Addiction/Dual-Diagnosis
Kara has worked with clients suffering from addiction in both in- and out-patient settings. Kara views addiction through the lens of dual-diagnosis, which means a person has a mental health issue that leads to or is associated with substance-use. For many people, mental health issues and addiction are interconnected. Kara uses a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) to address underlying mental health issues that play a role in substance-use. Kara helps clients identify and explore internal and external triggers that lead to using, which can involve the following:
underlying mental health symptoms
negative mood states
people, places, things
dates, anniversaries, etc.
EMDR Treatment with Addiction
The EMDR model has specific protocols to designed to address addiction issues including DeTUR, CraveX, and Feeling State Addiction Protocol (FSAP). EMDR works to reduce positive associations with the substance, desensitize urges/cravings to use, and reinforce treatment gains made in therapy.