Harm reduction treatment is a set of strategies to reduce harm to the individual by taking incremental steps to reduce use. Abstinence may or may not be the end goal. Harm reduction techniques can be applied to substance abuse or other engaging behaviors such as the Internet, gambling, shopping, or emotional eating.

• Feeling like your substance use is keeping you from activities you used to enjoy?
• The only way you can relax or socialize is under the influence of a substance?
• Missing work or social engagements because of substance use?
• Going to work with a hang over or under the influence?
• Do colleagues, friends or family mention that your substance use gets in the way of time with you? You are not the same.
• Does the nagging thought that you might be “a little” out of control worry you?
• Have you been told to get your substance use under control or you are going to lose your job or a relationship?
• Are you being treated with Suboxone (or any other Opioid maintenance medications) and looking for therapy to support your medical treatment?
• Maybe substances are not your problem but other activities such as gambling, emotional eating, or shopping feel out of control?

If your life feels more out of control than you like and you are looking for assistance, harm reduction treatment for substance abuse and other habits is successful. You will build strategies to decrease use, examine the role substances play in your life and explore your strengths, values and interests to replace the use. Many people experience great success decreasing use, which also leads to decreased consequences.

You are the solution

You set the pace of reduction. You are in charge of your use plan. As the counselor I am there to point out blind spots but you are in the driver’s seat of your plan. Harm reduction treatment works as a partnership.

If you are being treated with Methadone or Suboxone, mental health treatment in tandem with medical treatment is the most successful model for success. No shame is attached to your use of medicine to support your recovery while your brain heals from the physical changes opioids did to your brain.

There is hope and help

If you have not been successful managing use on your own, it is time to reach out for support. Substance abuse and addiction are complex. Millions of Americans struggle with substance abuse and other engaging activities (shopping, Internet…) that require some professional help to achieve health.

Just like millions of Americans struggle with hypertension or diabetes and require medical care to manage their health, think of abuse and addiction the same. Addictive behavior is a disease of the brain, it is not a moral failure any more than hypertension is a moral failure.

Harm reduction treatment is used world-wide with great success. Techniques are implemented without shame attached. Lapses are learning experiences to tweak your use plan, not considered failures.

Harm reduction treatment may sound like something for you but you still have some concerns such as:

I have tried so many ways to stop using, how is this different?

Harm reduction treatment starts with small, attainable goals that you set. You build on small successes. Many people who try to quit too quickly set themselves up for a downward spiral of failure. You will make small changes to your use while you build up other areas of your life. This is not a quick process. Think turtle, not rabbit. A common trait of people who abuse substances is the mindset, “I want it now.” Exploring this unrealistic expectation and replacing it with more realistic thinking is a major component of harm reduction treatment.

I do not really want to quit using, I just have to or I am going to start losing things I care about. Will this work for me since I really do not want to stop using?

Harm reduction treatment is not an abstinence program. This treatment does not mean you must stop using. You examine what is important to you. You will decide what you want in your life. If your job is important but you are going to lose your job if you show up intoxicated to work, harm reduction treatment will explore strategies. You will also explore coping strategies to manage the stress or boredom of work that keep you showing up intoxicated. If your use cannot be moderated to reduce the consequences in your life, then we talk about abstinence.

Why pay for this when I can go to self-help groups? 

Yes, you can go to self-help groups. They work for many people. I encourage all the support you can find. Just be aware most groups are abstinence based. You will be welcome to attend but likely not welcome to speak at these groups if you are actively using. You need to start speaking and confronting your issues for treatment to work. In harm reduction treatment you will have the opportunity to speak freely and work at your pace without group rules imposed on you.

Harm reduction treatment has helped millions of people regain self control to maintain employment and flourish in relationships.

As Your Harm Reduction Counselor

Through my years of work in treatment programs both harm reduction and abstinence-based, I can help you assess a treatment that will work for you. I have worked with many people who have reduced the harm in their lives to improve satisfaction and functioning. My focus is to help you address in a safe, non-judgmental environment the underlying pain of your use. This allows you the freedom to consciously determine what role substances will continue to play in your life. You will be helped to implement solutions that begin create the life of your choosing.

If you are ready to reduce the use of substances or behaviors to improve your life, a necessary step is begin to examine the way you use denial to avoid your issues. Download the free offering, “Ten Things to Tell Yourself to Avoid Healing.” Read through the list of denial strategies to educate your self about ways you get in the way of making healthy changes.