Howard Lane
Howard is a highly trained, experienced drug and alcohol addictions counselor and Licensed Mental Health Counselor, specializing in treating and providing therapy for a co-occurring disorders population. Howard has been treating clients from a variety of diverse cultural backgrounds, most with a common thread. They struggle with drug/alcohol addiction as well as other mental health issues including sex addiction, internet addiction, pornography addiction, and compulsive gambling. ‘I have employed evidenced-based treatment modalities for clients since 2008, many of which have an underlying mental health concern or diagnosis (co-occurring disorder) that has not been addressed’. The work Howard does with clients goes beyond relapse prevention and coping skills to ‘survive’. Howard enjoys teaching clients how to ‘live’. ‘I utilize a ‘systemic’ approach to treating addiction including addiction to sex, pornography, the internet, gambling, and video gaming. Howard teaches family members how to actively participate in their loved one's treatment and at the same time helps educate them using specific techniques to eliminate codependency, as well as other maladaptive dysfunctional, and enabling behaviors. A common goal is to define or re-establish healthy boundaries, so the entire family gets well. We learn from experience how addiction can impact and affect the entire family.
I believe in ‘empowering’ clients to find solutions in their lives and to identify ways to confront obstacles that are getting in the way of their recovery. As a Solution Focused therapist, Howard will integrate various methods including ‘CBT skills, (cognitive behavioral therapy). The goal is to help clients understand their cognitive distortions that resulted in faulty thinking and poor decision-making. Howard received a certification for completing a course facilitated by Dr. Barry Gregory for DBT training. ‘I enjoy using DBT skills (dialectical behavioral therapy) and teaching clients about mindfulness as well as distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. It has been proven very beneficial for the work we do treating ‘borderline personality disorder' clients as well as addictions. I am extremely passionate about my ‘experiential program’ and utilizing role-play exercises and challenging clients to get out of their belief systems and comfort zones to achieve long-term sobriety. The client enjoys the ‘hands-on’ approach to recovery by participating in various experiential exercises, designed to provide a platform to achieve a ‘breakthrough’ and overcome the obstacles (barriers) to recovery that have built up for so many years. I fill the role of ‘Primary Therapist’ which includes 1:1 individual sessions as well as group sessions where clients can share freely with their peers on a variety of topics and process treatment program assignments, IE ‘Life Stories, Goodbye letters to their drug of choice, 12 step principles and impact letters from family members. Family participation is encouraged and impact letters are processed with clients in groups in a confidential, safe and secure environment, all of which are meant to provide an insight into the ‘negative consequences’ that result from addiction-patterned behavior. Having the opportunity to experience and observe ‘first hand’ the emotional, and spiritual growth of our clients is perhaps the most rewarding experience. Being able to witness firsthand the growth, changes, and transformations our clients achieve from the moment they walk through our doors till the time they are ready to ‘commence’ and move on with their journey in recovery (new way of life) is the most rewarding experience you can imagine. The client goes from ‘hopeless’ to ‘full of hope’. This is the turnaround we hope to achieve. In addition, I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree from St. John’s University and majored in criminal justice. I am certified by the Florida Certification Board as a Certified Recovery Support Specialist. I hold a National Certification from NADAI as a Certified National Master Interventionist-II and created a training syllabus to teach other mental health professionals the requirements of creating a successful intervention. In 2007, I graduated from Summit Education, a school for ‘experiential training’ and ropes course using a ‘learning process’ initially designed and developed by The National Training Labs in Bethesda, MD to help government and civilian contractors create and achieve success in a team environment. I am a native New Yorker; I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and lived in Staten Island and New Jersey for many years, till making the transition to living in Florida. I have been a Florida resident since 1996 and I currently reside in Broward County.
Licensed in FL
Sees individuals & couples
Similar specialties
Licensed in FL, Sees individuals & couples, Similar specialties.
