Substance Use and Addiction Therapy in Cary, NC

Deciding to look at your relationship with alcohol, drugs, or any addiction takes more courage than most people give it credit for. Wherever you are, still deciding, newly sober, or trying again after a setback, you do not have to white knuckle it alone. Recovery is possible, and it does not require hitting some rock bottom first.

Request your free consultation Call (919) 230-1446

At Prism Wellness in Cary, we offer outpatient substance use and addiction therapy that fits around your real life, so you can do the work while keeping your job, your school, and your routine.

Understanding Substance Use and Addiction

Addiction becomes a problem when it starts running the show, when the drinking, drugs, or other addiction keeps going even as it costs you things you care about. That includes behavioral addictions too, like gambling or pornography, which carry the same pull and respond to the same honest work. Addiction is not a moral failing or a lack of willpower. It is a condition, often tangled up with stress, anxiety, depression, or trauma, and it responds to real treatment. If any of this sounds familiar, outpatient therapy can help you understand what is underneath it and build a way out.

Common signs of a substance use disorder include strong cravings or urges, trouble controlling how much or how often you use, needing more for the same effect, withdrawal when you stop, and continuing to use even as it harms your relationships, work, or health.

Outpatient Addiction Therapy in Cary, NC

Outpatient care means you get real support without stepping away from your life. You keep working, studying, and living at home while doing the therapy that drives lasting change. One approach we lean on is Motivational Interviewing, a collaborative, non judgmental way of working through mixed feelings and building your own reasons to change, rather than being lectured at. We also stay connected with other levels of care in the community, so if you ever need more support, you are not starting from scratch.

Dual Diagnosis and Co Occurring Anxiety or Depression

For a lot of people, substance use is tangled up with something else, like anxiety, depression, or trauma. Treating only one side rarely holds. We work on both together, so you are not white knuckling sobriety while the anxiety or low mood that fed it goes untouched. Our anxiety therapy and depression therapy fold directly into this work. Our anxiety therapy, depression therapy and trauma and PTSD therapy are part of the same plan rather than a separate referral, and where talk therapy alone has not shifted things, ketamine assisted therapy is one option we can talk through.

How We Treat Substance Use

There is no single path to recovery, so we build one around you. Depending on your needs, that may include:

Trauma-Informed CBT

Spotting the thoughts, triggers, and situations that lead to use, and building healthier ways to cope so cravings have less power. Knowing your triggers is not the same as your body feeling safe around them, so we build that felt safety first and the coping skills hold better.

Motivational Interviewing (MI)

A collaborative, pressure free way to work through mixed feelings about change and strengthen your own motivation to move forward.

Trauma informed therapy

Because addiction and trauma so often travel together, we treat the emotional wounds underneath, not just the substance use on the surface.

Harm reduction

Recovery does not have to mean perfection on day one. We meet you where you are and work toward what safer looks like for you, without shame when the path is not a straight line.

Mindfulness Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP)

Mindfulness skills to notice cravings and triggers as they rise and respond on purpose rather than on autopilot.

Meet Our Substance Use Therapists

Recovery goes better with someone in your corner who does not judge. Our team includes clinicians with specialized addiction training, and we will help match you with the right fit.

Meet the full team → Our Therapists

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you only treat drug and alcohol addiction?

No. We also work with behavioral addictions like gambling and pornography. The pull is real, the shame is real, and the same therapeutic work applies. If something has started running your life, it belongs in this room.

What therapy is most effective for addiction?

Trauma-informed CBT has the strongest research behind it, and Motivational Interviewing, harm reduction, and mindfulness based relapse prevention add real value. What matters most is a plan matched to you and to anything traveling alongside the substance use, like anxiety, depression, or trauma.

Is this outpatient? Can I keep working?

Yes. Our substance use therapy is outpatient, built to fit around your job, school, and home life. You do the work without stepping away from everything else, and if you ever need a higher level of care, we help you get there.

Do you treat co occurring anxiety or depression?

Yes. This is what dual diagnosis care means. We treat the substance use and the anxiety, depression, or trauma underneath it together, because addressing only one side rarely lasts.

What if I have relapsed before?

Relapse is common and it does not erase your progress. We treat it as information, not failure, and use it to build a stronger, more honest plan for what comes next.

Do you take my insurance?

We accept Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Tricare, and United. Tricare and United plans are seen by our fully licensed therapists only. You can see which networks each clinician takes on our team page, and we will confirm your coverage before your first session.

This is not a crisis line. If you're in immediate danger, call or text 988.

Take the First Step

You do not have to have it all figured out, or be done using, to reach out. A free consultation is a low pressure way to talk through what is going on and what recovery could look like for you. When you are ready, we are here.

Request your free consultation Call (919) 230-1446

Prism Wellness · 113 Edinburgh South Drive, Suite 130, Cary, NC 27511 · (919) 230-1446