Recovery and relapse prevention
Substance Abuse Counseling & Therapy in Denver
CATC provides substance abuse counseling and therapy for adults working to reduce harmful use, build recovery skills, meet referral requirements, and address the mental health patterns that often sit underneath substance use.
Recovery support that fits real life
Substance abuse counseling should do more than tell someone to stop using. Strong therapy helps people understand triggers, manage cravings, rebuild routines, repair accountability, and address the mental health patterns that make recovery harder. CATC supports clients who are ready for sobriety, clients who are rebuilding after relapse, and clients who are still clarifying what needs to change.
CATC serves the Denver Metro Area, Fort Collins, Greeley, Northern Colorado, and eligible telehealth clients across Colorado. Owner and Executive Director David A. Yingling, LPC helps match new clients with the right service, including individual counseling, group therapy when available, mental health therapy, medication evaluation, or a substance abuse evaluation when documentation is needed first.
CATC accepts Colorado Medicaid, United Healthcare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and self-pay by credit card.
What counseling can address
- Alcohol, cannabis, opioid, stimulant, prescription medication, or other drug use concerns.
- Relapse prevention, cravings, high-risk situations, routines, and accountability planning.
- Court, probation, employer, school, or family referral needs where treatment participation may require documentation.
- Co-occurring anxiety, depression, trauma, stress, grief, relationship strain, or emotional dysregulation.
- Life rebuilding: work, family, sleep, support systems, communication, and daily stability.
Therapy process
Intake assessment and goals
Your clinician completes an intake assessment covering substance use history, triggers, consequences, prior treatment, mental health symptoms, strengths, goals, and referral requirements.
Personalized treatment plan
Treatment goals may focus on abstinence, reduced harm, relapse prevention, emotional regulation, healthier routines, documentation compliance, or co-occurring mental health needs.
Skill-building and therapy
Sessions may use motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral strategies, relapse-prevention planning, trauma-informed support, accountability work, and practical coping skills.
Progress and aftercare
CATC can help clients plan for ongoing support, relapse warning signs, next-level referrals, medication evaluation, or continued mental health therapy when needed.
Integrated care matters
Substance use and mental health often reinforce each other. Anxiety can increase avoidance. Depression can increase isolation. Trauma can increase emotional reactivity. Stress can trigger relapse. A therapy plan that ignores those connections usually leaves the client with an incomplete strategy.
CATC's service structure is built around that reality. A client may begin with a substance abuse evaluation, continue with substance abuse counseling, add mental health therapy, or be referred for psychiatric medication evaluation and medication monitoring when that is clinically appropriate.
If your counseling is related to court, probation, work, or school, bring the documentation requirements at intake so CATC can review what participation records or reports may be needed.
Substance abuse therapy FAQs
Is an intake assessment required before starting substance abuse counseling?
Yes. Substance abuse counseling starts with an intake assessment so your clinician can understand your substance use history, treatment needs, goals, and referral requirements. A separate formal evaluation may still be required by a court, probation officer, employer, school, medical provider, or treatment program.
Is therapy only for people who are already sober?
No. CATC can work with clients at different stages of readiness. The goal is to build motivation, safety, accountability, coping skills, and a realistic recovery plan.
Can family members be involved?
Involvement depends on clinical appropriateness, consent, and treatment goals. Your clinician can discuss whether family communication or support-system planning makes sense.
Can counseling be done by telehealth?
Telehealth may be available for eligible Colorado clients when clinically appropriate and when referral-source rules allow it.