We provide immediate via Telehealth or ZOOM services so you can receive the support you need from your home. All telehealth services are offered via confidential, HIPAA-compliant video conferencing.

Relapse Prevention

The relapse process occurs in a series of steps.

In the direction of a return to addictive or other self-destructive behavior.

Along the way, there are opportunities to use new ways of thinking and acting to reverse the process. To understand relapse process and prevention in the following example, imagine you are making one of these lifestyle changes: stopping smoking, attending 12-step group meetings, or beginning an exercise program.

At some point after making a change, the demands of maintaining it seem to outweigh the benefits of the change. We don’t remember that this is normal. Change involves resistance. Reaching out to a supportive person can help clarify our thinking.

We feel disappointed. We forget—disappointment is a normal part of living.

We feel deprived, victimized, resentful, and blame ourselves.

These are “red flags” for a lapse. Talk with a supportive person to clarify the situation.

It occurs to us that our old behavior (smoking, isolation, inactivity) would help us to feel better.

If we would consider why we made the change in the first place, we would remember how the old behavior made us feel worse. Talking to a supportive person, distraction, or relaxation can help relieve the pressure.