Everyone has a different relationship with substances, behaviors, and the idea of addiction itself. You might be wondering whether your habits have become unmanageable, navigating recovery, or simply looking for support in redefining your relationship with substances or certain behaviors. Wherever you are in your journey, you don’t have to do it alone.
San Francisco offers a unique landscape of addiction and recovery support, shaped by the city’s culture of innovation, harm reduction, and diverse healing modalities. While some people find structure in 12-step recovery programs, others explore harm reduction, therapy, or alternative approaches that align with their personal values. In a city where tech, nightlife, high-stress careers, and wellness movements intersect, it’s natural to feel conflicted about what recovery means for you.
Therapy provides a judgment-free space to explore your experiences, gain clarity, and develop a recovery path that makes sense for your life. Whether you’re questioning your relationship with substances, dealing with compulsive behaviors, or healing from the impact of addiction in your family, support is available.
There is no single way to recover, heal, or change. Whatever your goals—whether it’s cutting back, quitting, or just understanding yourself better—you deserve care that meets you exactly where you are.
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Explore Our Addiction & Recovery Resources
Addiction and recovery take many forms, and no two people experience them the same way. Some people struggle with substance use, while others feel out of control in their relationships with technology, sex, work, or other compulsive behaviors. Others may not struggle with addiction themselves but feel the impact of growing up in a home where addiction was present.
The following resources provide deeper insight into these experiences and the ways therapy can help.
Understanding Addiction & Mental Health
Many people dealing with addiction or compulsive behaviors are also navigating underlying mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, trauma, or stress. Sometimes, these conditions drive compulsive behaviors; other times, they develop as a result of addiction or recovery. Therapy can help address these connections, offering tools for emotional regulation, self-awareness, and long-term healing.
- Learn more about the relationship between mental health and addiction
- Understand how therapy helps in reducing shame, building coping strategies, and supporting lasting change
Learn more about addiction & mental health
Types of Addiction: Behavioral & Substance Use
Tech, Social Media & Internet Use
Technology is deeply integrated into daily life, but excessive social media use, gaming, or compulsive internet behaviors can become overwhelming. Many people in the Bay Area struggle with work-related digital burnout, the pressure to be always online, or difficulty setting boundaries with screens. If you feel out of control with your tech habits, therapy can help you regain balance.
Explore tech, social media & internet addiction
Sex & Compulsivity
Sexuality is natural, but some individuals experience distress, shame, or a lack of control over their sexual behaviors. In a city with open conversations around sex and relationships, it can be difficult to determine when behavior is unhealthy or just outside societal norms. Therapy provides a space to explore these patterns without judgment, helping you develop a healthier relationship with intimacy.
Explore sexual addiction & compulsive behaviors
Substance Use: Misuse & Recovery
Some people seek complete sobriety, while others want to explore harm reduction, moderation, or therapeutic substance use. In a city where substances are widely available and even used in therapeutic settings, it’s normal to feel conflicted about what healthy use looks like for you. Therapy can help you clarify your relationship with substances, manage cravings, and build coping strategies that align with your personal values.
Learn more about substance use & recovery
Recovery & Healing: Therapy, 12-Step & Family Support
12-Step Recovery & Therapy
For those engaged in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), or other 12-step programs, therapy can offer additional support. Some people find that therapy helps them navigate the emotional challenges of recovery, strengthen boundaries, and address any difficulties they experience within their program. Therapy can also be beneficial if you’re exploring whether a 12-step approach is right for you.
Learn how therapy supports 12-step recovery
Healing for Adult Children of Alcoholics/Addicts (ACoA)
Growing up in a home where addiction was present can have lasting effects on self-esteem, relationships, and emotional well-being. Many Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACoA) struggle with perfectionism, people-pleasing, difficulty trusting others, or a fear of abandonment. Therapy can help you recognize these patterns, work through unresolved feelings, and build a stronger sense of self.
Explore therapy for ACoA
How Therapy Supports Addiction & Recovery
Therapy provides a personalized, non-judgmental approach to addiction recovery. Whether you’re struggling with substance use, compulsive behaviors, or the emotional impact of addiction, therapy can help you:
- Identify triggers and develop healthier coping strategies
- Explore the root causes of addiction and compulsive behaviors
- Strengthen relationships and boundaries
- Build self-compassion and release shame
- Integrate harm reduction, 12-step recovery, or other approaches that align with your values
Browse our Therapist Directory. We want to help.