Substance Use & Addiction Therapy in Utah
Substance use can become a way of coping with stress, difficult emotions, trauma, or experiences that feel overwhelming. Over time, these patterns may begin to affect your relationships, well-being, or sense of control.
At Grounded Integrative Therapy, we offer compassionate, individualized therapy for substance use and addiction. Our approach goes beyond changing behaviors to explore the underlying experiences, emotions, and patterns that may contribute to substance use or behavioral use. Together, we work toward meaningful change, healthier ways of coping, and a life that feels more connected to what matters to you.
How do I know if my substance use has become a problem?
Substance use disorder, or addiction, is a complex condition that influences brain function and behavioral responses. It often leads to unwanted behaviors and difficulty in regulating the consumption of illicit drugs, prescribed medications, alcohol, or nicotine. When stuck in these patterns, you might find yourself continuing to rely on substances even when they begin to disrupt your behaviors, physical health, relationships, or overall well-being. Substance dependency often begins with casual experimentation in casual settings, which can gradually escalate into more habitual coping strategies over time. Dependency risks and the speed of onset differ depending on the specific substance. Certain medications, including opioid pain relievers, carry elevated vulnerability and increased speed to physical dependency. Over time, higher amounts are often required to achieve similar effects or simply to maintain daily baseline stability. As reliance deepens, stepping away becomes challenging, frequently triggering severe physical discomfort and intense urges known as withdrawal responses.
Can therapy help if I'm not ready to stop drinking or using substances?
We meet you where you are without judgment. We can start with harm reduction to center on minimizing negative impacts, softening consequences, and lowering immediate risks. While it is common to view the fallout from substance use as unavoidable, thoughtful interventions allow us to lessen these dangers and support safer paths forward. We can use evidence-based interventions to give you tools to cope while getting ready to stop/reduce drinking and other substances. Outpatient therapy is not always the appropriate level of care for substance use and addiction. Some people need medically supervised withdrawal management or more intensive addiction rehabilitation.
What types of substance use and addiction do you treat?
I have been an active Advanced Substance Use Disorder Counselor (ASUDC) since 2014. I worked at a residential, intensive outpatient (IOP), and outpatient treatment center for over six years. I specialized in treating alcohol use disorder, stimulant use disorder, opioid use disorder, tobacco and nicotine addiction, cannabis use disorder, pornography use, and co-occurring behavioral addictions."
How are trauma and substance use connected?
Distressing life events and chronic trauma are deeply interwoven with addiction and chemical dependency. Experiences of abuse, neglect, interpersonal dysfunction, and systemic stress often leave nervous systems overwhelmed, significantly increasing the vulnerability to reliance on substances as a mechanism for coping. Trauma can alter neurological processing and behavioral responses, heightening the risk of developing chemical dependency. This vulnerability is especially pronounced during childhood; early exposure to adverse experiences, interpersonal violence, or chronic distress significantly increases the likelihood of struggling with addiction in adulthood. Persistent stress alters neurological pathways tied to reward, motivation, and impulse regulation. It can intensify cravings while impairing the capacity to manage automatic responses. Because substance reliance impacts these exact brain networks, unresolved emotional distress frequently triggers ongoing loops of return to use. Active dependency intensifies underlying stress patterns, creating an escalating cycle of discomfort. We specialize in evidence-based trauma and PTSD treatments such as EMDR, ART, and Somatic Experiencing to give you a holistic approach to addiction treatment, addressing the underlying concerns associated with substance use. Research funded by NIDA highlights that integrating prolonged exposure trauma therapy alongside addiction counseling yields greater reduction in PTSD distress compared to treating chemical dependency in isolation. Because co-occurring experiences are so frequent, clinical best practice calls for thoroughly assessing trauma background when addressing substance use.
What happens during addiction counseling?
We use integrative care to address the physical, psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of addiction through shifting thought patterns, healing underlying concerns, and building resilience. We start with a full diagnostic assessment to help draft a comprehensive treatment plan to address your needs and concerns with evidence based approaches. Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) has a specific protocol that I use to help you stop drinking or using substances to cope.
Do you offer online substance use counseling throughout Utah?
Yes, I offer online treatment for substance use and addiction depending on the severity of the case and client's commitment to treatment.
What if I've tried to change my substance use before without success?
If you find yourself stuck in the same addictive patterns and behaviors, I want to hear you and meet you where you are without judgment. We will start by addressing your frustration and pain of trying without success to understand your specific needs. We will draft a treatment plan that is unique to you and your needs to create meaningful changes. My integrative mind and body approach to therapy has led to me helping many clients find success who had previously tried multiple approaches without the level of progress they wanted.