Drug Abuse and Alcohol Abuse Counseling

Drug Abuse and Alcohol Abuse Counseling: What are My Options?

If you read one of my previous articles about drug abuse and/or alcohol abuse, you may be interested in what your options might be for getting some help—maybe for you or someone you know.

Meet with a Therapist

One of the first things you can do if you or someone you know is concerned about drug abuse or alcohol abuse is meet with a therapist who specializes in addiction treatment. You can find these kinds of therapists in most areas of the country. They can conduct a thorough assessment and suggest treatment options for drug abuse and alcohol abuse—as well as other process addictions such as gambling addiction, sexual addiction/pornography addiction and certain eating disorders.

If they assess that individual outpatient sessions are appropriate you can work with them on an individual basis to address your drug abuse and/or alcohol abuse issue(s). Basic sober coping skill development, stress management, anger management, relapse prevention skill development and dealing with family issues are common topics that clients often need help with. Many clients benefit greatly from this option if this level of care is appropriate.

Embrace Community Groups Around You

Other community resources can also be a very vital component of support while in individual therapy. As you may recall from a previous article, some of these community groups include Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, SMART Recovery, Rational Recovery and Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS). It is often helpful to explore these groups/organizations to see which one(s) you might benefit from.

I believe that it is possible to pull from several recovery philosophies to supplement overall recovery efforts. I have had clients who have done this with much success. We have choices—and YOUR choices will help YOU stay sober.


Need to talk? Our counselors are flexible with their schedules and some even work weekends! Call us right now at 972-234-6634. We’ll return your call within 60 minutes (really!), or you can schedule an appointment using our online appointment system. We do look forward to meeting you.

Kathleen Mills

Kathleen is a creative and gifted therapist who has extensive experience in helping children, adolescents, and adults with a variety of issues.