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Young Adult Client
Primary Counselor: Lauren I suffered from an addiction to heroin for about two and a half years, the worst time of my life by far. I was stealing from friends and family, selling drugs, and doing a lot of terrible things just to fund my addiction. Heroin controlled every minute of every day of my life. I had no reason to believe I would ever get better or have any success in my future. I went to a long term inpatient rehabilitation center twice in two years and had no success after leaving, I just went straight back to heroin. After leaving rehab the second time and relapsing then getting into a car accident while high on heroin, my family and I were out of options and feeling very hopeless. My Mom heard about Lauren and asked me if I wanted to try outpatient counseling; I agreed but in the back of my head I thought out patient would never work for me due to the strong hold heroin had on me. After meeting with Lauren several times a week individually and in group meetings I really started to enjoy the process and the real life skills she had to offer. The most effective part of St. Louis Addiction Counseling is the nonjudgmental third party perspective on what you are going through alone with professional advice to help the process go as smooth as possible. Lauren helped me step by step through every day of my recovery; If I was having problems with my with my family or girlfriend that was making my recovery harder or triggering craving she would talk to me about what I was going through and teach me different things I could do to curb the craving and help me mindfully understand what I was going through that would allow me to deal with these things. Within three months I went from wanting to do heroin every day to not doing any drugs at all and having the drive to improve my family life as well as getting a job and going to school. After hitting this point in my recovery we focused on me getting back in school and finding a job which I did both. I started to see Lauren less and less each week and began to regain control over my life. I am so grateful for what Lauren and St. Louis Addiction Counseling did for me and everyone in my life. Every aspect of my life has improved greatly and I am just so happy with my life and have been sober for 2 years! Male Client
Primary Counselor: Francine After years of struggling with addiction and several failed attempts at sobriety, I believed that there was no solution- and I was doomed to live my life relying on substances. I felt that, not only did I lack the tools I needed to deal with life and my underlying problems, but I believed that effective tools to do so didn't even exist. I met Francine with an open, yet skeptical mind. After just a few sessions, she had helped me to identify my core problems and armed me with the tools to deal with them. I saw results; Tangible and obvious results. So I kept going. I started to participate in group sessions and quickly realized the importance of interacting with other people who may struggle with different addictions, but are dealing with many of the same problems that I face. We are able to help each other by offering advice and support. St. Louis Addiction Counseling ensured that my recovery is handled with the utmost discretion, which is extremely important to me. I appreciate that I am never judged and always feel comforted. Francine and Lauren have been vital to my recovery. I would urge anyone who struggles with addiction to seek their assistance and guidance. It's one of the best decisions I've made. Parent of a Adolescent Client
"When we discovered that our adolescent son was addicted to heroin we were shocked. Questions flooded through our every waking moment. How could this happen? What can we do to help? Where do we go from here? We moved quickly and sent our son to a treatment facility out of state, where we began the long road to recovery. I say “we” because addiction and recovery impacts the entire family, and we believe that we are all in this together. Back in St. Louis, we had trouble finding an aftercare treatment plan that made sense and that provided the type of support that our son and our family needed. We were finally introduced to St. Louis Addiction Counseling. It was just what we needed. The cognitive/dialectical behavior therapy has helped my son learn how to control his thoughts and emotions, and therefore his behavior. The caring and attentive counselors support us, listen to us, and challenge us to make the changes needed to live a healthier life, both physically and emotionally. Although our son is the primary client, our entire family meets to discuss how things are going at home and what we all can do to continually improve. Addiction is a frightening and deadly disease, but it is not hopeless. The traditional 30 days of treatment is simply not enough and continuous after care is needed. Our son is now in college, healthy and happy. St. Louis Addiction Counseling offers an approach that lets us know they are in it for all the right reasons and they are always there we need them. " Parent of an Adult Client Primary Therapist: Lauren "As a family member of an addicted person, I would like to add my opinion and support for the treatment that is offered at St. Louis Addiction Counseling. Our experience is with a family member who was diagnosed with alcohol dependence and other co-occurring disorders. Prior to becoming involved with St. Louis Addiction Counseling, we watched as our loved one suffered, not only from the devastating symptoms of the disease, but from the social stigma associated with their diagnosis. Our adult child was rejected from numerous 'programs' for being 'non-compliant', or being “too difficult to treat.” What we have witnessed with St. Louis Addiction Counseling, is a commitment from therapist Lauren Zehnle that is stunning in comparison to the other programs we have been involved with. Mrs. Zehnle has provided all of us with the support, therapy, encouragement and hope we desperately needed. Our child is now learning skills to cope with their diagnosis. learning to trust people again, and learning new ways to deal with addiction. They are now choosing to live with who they are, instead of letting the disease of addiction define and defeat them. We know that recovery is a long, challenging, process. But the difference is that now with Mrs. Zehnle's involvement, we all have access to unwavering support, intellectual problem solving, and hope. God willing, our child will continue with counseling and grow in health. Thank you Mrs. Zehnle and St. Louis Addiction Counseling!" Female Client, Adult
"My experience at St. Louis Addiction Counseling has been life changing for me. Their non judgmental approach to dealing with addiction has made me realize that I should not be embarrassed about my addiction and the support I have received from Lauren, Francine and the help of group members has made me feel that I'm not alone and there are many people struggling with addiction and the same problems that I have experienced. I have also learned that addiction to alcohol was my way of dealing with anxiety and past experiences in my life. The basic approach of CBT and DBT therapy, exercise and living a healthier life has made a major impact in my overall mental and physical health and I have found myself sharing what I have learned with friends and family members that are dealing with life problems. A year ago my drinking was out of control and I needed help that fit into my life and work schedule. St. Louis Addiction Counseling has provided me with the support I needed but allowed me to do it within my schedule." Male Client, age 30
"I have spent most of my life swirling in the wreckage of my past and struggling to cope in a world in which I felt I just did not fit. After decades of desperately trying to figure out what was wrong with me and how to get better, St. Louis Addiction Counseling has not only given me the hope that I will recover from my illness but the tools to do just that. For the first time, I have a therapist who truly understands me and what I am experiencing." |