Melva Denholm, MS, CACII, LADAC, licensed drug and alcohol counselor with Alegent Health Psychiatric Associates
Find out more about Melva Denholm, MS, CACII, LADAC
Q: I have an alcohol problem that has gotten worse in the last couple of months since I experienced some traumatic events in my life. Must I attend AA meetings in order to receive outpatient counseling? I am not comfortable with that idea right now.
A: Many people feel uncomfortable with the thought of going to AA meetings if they have never attended. We understand that and we introduce the concept while in treatment by having members of the AA community as guest speakers. We do not make people attend AA; however, we do encourage it, as treatment is very brief. It is discovery to what the problems are, and recovery is a process that takes time.
It appears you have several stressors right now that may need professional assistance. I encourage you to call 572-2916 option 1 to set up an evaluation to determine your individual treatment needs.
