Therapists Specializing in Substance Abuse in Los Angeles

Do you find yourself turning to drinking or smoking for relief? Or feeling chaotic and struggling with relationships or difficult memories? By working one on one in therapy, we can identify sustainable ways that you can find peace in your inner world. Our thinking patterns can lead us into states of anxiety, depression or anger which make us want to engage in unhealthy behaviors. I will teach you how to reframe your thoughts in order to achieve a more balanced mood state and how to challenge and become less attached to your thoughts and emotions using cognitive and mindfulness techniques. Recovery isn't easy, but it's definitely worth it. Having an experienced therapist will support you in addressing underlying issues that have been keeping you stuck. I want you to heal quickly, but I also want to make sure we are thorough because I want your recovery to last.

How I approach treatment varies with each person, depending on their needs.  I see my role as being like a mountain climbing guide: I know how to climb a mountain, what equipment to use, how to deal with ice or rock, when to push forward and when to proceed with caution.  I  always encourage you to tell me how you are feeling in our work together.

I will put your experience into context, so that even seemingly irrational thoughts and feelings make sense. These may include explanations about things such as how the mind works, what makes events traumatic, and what the components of trauma recovery are.  I offer feedback, always checking in to see if it feels right to you.  I “throw the pasta on the wall, and you tell me what sticks.”  Teaching you strategies such as mindfulness, grounding, and communication skills may also be part of our work.

I am a white, cisgender, heterosexual woman, pronouns, she/her, with awareness and sensitivity to culture and race.

You are welcome to contact me for a consultation to see if we’re a good fit to work together.

Do you feel like you are not enough? Is it as though you are perpetually falling short? Is each day becoming increasingly difficult just to get through? You are not alone.

Using evidence-based therapy, I can help you learn skills to handle difficult thoughts and feelings as well as take action to build the life you want.

Please know that whatever you may be struggling with, you are not broken; you are fundamentally, unconditionally whole, and in possession of everything that is needed to build the life you want. I know reaching out can be hard, but if you are even thinking about it please do.

In every challenge, there's an opportunity to help you create the life you want to live.

So many of my clients look around at their careers, relationships, and behaviors and find themselves wondering, "How did I get here?" From reliance on substances to decompress or distract from problems; struggling to develop or maintain romantic relationships; or just not living the life they know they can have. I aim for clients to make fundamental change. Once you start taking charge of your life, you never stop.

Therapy isn't safe. If change were safe and easy, everyone would be living their most optimal lives. Therapy is about taking healthy risks, facing tough challenges, and tackling short-term discomfort for long-term, satisfying growth and personal fulfillment. But I will be there with you along the way, helping you develop your innate ability to solve these problems and move toward your ultimate goals.

It takes a great deal of courage to ask for help. Appreciating and respecting that courage, my work is to help my clients attain their goals, discarding whatever has prevented them from doing so in the past. I consider therapy a collaborative effort between the individual and therapist. My hope is that the clients with whom I work feel supported and empowered to make the changes they desire.

Treatment focuses on increasing awareness about life patterns, building on strengths, and developing new coping abilities. My professional strengths include: a knowledge of a variety of presenting issues and treatment options, an innate ability to connect easily with clients, and the capacity to incorporate the realities of daily living into the process.

Therapy sessions with me are personalized, compassionate, evidenced-based treatment based in the DBT principle of Acceptance versus Change. My goal is always to create a warm, safe, non-judgmental environment so that you can begin to make the REAL change that can transform your life.

My role is to help guide you towards developing healthier patterns towards yourself & in your relationships. Together, we can explore what is getting in the way of achieving growth & healing by empowering you to embrace vulnerability. We will dig deep to learn what you must accept versus what is in your power to change, being mindful that neither your past nor your future control you. By enhancing the relationship with yourself and others, challenging unhealthy thoughts that create unhelpful behaviors, and developing new and effective coping skills, you will begin your journey to wellness and finding inner peace.

The consistent theme I experience as a therapist is my passion for helping clients work towards their goals & achieve their highest potential. I am continuously amazed by the resilience & strength I see from clients who strive to better themselves, do the hard work in and out of therapy, & make the changes they are yearning to see in their lives. Accompanying you on your journey to recovery, peace, & wellness is my greatest privilege as a therapist.

Do you struggle with trauma, relationships, and anxiety, or worry that you might be beyond help? Give me a call--I've been there and, through my own healing, as well as extensive training and experience, I'm uniquely fit to help others. I specialize in healing trauma, depression, anxiety, and borderline personality disorder, using EMDR, DBT, Brainspotting, and TRM, to achieve tangible results quickly. My clients often tell me that no other therapist has helped them in the way that I have, and that they finally have the tools they need to let go of trauma thrive.

Because life happens outside the therapy office, I offer phone coaching free of charge to all my clients. This allows me to offer you support in your daily life, as challenges arise, and will help you implement what we work on in therapy quickly and easily.

In my approach to therapy I pull from cutting-edge neuroscience, using therapeutic modalities that are clinically proven to be effective. Additionally, I have in-depth training and experience helping people recover from sexual abuse, neglect, substance abuse, suicidality, self-harm, borderline personality disorder, anxiety, and depression.

Hartselle & Associates is a small, client-focused practice with a tailored approach to fit each patient's unique needs.
The physicians at Hartselle & Associates provide premium service for busy adults, children, and families who are looking to maximize results with a trusted clinician.

I know how hard it can be to struggle emotionally, feel lost, and perhaps even hopeless. Frequently, despite our best efforts, we cannot get out of our stuck patterns or reach the well-being that we deserve. I get it. Life is really complex, and it's really hard to navigate all its layers. However, please be assured that healing and thriving is possible. All that's needed is your continued courage for healing and support from the outside. I’ll be honored to be your support on that journey.

I believe therapy is a place to explore challenges, connect with feelings, better understand patterns and relationships so you can create the life you want. Therapy is one of the rare places you can do that in a completely safe space and in the presence of someone who is committed to being on that path with you.