You’ve figured out how to function, we know it’s come at a cost.

After a stressful or traumatic event, the body and mind do whatever they can to keep you safe. That might mean using alcohol or substances to numb, distract, or create a sense of control. It might also look like disordered eating, self-harm, overworking, compulsive behaviors, or emotional shutdown. At Imagine Recovery Counseling, we understand that substance use and other compensatory behavior are often a response to overwhelming experiences, not a sign of weakness or failure.

You might be a “compensatory coper” if:

• Experienced a traumatic event and use alcohol or substances to forget about the event or minimize triggers related to your trauma.

• Are always overly busy, productive, or achieving and can’t seem to stop.

• You use alcohol, cannabis, food, sex, shopping, or other behaviors to soothe or escape intense emotions.

• You alternate between over-functioning (doing everything) and crashing or avoiding everything.

• You often don’t realize you’re overwhelmed until your body shuts down or crashes.

At Imagine Recovery, we offer trauma-informed, holistic therapy that supports you in reducing substance use in ways that align with your lifestyle — not by dismantling your coping, but by gently turning inward to understand it. Our work helps you reconnect to your body, your needs, your sense of safety, and understand the protective strategies that once helped you get through what felt unmanageable.

We use approaches like EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, IFS (parts work), and mindfulness-based therapy to support slow, embodied change without forcing insight or emotional intensity.

Reach out today to begin your work with a therapist who honors how hard you’ve worked to survive and can help you move toward something more sustainable.