You can’t do it alone.
We can do it together.
Therapy works.

Julie has been married 15 years to a man she says she truly loves who is at the end of his rope with her drinking. They have two young children, whom she adores, but when she can tell the truth she admits to feeling completely stressed out and often bored at home. The demands of life are too much, and she says that she needs a way to let loose and take a break from all the pressure.

Julie is a fabulously successful business woman at the top of her field in a high stress work environment that demands a lot of her time and energy. She says that she thrives under the stress at work.

Perfectionism is a badge of honor she wears proudly.

She complains of terrible guilt and shame over not enjoying her life and especially time with family. No matter where she is, she says her mind is somewhere else. Often thinking about the proverbial “5 O’clock”.

Julie found her only ease and comfort in a glass of wine at the end of each day. As time passed, one glass turned into two, then four, then the glasses had to get bigger. She tried to stop, but found that the pressure of stopping would lead to binge drinking that would result in embarrassing behaviors and shame.

For herself and her family. She could never be sure anymore what would happen once she took the first drink. Hopelessness started to set in.

Julie did not know anything about the disease of addiction, and things continued to get worse. Her husband told her if she didn’t stop drinking, he was leaving her and taking their children with him. This was a terrifying predicament. She felt like a total failure.

She had tried stopping on her own but couldn’t. How could that be??? She was a person who could win at any game before this…

When Julie’s husband did a Google search to find a local therapist who specialized in addiction and trauma, he found me right away. Julie agreed to come in for a consultation the next day, and within a week of beginning therapy, she was willing to attend her first women’s AA meeting. To her amazement, it turned out she really liked the group and was able to find a sponsor at her first meeting.

Soon Julie’s life had vastly improved, because the alcohol issue was in remission. Julie’s focus in therapy could now turn to dealing with the family of origin attachment issues and relational traumas that had been driving her destructive behaviors since the age of 14.

EMDR and other therapy methods proved effective in a reasonably short span of time. She was able to reclaim her joy and spontaneity through mindful practices, journaling and other methods of self-expression that were suggested.

Julie’s marriage is now strong, and her children are thriving. She is taking a more balanced approach at work replacing perfectionism and workaholism with some healthy self-care.