With over 20 years of combined experience, our highly qualified and non-judgmental licensed therapists work with you and/or your loved ones to assess, diagnose, and treat substance use disorders.
We specialize in partnering with high achievers (Athletes, Lawyers, Executives, Doctors, etc.) and loved ones on the path of recovery – we effectively help you repair and rebuild your lives and relationships to health, fulfillment, and well-being!
We are highly skilled in evaluating appropriate levels of care. We help you and your loved ones navigate the complexity and nuances of recovery by providing individual, couples, and family therapy.
There may be instances when you or your loved one may require a higher level of care than the services we provide, such as Inpatient/Residential Treatment, or Intensive Outpatient Treatment. In this case, Life Enrichment Resources, PLLC (LER) will recommend highly qualified referrals from our professional network.
Do you or a loved one have a Substance Use Disorder?
The DSM-5 criteria and symptoms for substance use disorders:
- Hazardous use: You have used the substance in ways that are dangerous to yourself and/or others, i.e., overdosed, driven while under the influence, or blacked out.
- Social or interpersonal problems related to use: Substance use has caused relationship problems or conflicts with others.
- Neglected major roles to use: You have failed to meet your responsibilities at work, school, or home because of substance use.
- Withdrawal: When you stop using the substance, you experience withdrawal symptoms.
- Tolerance: You have built up a tolerance to the substance so that you have to use more to get the same effect.
- Used larger amounts/longer: You have started to use larger amounts or use the substance for longer amounts of time.
- Repeated attempts to control the use or quit: You’ve tried to cut back or quit entirely but haven’t been successful.
- Much time spent using: You spend a lot of your time using the substance.
- Physical or psychological problems related to use: Your substance use has led to physical health problems, such as liver damage or lung cancer, or psychological issues, such as depression or anxiety.
- Activities given up to use: You have skipped activities or stopped doing activities you once enjoyed in order to use the substance.
- Craving: You have experienced cravings for the substance.
To be diagnosed with a substance use disorder, you must meet two or more of these criteria within a 12-month period. If you meet two or three of the criteria, you have a mild substance use disorder. Four to five is considered moderate, and if you meet six or more criteria, you have a severe substance use disorder.
Types of Substance Use Disorders:
Each substance use disorder is classified as its own disorder. Here are the six most common substance use disorders in the United States for which we provide Individual, Couples and Family therapy:
- Alcohol use disorder
- Tobacco use disorder
- Cannabis use disorder
- Stimulant use disorder
- Hallucinogen use disorder
- Opioid use disorder
If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use/addiction, please contact us to schedule your FREE Consult: 919-306-9367 or scheduler@lifeenrichmentnc.com
Additional Resource: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
Alcohol Use Disorder (Addiction)
Best Practices Utilizing the Eight Practice Dimensions of Addiction Counseling
Our professional practice with clients and families suffering from addiction is based on eight practice dimensions, each of which is necessary for effective, measurable treatment. The dimensions identified, along with our commitment to competency in treatment, form the heart of work with substance use:
I. Clinical Evaluation
– Screening
Screening is the process by which our therapists work to understand and connect with the client and available significant others, while reviewing the current situation, symptoms, and other available information.
– Assessment
As a private practice, our licensed clinicians assess, evaluate, and determine the most appropriate level of care based on an initial client’s biopsychosocial assessment. Other factors that our clinicians consider for appropriate level of care are person-centered goals, family input (as allowed regarding HIPAA (Healthcare Information Portability and Accountability)) intensity of symptoms, financial means, and spiritual beliefs of the client. . If we determine that a client needs a clinical higher level of care, such as Inpatient, or Intensive Outpatient (IOP), this process will include determination of the correct level of care and referral for additional professional assistance and resources within the community or at a national level (Treatment Center). Levels of Care are based on ASAM model.
II. Treatment Planning
– Treatment Planning is the stage in which our licensed therapist collaborates closely with the client and/or the family using knowledge, skills expertise and relevant assessment information to guide the person-centered treatment planning process for best treatment outcomes. Client is empowered to choose their treatment goals, interventions, and outside referral options (if needed).
III. Referral
– LER is committed to establishing and maintaining relationships with local, state and national resources for addiction and mental health needs. Our licensed therapist and support team work to establish and maintain relationships with referral resources to ensure our referrals are appropriate, trustworthy, ethical, skilled, and reliable. We recognize that recovery from addiction and mental health can take a diverse community of services and we strive for excellence in providing high quality referral sources within the following entities:
civic groups, community groups, and neighborhood organizations, health, and allied healthcare systems (managed care), employment and vocational, rehabilitation services, cultural enhancement organization, faith-based organizations, governmental entities, crisis intervention programs, abused persons programs, mutual- and self-help groups, advocacy groups as well as a wide variety of other highly focused and specialized agencies.
IV. Service Coordination
– Implementing the Treatment Pian
This step includes obtaining, reviewing, and interpreting all relevant screening, assessment, and initial treatment planning information. Your therapist also initiates collaboration with your referral source or obtains any collateral information (with proper releases in place) during this process. This confirms continued readiness for treatment and change prior to necessary administrative procedures and beginning treatment
–Consulting
The consulting stage builds upon initial implementation of treatment planning. Your therapist will connect with past providers and providers within relevant disciplines to gain insight into your history and background, past treatment plans, recovery progress and barriers that have caused stagnation, relapse, or otherwise inhibited progress. This is done to ensure quality of care, gain feedback, and plan changes during treatment.
– Continuing Assessment and Treatment Planning
You can expect your therapist to maintain ongoing contact with you and involve significant others to ensure adherence to the treatment plan. You can also expect consistent utilization of psychoeducational elements so that you can recognize the stages of change and other signs during treatment progress, this not only aids in identifying and documenting your changes, but also increases motivation throughout the process which increases positive outcomes.
V. Counseling
– Individual Counseling
You will be provided with therapeutic approaches that are centered around you! Your therapist will use practices that establish realistic, achievable goals consistent with achieving and maintain recovery and have demonstrated effectiveness with addictions. Within this approach you will be provided with 1:1 attention and focus that is respectful of your decisions and pivots based on your personal needs and experiences.
– Group Counseling
Therapeutic interventions may sometimes be offered in a group format. There is amazing research that supports the effectiveness of group counseling. Group counseling’s value continues to be recognized as congruent with enhancing the sense of community and accountability while moving through recovery with others who share similar experiences. LER will provide group resources for your needs when appropriate.
– Counseling Families, Couples, and Significant Others
LER maintains knowledge and understanding needed to aid in obtaining sustainable changes in characteristics and dynamics of families, couples and significant others affected by addictions. This ongoing accrual of knowledge allows us to assist families, couples and significant others in adopting strategies and behaviors that sustain recovery and maintain healthy relationships
VI. Client, Family, and Community Education
Your therapist will make the most of this time to provide you and/or your family with information on risks related to addictions as well as available prevention, treatment, and recovery resources. We do this by utilizing culturally informed, appropriate (both formal and informal) education that will raise your awareness and support your recovery process.
VII. Documentation
Your therapist will maintain an accurate and up-to-date record of your intake, assessment, treatment planning, progress notes, discharge summaries and other pertinent information according to strict principles that govern client record management and HIPAA.
VIII. Professional and Ethical Responsibilities
LER remains committed to our obligations to provide unmatched care as your counselor. We demonstrate that by adherence to established professional codes of conduct and ethics that define our profession, maintain professional standards, and safeguard you as our client.