In recognition of Natural Recovery Month—an overview of the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s addiction resources.
BY ORLY LYONNE
If you’re struggling with substance abuse, don’t struggle alone; The Los Angeles LGBT Center has many programs and services to help.
In addition to one-on-one therapy and therapy groups—all facilitated by professional substance abuse counselors in confidential sessions—the Los Angeles LGBT Center is home to a wide variety of 12-step group meetings. They also host a number of drug and alcohol-free events throughout the year.
Anonymous Online Chat Support Every weekday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. you can chat online, completely anonymously, with a specially trained Center therapist for advice, recommendations, and support.
Individual Therapy The approach of the Center’s skilled therapists is to reduce your potential for harm by talking about costs/benefits of use and discussing plans to help you be safer. Develop goals to reduce your use and strategies to minimize relapse.
Methology If you’re ready to reduce the harm caused by crystal meth, get help to develop strategies and goals to reduce—or stop—your use of it. This free program is a mix of five group and individual sessions.
Evening Outpatient Program This is an abstinence-based program that meets three nights a week and is a low-cost, intensive program for people with any substance abuse problem (i.e. alcohol, cannabis, crystal meth, crack, etc.).
Recovery Over Crystal Group and Men’s Crystal Meth Recovery Group This is for men who are ready to quit using meth and who are looking for the help they need to do that.
Youth Drop-in Group Specifically for people under 25-years-old who want to learn how to reduce the harm caused by their use of meth. This free support group meets weekly at the Youth Center on Highland.
Individual Therapy One-on-one counseling focusing on substance abuse, costs/benefits of use, harm reduction vs. abstinence, safety planning, relapse prevention, etc.
Intensive Day Outpatient Program An intensive abstinence based program that meets 5 days a week from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Facilitated by professional substance abuse counselors, this program is designed to help clients with mental health challenges and any substance abuse problems, including alcohol, cannabis, crystal meth, crack, etc. Clients must register to participate. Call 323-993-7448 for more information.
Breaking Free from Substances Focused on early recovery with an emphasis on harm reduction from all substances with the exception of crystal meth. Clients will examine the role substances play in their lives, learn basic steps to stopping substance abuse, and address major “holes” in their lives that they may be trying to fill with substances.
Pathways to Women’s Recovery A Mindfulness Approach to Sobriety: This is a harm reduction group that focuses on teaching mindful attitudes that help women overcome struggles that arise in recovery and help break self-destructive behaviors that often present as barriers to maintaining sobriety.
Mental Health The mental health services staff of the Los Angeles LGBT Center specialize in psychotherapy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and welcome all cultures, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identities. Some of the issues people seek treatment for include depression, anxiety, relationships, HIV, substance abuse, domestic/intimate partner abuse and violence, and coming out support. Most therapy is short term, usually 26 sessions.
For more info visit: lalgbtcenter.org/health-services/addiction-recovery-services or call: 323-993-7400.
