Addiction Treatment
Recovery that treats the whole person, not just the symptom
Addiction rarely has one cause, and it rarely responds to one kind of treatment. Our program combines clinical psychiatric care with holistic support — so the biology, the behavior, and the person underneath both are addressed together.
WHAT WE TREAT
Alcohol & Substance Use
From early-stage concern to long-standing dependence, including co-occurring anxiety, depression, or trauma. We support your efforts in the treatment of substance misuse (including alcohol, prescription medications, opioids, stimulants, and other substances)— with attention to withdrawal safety and relapse risk. We do not support acute medical detoxification or induction of Suboxone but are able to support long-term abstinence. We are willing to support you in gradual reduction and cessation of benzodiazepines on a case by case basis. Please contact us for a free 15 minute call to review if our practice is appropriate for your needs.
Disordered Eating & Food Behaviors
Compulsive, restrictive, or binge patterns of eating that function similarly to addictive behavior in the brain and in daily life.
Behavioral Addictions
Gambling, compulsive shopping, screen and internet use, sex and pornography, and other behaviors that have become unmanageable.
If you are in immediate danger or c risis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. For confidential referrals related to substance use, the SAMHSA National Helpline is available at 1-800-662-4357. This page is for general information only and is not a substitute for a full clinical evaluation.
ADDICTION IS A BRAIN DISEASE, NOT A CHARACTER FLAW
One of the most persistent misconceptions about addiction is that it's simply a failure of willpower — that with enough discipline, a person could just stop. The science tells a different story. Addiction changes the physical structure and chemistry of the brain, and those changes make stopping far harder than "just deciding to."
The Reward System Gets Hijacked
Substances and certain repeated behaviors (eating, gambling, screen use, and others) trigger a surge of dopamine in the brain's reward circuitry — the same system that evolved to reinforce survival behaviors like eating and bonding. Over time, repeated surges recalibrate that system. The brain adjusts its baseline, producing less dopamine on its own and becoming less responsive to ordinary pleasures. This is part of why someone in active addiction often can't simply enjoy things the way they used to — the reward system itself has changed.
Tolerance and Withdrawal Aren't Weakness — They're Biology
As the brain adapts to repeated exposure, it typically takes more of the substance or behavior to produce the same effect (tolerance), and its absence can produce real physical and psychological distress (withdrawal). These aren't signs of a person "giving in" — they're the direct, measurable result of a nervous system that has adapted to a substance or behavior being present.
The Prefrontal Cortex — the Brain's Brake System — Is Affected Too
The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain responsible for judgment, impulse control, and weighing long-term consequences against short-term urges. Addiction is associated with changes in how this region functions and how well it communicates with the reward circuitry described above. In practical terms, that means the very brain systems a person would need to "just stop" are often the ones most affected by the addiction itself.
Genetics and Early Environment Matter
Vulnerability to addiction isn't distributed equally. Family history, genetics, early trauma or adverse childhood experiences, and co-occurring mental health conditions can all shape how susceptible a person's brain is to developing addiction in the first place — none of which a person chooses.
Why This Matters for Treatment
Understanding addiction as a physiological condition — not a moral one — changes how it should be treated. It's part of why medication management, structured clinical care, and time are often necessary alongside behavioral and lifestyle support, and why shame-based or willpower-only approaches tend to fail. Treating the biology and treating the behavior are not separate tracks; they're two parts of the same problem.