What we treat
Substance use
We approach substance use the way we approach every other condition: as something to understand together, without judgment, with the goal of helping you get to where you want to be.
Where you don’t have to start
You don’t have to be ready to quit. You don’t have to have hit a particular bottom. You don’t have to be sure substance use is even the main thing going on. Whatever your relationship with alcohol, cannabis, opioids, stimulants, or other substances looks like, you can show up exactly where you are. We’ll figure out together whether anything would help.
What we treat
- Alcohol use disorder — from “I want to drink less” to severe dependence with withdrawal concerns.
- Opioid use disorder — including buprenorphine treatment for medication-assisted recovery.
- Stimulant use disorder — cocaine, methamphetamine, prescription stimulant misuse.
- Cannabis use disorder — especially when daily use is interfering with motivation, mood, or function.
- Co-occurring mental health conditions — depression, anxiety, ADHD, trauma. Substance use rarely happens in isolation, and treating one without the other is usually incomplete.
How we treat substance use
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
For several substance use disorders, FDA-approved medications meaningfully improve outcomes:
- Alcohol use disorder: naltrexone (Vivitrol or oral), acamprosate, disulfiram. Each works through a different mechanism.
- Opioid use disorder: buprenorphine (Suboxone) is what we offer. We are buprenorphine prescribers and can start treatment at your initial visit if appropriate.
- Tobacco / nicotine: varenicline, bupropion, nicotine replacement.
Therapy and counseling
Therapy is often as important as medication, sometimes more so. We use:
- Motivational Interviewing (MI) — meets you where your motivation actually is, rather than assuming you’re “in denial.”
- CBT for substance use — identifying triggers, developing coping skills, preventing relapse.
- Contingency management in select cases.
Coordinated referral when more is needed
Some situations call for a higher level of care than outpatient psychiatric treatment:
- Medical detox for severe alcohol or benzodiazepine dependence (withdrawal can be dangerous)
- Inpatient or residential treatment
- Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and partial hospitalization (PHP)
- Methadone treatment (we don’t operate an opioid treatment program but coordinate with those that do)
We maintain relationships with Connecticut’s specialty addiction programs — including Stonington Institute, Rushford, and others — so we can get you to the right level of care quickly.