Substance Use & Recovery Support
Understanding Substance Use & Recovery
Substance use can serve many roles—coping mechanism, escape, or a way to feel in control when everything else feels unmanageable. But over time, what once felt like a solution can start to create more problems—impacting your relationships, mood, work, and self-worth. Whether you’re trying to stop, cut back, or simply understand your relationship with substances, the path forward doesn’t have to be one-size-fits-all.
Recovery isn’t linear, and it looks different for everyone. Some people are navigating early sobriety, while others are managing cycles of use and relapse alongside anxiety, depression, or trauma. What’s most important is that you have a place where your story can be heard—without shame—and your goals are met with care and collaboration.
How This Might Show Up in Your Life
Struggles with substance use can affect many aspects of daily life, including:
Using substances to manage stress, anxiety, or emotional pain
Feeling stuck in a cycle of quitting and restarting
Hiding use from loved ones or feeling guilt and shame afterward
Experiencing mood swings, sleep issues, or health changes
Trouble focusing or maintaining motivation without substances
Difficulty functioning at work or in relationships
Feeling like substance use has become a central part of your identity
These experiences are deeply personal, and they’re often layered with past trauma, unmet needs, or mental health challenges that haven’t been fully addressed.
How Anna Helps
Anna specializes in working with adults who are navigating both substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions—a combination often referred to as dual diagnosis. Her approach is rooted in compassion, clinical expertise, and the belief that recovery should be individualized, not imposed.
Treatment with Anna may include therapy to explore the emotional and environmental factors behind your use, as well as medication options that support stabilization, reduce cravings, or help manage symptoms like anxiety, depression, or PTSD. She integrates harm reduction and relapse prevention into care, meaning you’ll never be judged for where you are in the process or how many times you’ve started over.
Whether your goal is sobriety, moderation, or understanding what recovery even looks like for you, Anna provides a safe space to figure that out at your pace.
What You Can Work On Between Sessions
Recovery work doesn’t just happen in therapy—it’s built in everyday moments. Here are a few ways to support your process between sessions:
- Identify triggers: Pay attention to patterns—times, emotions, or environments that increase your urge to use. Awareness is the first step toward change.
- Create a grounding toolkit: Develop 2–3 healthy coping skills (like going for a walk, texting a friend, or journaling) to use in high-stress moments.
- Track your use or cravings: Whether you’re actively trying to cut back or simply observing, this can help reduce shame and increase insight.
- Practice self-compassion: Substance use often comes with guilt. Remind yourself that change takes time and you’re allowed to be a work in progress.
- Consider your support network: Recovery can feel isolating. Think about who (or what) helps you feel anchored and safe—and lean into that when you can.
These tools aren’t meant to replace clinical care—but they can help you stay connected to your goals and your capacity for change.
