Drinking Moderation Coaching

Traditional approaches to overdrinking have not acknowledged the grey area between “alcoholic” and “normal” drinker.

Many people don’t seek help because they are worried they’ll be told they must abstain immediately and forever, and they either are not ready or do not need to take this approach.

Welcome to Grey!

  • Mindful Drinking Coaching takes a Harm Reduction approach to the addictive process.

  • Harm Reduction empowers the client to determine their own path and outcome, whether it’s moderation or abstinence.

  • It also reduces the harm between practitioner and client, as it is a non-judgmental, non-pathologizing, non-shaming (!) modality.

IFS (Internal Family Systems) fits in perfectly with the Harm Reduction modality. In IFS the practitioner and client are allies, working collaboratively to heal and transform the parts of the client involved in the addictive process.

For Example:

  • Parts that want to feel some way other than they’re feeling

  • Parts that want to help out by having you drink so that you’ll feel better, or to enhance a positive or celebratory state

  • Parts that try to stop or manage the cycle by strong-arming the drinking parts

  • Parts that rebel and drink anyway

  • Parts that wake up feeling hangxiety and shame

  • Parts that judge and criticize the whole business!

Featured In

  • Interview about the Mindful Drinking workshops by Guy Macpherson of The Trauma Therapist Project: Watch the video.

  • The Alcohol Minimalist Podcast with Molly Watts: Listen here.

  • West Side Rag: Read the article.

  • Moderation Management blog: Read the interview.

Click the arrows to scroll through testimonials:

  • “I came to Beej when I was at a very low point and struggling with depression, addiction and aimlessness. From the first session she was warm, caring, patient, and encouraging. We would make weekly goals that were manageable and slowly increased my self-esteem and hope. As my mental health improved, we moved from personal goals to professional goals. Beej helped me structure my week in a more productive way. Working with her has helped me realize myself and get my life back.”

  • “I will be forever grateful to her skills as a motivator, her ability to listen compassionately and her unique way of bringing structure to the very frenetic experience of depression and addiction.”

  • ”Beej was instrumental in helping me cut down my drinking. She taught me to recognize when I was feeling triggered to over-drink, to stop and contemplate my impulses (without judgment!) and then pivot and bypass the problem. I would recommend her services to anyone who feels they might benefit from reexamining their drinking habits, which is probably most people!"