Substance Abuse

If you are looking at this web page, there is a good chance that you are wondering whether some of the difficulties in your life, or in the life of a loved one, are related to the use of substances. It can be a painful and challenging step to ask for help with these issues and we want to encourage and support you in this courageous act. At BAIPS your therapist will listen non-judgmentally to your perspective and offer a variety of resources to help you take the steps you need to in order to begin to name and recover from the role drugs or alcohol have played in your life. Our therapists work from a “Stages of Change” perspective, which means that we believe in meeting each client exactly where they are in terms of their readiness for change.  We can help you to gain better understanding of your current substance use, its function in your life, and its possible negative impact.  If you decide to make a change we can help connect you with an appropriate treatment program while providing ongoing therapy for you and your loved ones. 

Trauma

Some events that happen to us as children or adults are so overwhelming and inherently frightening that they cause temporary, and in some cases permanent, changes in our physical and psychological responses to stress. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other debilitating responses to trauma result when the body's normal psychological defenses against stress become overwhelmed. Thus, long after the initial trauma occurs, people may respond as if the traumatic event is currently happening, experiencing strong, painful feelings that may be result in self-defeating or even self-destructive behavior. Symptoms can include re-experiencing the event, avoiding situations that remind you of the event, and an easily triggered physical stress response. Some people’s symptoms may be more subtle or less easily connected to one traumatic event and result in lowered self-esteem and relationship quality in the absence of a logical explanation for seemingly illogical behavior.

Often a traumatic experience can be healed through support from friends, family and one’s community. In some situations, however, the trauma overwhelms our natural resources for recovery. In these cases therapy can be extremely helpful in creating a safe environment in which to challenge the illusion that the past traumatic event is still “in control”. In treatment with a skilled psychotherapist clients shift from feeling like helpless victims responding to painful past events and instead become positive agents and actors in their current life stories. Some of the powerful, evidence-based techniques our therapists use include: EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Trauma-Focused CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), Parent-Child interaction Therapy, and Brief, Depth-Oriented Psychotherapy.

Depression

Feeling sad or down is a normal part of responding to struggles and difficulties.  If these feelings persist and begin to negatively influence how we function in our lives then we may be experiencing depression.  Eighteen million people of all ages in the United States suffer from the effects of Depression at any given time.  

Common symptoms of depression can include:

• Feelings of hopelessness
• Loss of interest in activities
• Significant weight gain or loss
• Difficulty sleeping, or oversleeping
• Irritability and restlessness
• Loss of energy
• Self-loathing
• Difficulty concentrating
• Body aches and pains

Overcoming Depression often seems overwhelming to the individual before beginning treatment, but the key to success is getting help.  We will work with you to reduce or eliminate the impact that Depression has had on your life, using techniques that have been proven effective by numerous studies.