Recovery is about more than simply stopping a substance or behavior. It often involves understanding triggers, rebuilding routines, managing cravings, repairing trust, addressing shame, strengthening relationships, and creating a life that makes continued recovery more sustainable.
Therapy can support different stages of recovery
- Questioning whether alcohol or substance use has become a problem
- Preparing for change or strengthening motivation
- Managing cravings, triggers, and high-risk situations
- Understanding relapse patterns and building a prevention plan
- Working through shame, guilt, or self-criticism
- Adjusting to emotions that feel more intense in early recovery
- Rebuilding routines, relationships, boundaries, and meaning
- Maintaining recovery while managing trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, or work stress
A practical and non-shaming approach
My approach emphasizes curiosity, accountability, and practical skill-building rather than shame. Depending on your goals, therapy may include motivational interviewing, CBT, relapse-prevention strategies, ACT, DBT-informed skills, values work, coping planning, and attention to the relationships and environments that affect recovery.
Recovery can coexist with other forms of support
Individual therapy can complement peer support, mutual-help communities, medication-assisted treatment, medical care, psychiatry, or other recovery services when those are part of your plan. Therapy is not a substitute for medically supervised withdrawal management or emergency substance-use care.
In-person and virtual therapy
In-person individual therapy is available in Wyomissing through Hearthfire Psychology. Virtual therapy is available throughout Pennsylvania through Headway, including Berks and Lancaster counties.
Free recovery resources
The Free Therapy Resources library includes handouts on cravings and urge surfing, relapse prevention, emotions in early recovery, shame and guilt, first-responder substance use and service culture, and other coping tools.
