Paul Burke

I work with adults and couples navigating anxiety, depression, addiction and recovery, compulsive behaviors, relationship stress, caregiver stress, job burnout, and major life transitions. I have particular experience supporting people in recovery, those questioning their relationship with substances or compulsive behaviors, and clients working to build a more stable, honest, and meaningful life.

As an LCSW with specialized training in addiction treatment, my background includes substance use treatment, relapse prevention, harm reduction-informed care, and recovery-oriented therapy. I understand that addiction is rarely just about substances or behavior. It often involves shame, trauma, isolation, emotional dysregulation, family patterns, grief, and a longing for connection or relief.

My approach is warm, practical, collaborative, and nonjudgmental. I help clients identify triggers, strengthen coping skills, reduce shame, improve emotional regulation, and make choices that support long-term recovery. I work with clients at many stages of change, including those who are sober curious, actively sober, returning after relapse, or trying to understand compulsive patterns related to sex, pornography, food, work, or relationships.

I draw from CBT, Motivational Interviewing, DBT-informed skills, mindfulness, relapse prevention, trauma-informed care, and psychodynamic insight. DBT skills can be especially helpful for clients who struggle with intense emotions, impulsivity, shame, or difficulty tolerating distress.

I also work with couples who want to communicate more clearly, reduce conflict, rebuild trust, and feel more emotionally connected. Whether you come as an individual or a couple, therapy with me is active but not pressured. We will look honestly at what is not working while respecting your strengths, history, values, and pace.

I draw from CBT, Motivational Interviewing, DBT-informed skills, mindfulness-based practices, relapse prevention, trauma-informed care, and psychodynamic insight. DBT skills are especially useful for clients who struggle with intense emotions, impulsivity, shame, or difficulty tolerating distress—we may work on building a pause between feeling and reacting.

In a first session, my goal is to create a warm, comfortable space where we can begin getting to know each other and understand what brings you to therapy. I tend to be interactive and collaborative, so I may ask questions, reflect what I’m hearing, and help identify the patterns, concerns, and strengths that feel most important. There is no pressure to share everything at once. We will move at a pace that feels respectful and useful, while beginning to clarify what you would like to work on and what kind of support would feel most helpful.