Starting a blog has long been on my list of things to do since opening my private practice three years ago. The general sense of busy that comes with running a business has prevented me from doing so until now. However, I think that is likely not the only reason why it has taken me several years to get to this point.
My first sticking point was really wondering what on earth I had to say on a blog that anyone wanted to hear. Why should I put my voice out into the blogosphere with all the others? I have had to sit on this question for some time. It comes down to two fundamental questions. Who am I and what do I have to say?
Who am I? That question is easy to answer. I am a therapist specializing in treating addictions. I particularly treat sexual addiction and compulsivity, although I got my start in the chemical dependency field. I have been working in the addiction field for nearly 9 years. Three years ago I started a private practice in Eastern Pennsylvania with offices in West Conshohocken and Bethlehem, PA. Last year, that practice became Sexual Addiction Treatment Services (SATS). We moved into new offices and expanded in August of 2012 and added three great staff members who also specialize in treating addiction, sexual addition, trauma and other issues that co-exist with addiction. I am the director of SATS and am blessed to wake up every day to a profession and a field that I love.
Part of me is a clinician. However, I am also an educator. I began in the psychology field as an educator, teaching undergraduate psychology, women’s studies, animal behavior and biology. Though teaching ended up not being where my heart lay, I love to teach. I love to teach therapists and counselors about aspects of addiction treatment about which I am passionate. One thing I have retained from my time in academia is a love of research. I love research articles and journal articles and all things scientific. I do my best to keep up on current research outcomes and topics to keep my brain fresh and inform my practice.
Who I am and what I do will inform the topics posted on this blog. I have always thought that there was a large gap between what goes on in the academic and research world and what goes on in clinical practice. I also think that there is another large gap between what goes on in the research world and everyday life. How does the average person, not educated in the ways of research, draw any practical use from research articles? Part of what you will find on this blog will be current research trends translated into common usable language for both the clinician and the person in recovery.
The biggest part of who I am that will inform this blog is the passion I have for my work. I love working in the field of addiction and sexual addiction. I think that the world needs to better understand sexual addiction and we need to help lose the stigma associated with it. The better informed the public is, hopefully the less judgmental they will be as well.
So, what I hope to bring to this blog are a number of things. Look for recent research in the field translated into common and usable language. Look for the latest trends and issues in the world of sexual addiction treatment. You can also look for information and education. It is our hope that when you visit us, you will come away with some new knowledge or insight that you might find helpful on your journey whether that is your personal recovery or your shared journey in treating addiction.
