Addiction

I understand addiction is not due to character defect, but rather underlying core issues such as trauma, emotional dysregulation, codependency, and/or neurochemical effects. I help clients overcome addictive patterns and chronic relapse while working through trauma and other underlying issues. I work with sex, love, and porn addiction as well as substance addiction.

I hold a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor license in the state of Hawaii; however, this license does not transfer to the state of WA. My previous work in community mental health involved running an IOP and Partial-Hospitalization program for those with co-occuring substance abuse/dependency and severe mental health disorders. I am familiar with working through all stages of change on the road to sobriety, including a harm-reduction approach, if necessary.

In recovery myself, i embrace harm-reduction and trauma-informed approaches to substance use recovery, but also have respect for 12-step programs and those who have sought sobriety through that path.

I am a recovering alcoholic with over twelve years sobriety. I have nearly ten years experience working with addicts, both in an inpatient and outpatient setting.

I possess specialized expertise in addiction treatment, holding a speciality license in Colorado. In addition to my formal qualifications, I have undergone extensive training and supervision to enhance my knowledge and skills in this field. Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working with numerous clients and witnessing their success in overcoming addiction. I am dedicated to providing evidence-based interventions and personalized support to individuals struggling with addiction.

I believe that without recovery from substances that therapy will always be extremely limited. Therapy is a place on the journey to deciding what one wants to do for recovery. I advocate the use of self-help programs. I have known people who quit alcohol and drugs just from church and many, many more from 12-step programs. I have worked with people who have found great assistance through recovery groups like Refuge Recovery, which is Buddhist philosophy/meditation based.

I strongly support and have professionally worked with multiple forms of Recovery and most strongly support 12 step recovery principles. Many can struggle with the rigidity of some aspects of this form of recovery. I help others adjust to a new life in recovery using a inclusive, open minded approach. A life created and lived within the steps holds many new challenges and successes, both of which can require support or suggestion over time. I live in recovery myself, and have for 37 years.

Addiction is something which I have several years of experience treating. People are often surprised to learn that treatment for substance abuse is not at all what they thought it would be. Typically, those with severe addictions will require a lifetime goal of sobriety while those with more mild addictions may acquire the ability to practice “controlled use” of chemicals. We will do a careful assessment of your symptoms so that effective goals for treatment can be established.

In graduate school, I worked as a group therapist in Intensive Outpatient Programs. In this setting, I developed a passion for working with individuals struggling with substance use and individuals working towards recovery. With these issues, I sometimes utilize skills from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, along with the more experiential techniques that I more often use.

I am a licensed addiction professional with a view that everyone’s journey is unique and that there is not a one size fits all approach to recovery.

I have been an addictions counselor for 10 years and worked in various settings related to substance use disorders.

As a person in long term recovery, I incorporate the 12 step principles in my therapy. I have 7 years of experience in treating substance use disorders, and how depression and anxiety are often underlying mental health conditions that affect achieving long term recovery.

Addiction hijacks the mind. It’s also influenced by genetics and early life experiences. I start here because there’s often so much shame when it comes to talking about addiction. If you or a loved one are struggling with substances or behavioral addictions, I have a lot of knowledge and experience in this area. You can reach out to me for a consultation, an assessment, treatment recommendations, or therapy. I’ll end on this note: People recover from addiction every day. I believe you can too.

I've spent years of my career developing recovery program for people who use substances to escape or feel better. We will assess the degree of the issue. We do not require abstinence; we move toward harm reduction using motivational interviewing.

Addiction often presents itself in various forms. The impact of addiction results in cycles of negative behaviors affecting the individual and those they love. As a licensed addiction specialist, I provide clinical services to support and guide you through the process of recovery and change in a caring and non-judgmental atmosphere.

Dr. Braun specializes in the treatment of sexual addiction involving chronic infidelity and compulsive use of pornography. Time is taken in treatment to assist the individual with learning about triggers and excuses used to relapse as well as reviewing consequences of past behaviors. Time is taken to build emotional regulation skills, learn to improve communication and emotional intimacy in relationships and develop a tool kit of tools to avoid future relapse.

As an individual in long-term recovery, I intimately understand the challenges of getting and staying sober from alcohol and other substances. Loss of friends and your social circle, persistent feelings of isolation, and finding new means of coping with difficult situations/emotions/stress are just a few of the issues I tackle with clients in recovery. I am uniquely equipped to help both newly sober individuals as well as those in long-term recovery.

I have five years experience with addiction treatment and co-occurring disorders in both an inpatient and outpatient setting and have guided hundreds of unique individuals in achieving their sobriety goals.

Escaping addiction isn’t easy. Ask any recovering addict and they’ll tell you that willpower alone won’t cut it. In fact, Step 1 of any 12 step program involves accepting that you are powerless and that your life has become unmanageable. It is in accepting the struggle that you can begin the journey to recovery. I’m a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT) which is considered the gold standard in the treatment of sexual addiction. I am also a Certified Multiple Addictions Therapist (CMAT).