Noema Integrative Wellness · Virtual therapy in New York
Substance Use & Recovery Therapy
in New York
Recovery is about more than stopping.
Whether you’re questioning your relationship with alcohol or substances, newly sober, or years into recovery, therapy can help you understand what is happening beneath the surface and what you may need in order to create meaningful, sustainable change.
At Noema Integrative Wellness, I provide virtual substance use and recovery therapy for adults throughout New York.
My approach integrates psychodynamic therapy, somatic work, mindfulness, and care informed by trauma. That means we can explore not only your thoughts and behaviors but also the emotional, relational, and physical patterns that may be shaping your experience.
The goal is not simply to focus on whether or not you are using.
It is to understand your relationship with substances, what may be keeping certain patterns going, and what you want your life to look like moving forward.
You may be here because...
You’re wondering whether alcohol or substance use has started taking up more space in your life than you want it to.
You’ve tried to cut back, stop, or make changes but find yourself returning to the same pattern.
You are newly sober and trying to adjust to a life without a coping strategy that once felt familiar.
Maybe you’ve been in recovery for months or years but are realizing that the deeper issues beneath the use are still coming up.
- repeated attempts to cut back or stop
- cravings or concerns about relapse
- anxiety that feels more noticeable without substances
- difficulty tolerating certain emotions
- shame or regret about the past
- relationship changes or difficulty rebuilding trust
- loneliness or changes in your social life
- uncertainty about who you are in recovery
- perfectionism or a tendency to put others’ needs before your own
- difficulty slowing down or feeling present
- a sense of feeling stuck even though you are sober
- a desire to build a fuller life beyond simply not using
You do not need to have everything figured out before starting therapy.
What’s beneath the pattern?
Therapy offers a space to understand your relationship with alcohol or substances and explore what you need to move forward, whether you’re considering a change or already in recovery.
Therapy is not about forcing your experience into a predetermined explanation.
No two stories or bodies are the same.
There may be emotional, relational, environmental, behavioral, or physiological factors connected to substance use. There may also be aspects of the pattern that are simply familiar, rewarding, social, or deeply reinforced over time.
Our work is about becoming curious about your experience rather than assuming there is one reason behind it.
What can we work on together?
Therapy can help you better understand what role alcohol or substances are playing in your life and what may be keeping certain patterns going.
Depending on what feels relevant to you, our work may include:
Understanding your relationship with substances
We can explore when and how substances became part of your life, what tends to reinforce their use, and some of the deeper layers beneath the use.
The goal is to understand your experience clearly enough to create more choice around it.
Triggers, cravings & relapse patterns
We can identify situations, emotions, relationships, environments, or routines that tend to increase vulnerability.
Rather than relying on willpower, we can work on noticing patterns and developing skills to respond when urges or triggers come up.
Anxiety & emotional regulation
For some people, alcohol or substances become a way to manage stress, quiet the mind, or numb difficult emotions that can feel overwhelming.
Shame & self worth
Recovery can bring up guilt, regret, embarrassment, or a harsh inner critic.
Therapy can provide space to look honestly at the past without allowing it to become the only way you see yourself.
Relationships & trust
Active substance use can impact almost every relationship in our lives.
Whether you’re navigating complex family dynamics or changes in friendships, we can explore what is showing up in your relationships and what you may want to do differently moving forward.
Identity in recovery
Embarking on a journey in recovery can bring up complex emotions and questions such as:
Who am I without this?
Therapy can help you explore your values, sense of belonging, confidence, purpose, and what you want your life to look like moving forward.
Do I need to be sober to start therapy?
No. You do not need to already be sober to begin substance use therapy at Noema.
I work with adults who are:
- questioning their relationship with alcohol or substances
- considering making a change
- reducing or stopping use
- navigating early recovery
- maintaining recovery over time
During your complimentary consultation, we will talk about what is currently happening, the type of support you are looking for, and whether weekly outpatient therapy is the right level of care.
If your needs would be better supported through detoxification, residential treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, or another higher level of care, I will be transparent about that and help point you toward appropriate resources.
Can therapy help with lasting recovery?
Yes. Therapy can be helpful even when you have been sober for months or years.
Getting sober often receives the most attention. The quieter work of building a life in recovery deserves space, too.
Over time, you may find yourself asking:
Emotions & anxiety
How do I manage emotions without numbing? Why am I still anxious even though I am sober?
Identity & meaning
Who am I outside of substance use? What does recovery mean beyond abstinence?
Relationships & trust
How do I rebuild relationships? How do I trust myself again?
Moving forward
Why do I still feel stuck? What do I want my life to look like now?
Therapy throughout recovery can give you space to explore the life you are building, not just the substance you left behind.
Getting sober may have been the first step.
Eventually, the question may shift from “How do I stay sober?” to:
“How do I build a life I actually want to be present for?”
Therapy can support you in building that life.
What is your approach to substance use and recovery therapy?
My approach is integrative, drawing on psychodynamic therapy, somatic work, mindfulness, and an understanding of trauma.
That means we may explore the deeper patterns that shape how you cope while also paying attention to what is happening in your body and nervous system in the present.
Depending on your needs, therapy may include:
- understanding recurring patterns
- somatic awareness
- mindfulness and urge awareness
- nervous system regulation
- strategies for preventing relapse
- emotional regulation skills
- processing shame and difficult experiences
- strengthening boundaries
- exploring relationship patterns
- exploring identity, values, and purpose in recovery
At Noema, we do more than just talk.
Insight matters, but the goal is also to help you notice patterns as they are happening and begin responding differently.
When is outpatient therapy not enough?
Weekly outpatient therapy is not always the right level of care for active or medically risky substance use.
Noema Integrative Wellness does not provide detoxification, emergency services, residential treatment, or intensive treatment for substance use.
If you are experiencing severe withdrawal, immediate safety concerns, or substance use that requires more intensive support, another level of care may be more appropriate before or alongside individual psychotherapy.
We can discuss this honestly during your consultation.
Therapy for the person, not just the substance use.
Your history with substances may be an important part of your story, but it does not have to become your entire identity.
Therapy can be a place to understand the person underneath the coping strategy. Together, we can explore your emotions, relationships, fears, strengths, values, and the life you want to create moving forward.
Recovery is not simply about removing something from your life.
It can also be about building something meaningful in its place.
Ready to see if we’re a good fit?
I offer a complimentary consultation lasting 15 minutes for adults seeking substance use and recovery therapy in New York.
During the call, we will talk briefly about what is bringing you to therapy, what you are hoping to work on, and whether my approach seems aligned with what you need.
Therapy can be a little like dating. Sometimes you get a sense of fit quickly, and sometimes it takes a few sessions to know whether the therapeutic relationship feels right.
The consultation is simply the first opportunity for us to begin figuring that out together.
Book a Free ConsultationVirtual substance use and recovery therapy for adults throughout New York.