Craig Black (He/him)

In my experience, addiction is a symptom of an underlying problem or problems; nobody chooses to be addicted. I believe in getting to (and extinguishing) the root cause of any addiction in order to begin the recovery process. My additional training as a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and over ten years of counseling those who wish to cut back or abstain completely prepares me to be knowledgeable, effective, and compassionate to those suffering from any addiction.

Experiencing anxiety (and even experiencing anxiety about having anxiety) is, in my view, a cyclical process of fear and avoidance. Overcoming anxiety-oriented thinking and behavioral patterns is often a core component of recovery, as is instilling an appropriate level of anxiety tolerance. I have worked with those who had generalized anxiety, specific phobias, panic disorder, and social anxiety for all my ten plus years as a professional therapist.

Depression is a sapping, de-motivating, ugly, and persistent thing until it isn't - depression can be overcome! As a therapist, I believe in uncovering our beliefs and perceptions about ourselves, others, and the world in general in order to challenge the foundations of depression (which are often unhelpful and untrue). I have worked with Major depression, Bipolar depression, depression rooted in grief and trauma, and more for the entirety of my therapeutic career.

The interaction of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (and every combination of those three) often creates or perpetuates emotional pain and distress. It often isn't what happens to us that effects us nearly so much as what we believe about what happens to us that effects us. By learning how to challenge and replace our own assumptions, unhelpful self-talk, and thought/behavioral patterns, we can improve our mood, outlook, and overall functioning.

I approach addiction as something that started as a coping strategy and turned into a self-reinforcing nightmare. Addiction is - to me - the product of a desperate desire to numb pain caused by others, underlying mental health concerns, or life circumstances generally. Each individual's experience of addiction is different, and treatment requires diving into core/foundational issues creating and reinforcing the addiction rather than simply addressing the symptoms of the addiction itself.

A key tenet of Solution Focused Therapy is that you are the expert on you having lived your life since Day 1, and I as the therapist am "the new guy" to your life and circumstances. Therefore, I believe you will know what fits you and your life and what won't as we uncover possible solutions to what brings you to therapy in the first place. I will collaborate with you, and never dictate or force advice on you!

Addiction is - to me - the product of a desperate desire to numb pain caused by others, underlying mental health concerns, or life circumstances generally. I approach addiction as something that started as a coping strategy of sorts that ultimately turned into a self-reinforcing nightmare. Each individual's experience of addiction is different, and treatment requires diving into core/foundational issues creating and reinforcing the addiction rather than simply addressing the symptoms.