Addiction is not just about wanting to use. Often, it is about wanting to feel something—or wanting desperately not to feel something.
Substance use can begin as a way of coping with loneliness, grief, trauma, family wounds, disconnection, or emotional pain. At some point, a coping strategy that once provided relief overstays its welcome and begins creating suffering of its own.
The drug of choice is important, but it is rarely the whole story. In our work, we go beyond the label of addiction to understand what the substance has been doing for you, what pain exists underneath it, and what keeps pulling you back.
Recovery isn't only about removing the substance. It's about understanding what has been driving the need for it—and building a life in which it is no longer needed in the same way.
The Work I do:
For the past three and a half years, I have worked in addiction recovery centers, helping people at different stages of addiction and recovery. Through that experience, I have found that some of the most meaningful work begins with the relationship we build together—a space where you can feel seen, heard, and understood without being reduced to your addiction or judged for the choices you have made.
Addiction can slowly strip away a person's sense of agency, meaning, identity, and connection to their values. Our work involves rebuilding those pieces and helping you reconnect with the parts of life that make recovery worth pursuing.
I also believe recovery means making room for all parts of yourself—including the part that became addicted. Through deeper reflection and shadow work, we can become curious about that part rather than simply trying to fight or reject it. The goal is to understand what it has been trying to protect, escape, or provide—and find healthier ways of meeting those deeper needs.