ARC Philosophy
Our philosophy of change centers on the notion that people are prone to repeating patterns that may result in recurrent difficulties that lie outside of conscious awareness.
These patterns can cause people to unwittingly get in their own way again and again. To achieve lasting change, it is essential to form a meaningful therapeutic relationship in which to address conscious and unconscious motivations for behavior.
It is our experience that recurrent experiences of trauma in early life can impact an individual's personality development and contribute to patterns of behavior that can have self destructive effects. Such experiences can result in an individual becoming driven by fear, and experiencing levels of tension that can be difficult to tolerate. Addressing fear and unbearable tension are integral to our work.
Our non-judgmental approach to substance use is informed by psychological theory and research, and is designed to help individuals explore and modify their use of substances. We work with individuals who may not want to commit to abstinence, and support individuals in working toward abstinence when that is their goal.
We also address aspects of development that arise at different stages of life. Our work with couples and families draws on family systems theory as well. We rely on evidence-based techniques, such as mindfulness practices, when appropriate, to create symptom relief and help people regulate themselves while developing insight.