation. I'm a collaborator, one who's committed to listening deeply & providing a space to talk about anything, for individuals/families/all. I am not a therapist; my main focus is on today & tomorrow though we may visit the past. And I follow the science of change & addiction; it shows there's no one way to recover/change & that's great news!

Something doesn't feel right, but you can’t quite figure it out. Or, you know exactly what you'd like to change, but you're not sure how to get there. You feel exhausted, overwhelmed, anxious, stressed, burnt out, sad, or lost. You feel like you're having the same issues happen over and over with people you care about. You're not alone in feeling hopeless, I believe “the answers” already lie within you and I'm here to help you find them. With a little help and exploration, we can all create meaningful change in our lives.

Your growth as a person comes from a non-judgmental environment, where you are free to be yourself. My goal will be to have an unbiased viewpoint to help you navigate your life changes, trauma, and daily stressors. You deserve to be met where you are rather than forcing changes you may not be ready for. Creating an open and trusting environment is what I strive to create for my clients to grow to their fullest potential, while making therapy an enjoyable process! I love to joke around with my clients as I believe humor can relieve the tension and discomfort that can come with the therapy process.

Do you struggle with aging, alcohol use and addiction, depression, anxiety, frustrating relationship problems, or serious losses? I am an experienced therapist who will help you untangle the dark, painful and frustrating areas of your life and make room for new light and purpose. I won't insult you by promising quick easy solutions to complex problems. I will offer us a confidential place to talk in an honest and straight-forward way about what really matters to you and how to get past what sabotages you.

If you were to put together a list of the most important people in your life, who would be on your list? We all live in relationships and when we are not in harmony with them this can cause anxiety, sadness, confusion, low self esteem and worth. Our core relationship is with our self. I invite you to take the journey inward, to explore, and learn how to bring out your greatest potential.

Is there something stopping you from living a fulfilling and valued life? You likely have some thoughts about what these barriers (something’s) are, and yet, navigating around them has been to no avail. Powerful emotional experiences, and or, old behavioral patterns can be unrelenting, new ones can be scary, or appear too far off in the distance to effect meaningful change, and still you are motivated to try something new such that value, meaning, or an improvement in your quality of life is returned.

I love helping adults from all stages and walks of life to understand the things that are holding them back in order to find ways through them. After recognizing underlying barriers, we can work towards fully realizing your strengths and adjusting certain behaviors and thoughts to see things and be yourself in a healthier way. In our first session together, we'll complete an assessment focused on exploring your past and present, current challenges and strengths, and specific problems that you hope to overcome. We'll discuss your specific goals for counseling as well as my recommendations for treatment to move towards those goals.

Does your child have really BIG feelings? Do they worry constantly? Are you seeing more tantrums or anger? Maybe you're going through a divorce or a recent traumatic event & want some extra support for your child. What about your teen? Are you noticing changes in their behavior or mood, but unsure of how to connect or help? Are you concerned about drug or alcohol use? Self-harm or school struggles? Have they mentioned thinking about suicide? I’m here to help. If you are worried about your child and are seeking an experienced therapist who specializes in working with kids & adolescents you've come to the right place!

I am a licensed clinical social worker in a private practice in San Francisco. My psychotherapy practice is primarily focused on helping people who are struggling with the effects of trauma, relationship stress, depression, anxiety, substance use and addiction. I have expertise in working with people who have a current or past history with drug & alcohol use and recognize that substance use may result from different psychological, social and biological factors that are unique to each person.

Life can be difficult, and we all find ourselves at times struggling with difficult thoughts and feelings. Past traumas or current stressors can leave us feeling anxious, depressed, or disconnected from ourselves and others. As a psychotherapist, I provide a compassionate, safe, and non-judgmental space for clients to explore with curiosity their feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and how they serve them and where they would like to bring in change.

Living with intense and debilitating feelings may leave you with a sense of overwhelm, hopelessness, and anger. You may have conflicts in your relationships, hold resentments, or try your best to manage with unsuccessful ways of coping. Do you have a hard time feeling safe or heard in your relationships, or trusting your intuition? You deserve a safe and supportive relationship to heal the impact of life. I help highly emotional and high conflict persons manage their intense emotional experiences, understand the causes, and learn alternative ways to cope so they can navigate life and relationships with greater satisfaction.

Imagine what it would be like to have enough space inside to feel anything and be OK with it. To not get thrown around, to not feel like you are sinking or drowning, and to maintain your balance when things get tough. To be calm when you normally would get angry. To find moments of joy when it seems like everything is negative. While it may not feel like it right now, change is possible. You can do something about your feelings of anxiety or depression, drug or alcohol use, OCD, eating disorders, etc.

Is alcohol or another substance holding you back? Are you a professional or executive who has found that the one thing you haven't been able to overcome is substance use? Many clinicians don't truly understand the stress and loneliness that professional success can create. My experience as a senior executive and addiction professional can help you break free and achieve your true potential. Don't let substance abuse be the one thing you haven't been able to overcome as a professional. I utilize positive counseling techniques designed to capitalize on your strengths to help you overcome substance use and achieve your potential.

Whether you are struggling to navigate everyday stressors, looking for guidance to change unhelpful patterns or behaviors, or you seek relief from the impact that trauma, depression, anxiety, or addiction have on your life, I am here to help. As a Therapist, one of the most important lessons I have learned is that we become stronger when we “learn to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations.” We all face roadblocks that impact our decisions, our choices, and our abilities to overcome difficult situations.

Dr. Suzanne Graupner Pike is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified gambling counselor. She has been a Universapsychologist since 1981. Dr. Pike received her BA in psychology and sociology from the University Evansville, her MA in clinical psychology from Ball State University, and her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Temple University. Her professional experience includes private practice and providing direct treatment services to out-patience mental health and addiction treatment programs.

I'm a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. I'm comfortable working with individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, bi-polar, substance abuse, psychosis, autism spectrum disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder. I implement individual evidenced based interventions designed to positive behavior change. I enjoy working with couples, families, parent training, adults and adolescents.

I have a number of treatment modalities to address diverse patient treatment. In addition, I have worked with clinical depression both moderate and severe over the last 12 years. Also, grief has been a difficult process for patients who loss a love one both deceased and divorced that I have treated in both traumatic and non traumatic cases. I also have a speciality with those who are dealing with difficult oartner relationships. (i.e. blended famillies, reactionary communication that deteriiorate the couple relationship, remarriage and divorce mediation) I also provide medication monitoring for patients taking psychotropic meds.