Recovery Without the Twelve Steps
Most addiction programs start with the same premise: you're broken, and only by giving yourself over to a higher power, and following a rigid set of steps, can you be fixed. They teach that anything other than total abstinence equals failure.
For a lot of people, that framework doesn't work. It feels too strict, too religious, too judgmental. And the shame that creates can actually make the struggle with addiction even worse.
I take a different approach. One rooted in harm-reduction, self-understanding, and the belief that you're not defined by your struggles, your past, or the substance you've used.
Counter-intuitively, we actually owe gratitude to our addiction: The substance (or behavior) may have been unhealthy, but it was the only thing we knew at that time that kept our pain from swallowing us. And - I speak from experience - it worked. For a while. Maybe even a long while. Problem is, it also has some pretty big costs. And its benefits tend to fade over time. So we end up doubling our pain: the initial pain we were trying to medicate is still there, now joined by the additional pain of being an "addict."
What We Work On
Addiction isn't born in a vacuum: It grows in the spaces where pain has become too much, emotions are overwhelming, where the pressure to hold it together has become unbearable. The substance or behavior is the symptom; to cure that we have to heal what's underneath. Together, we will uncover the stressors you've been using addiction to cope with, then build healthier coping skills in its place, as we also work to heal old wounds.
Harm Reduction, Not Abstinence-Only
Harm reduction means meeting you where you are at your stage of recovery, not where a program's dogma thinks you should be. This approach recognizes that change doesn't happen through ultimatums. It happens through grit, yes, but also understanding and great self-compassion.
It acknowledges that sobriety isn't always the starting point (or end goal), and certainly isn't the only metric of success. Harm reduction sets you up for success by creating achievable goals, using tangible skills, toward decreasing risky behaviors.
If you want to quit entirely, I'll support that. If you want to understand your relationship with a substance and find a healthier balance, I'll support that, too. The goal is your goal; not mine, not a program's, not society's.
How EMDR Helps With Addiction
Many addictive patterns are rooted in unresolved trauma. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can help process the underlying traumatic memories that fuel compulsive behaviors, often reaching material that traditional talk therapy, alone, cannot access.
By addressing the root cause rather than just the behavior, EMDR can reduce cravings, interrupt automatic triggers, and create lasting change that goes deeper than willpower can.
You're Not a Diagnosis
The language of addiction can be dehumanizing, reducing you to your unhealthy patterns. "Addict." "Alcoholic." "Junkie." In our work, you're a person, not a label. You're someone who found a way to cope with pain, and now you're looking for something that works better.
This may be the hardest road you ever walk. That takes courage, not shame.
I see clients in person at my Hermosa Beach office in the South Bay area of Los Angeles; at locations of your choice (such as home or office) in a concierge capacity; and via secure telehealth throughout California, including greater Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Sacramento.
If this sounds like what you're looking for, let's talk.
Your Therapist
Alex Douglas, LCSW 127148
15+ years in entertainment before becoming a therapist. EMDRIA-approved EMDR training. LGBTQIA+ affirmative.