LAFAYETTE ADDICTION COUNSELING SERVICES
If you are struggling with addiction issues, I understand how difficult that can be.
Are you trying to figure out if your drinking has become a problem? Do you tend to use drugs or alcohol as way to escape reality and get some peace and quiet in your own head? If so, you're not alone. Roughly I in 10 people in the U.S. struggle with some form of substance abuse. It's dangerous, it's complicated, and it's scary as hell.
You might feel embarrassed to open up about what you’re really going through, even to family and friends. Getting help from a therapist like me can help you talk freely about what’s going on. I have worked for many years in the addiction treatment setting. I promise I've seen and heard it all. My average client does NOT look like the stereotypes you see in the movies or on tv, because really there is no stereotype. After working with hundreds of alcoholics and addicts of all ages, gender, socioeconomic status and family backgrounds, I know with certainty that the disease doesn’t discriminate. It can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
Freedom FROM ADDICTION
THE CHALLENGE OF ADDICTION
Addiction is a chronic and progressive illness, meaning it gets worse over time and there is no cure. As someone with addiction issues, you may be feeling:
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alone and uncomfortable in your own skin
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worried that you've made promises about cutting back or stopping but keep breaking them
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scared that it's a problem but you're not ready to stop
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confused about why you can't just STOP
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more and more out of control
If you are feeling overwhelmed with feelings like these, counseling can help.
Most people think this is just about will power, but it's not that simple. There's a saying in AA that says "drugs and alcohol aren't the problem, they're the solution." The the real issue is INTERNAL; the substance is just the band aid. Therapy can help to identify the underlying issues that contribute to addiction and self-defeating behavior.
HOPE AND HEALING WITH ADDICTION THERAPY
The good news: addiction issues can absolutely be successfully managed over time, with the right support systems in place. I aim to be a source of education, accountability, and support for my clients.
Through counseling you can:
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learn to understand the disease of addiction
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begin to identify patterns of use that have negative consequences
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identify triggers and learn new skills to manage impulses
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gain insight into your thoughts and feelings associated with use
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improve self-esteem and reduce the need to reach outside of yourself to feel better on the inside
When appropriate, I use a 12-Step approach, along with therapy to help my clients build a successful recovery plan, process any road-blocks or barriers along the way, and find peace and happiness in sobriety.
A LETTER FROM BEKA
I see you...
You wonderfully “normal” people who may be feeling not so normal in the quiet of your mind, late at night, when you lay your head on the pillow, wondering yet again “How did I get here? Is this really my life?"
I know that place is scary, maybe even so scary you're afraid to admit you're there, afraid to say it out loud.
You might be thinking:
What if things change? What if they don't?
Admitting it to someone else makes it real.
Asking for help makes me feel crazy and defected.
Trusting someone else is a risk, one I'm not sure I'm willing to take.
What will other people think?
What if it's too hard? What if I can't do it?
If any of that sounds familiar, I want you to know that you are perfectly NORMAL and that most of us find ourselves there at some point or another.
We get trapped on this merry-go-round in our heads and sometimes it can be impossible to get off without some outside help. There is nothing wrong with that! It simply means that it's time to acknowledge that what you're doing isn't working anymore.
It's time for something new.
If I can promise you anything, it's this... you don't have to do it alone. I know it's tempting and it often feels much safer that way. But the reality is we're not built to do life alone, and the longer you resist, the harder it is to receive help.
I see your suffering. I know it well. And I want you to know, it doesn't have to be that way. There is hope and joy and beauty in this world. Most of us just need help getting out of our own way in order to find it again.
I see you. I’ve been you. I want to help you. Let’s talk.
Have a question about counseling or services? I'm here to help!
Contact Beka now.
In case of emergency, please call 911 or
go to your nearest emergency room.
Other support services include:
Suicide hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Louisiana Rape Crisis Centers: 1-800-656-4673
Louisiana Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-888-411-1333
Department of Social Services: 1-888-524-3578
Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling: 1-877-770-STOP
Our House Help for Teens: 1-888-442-TEEN
