DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, ALL COUNSELING SESSIONS WILL BE HELD ONLINE USING ENCRYPTED AND SECURE TELEHEALTH SOFTWARE.
About me
You can call me Howie
Raised outside Asbury Park, New Jersey, in the 1960s, I barely survived the Age Of Aquarius.
My father, a practicing clinical psychologist, ran group therapy on our home's shag carpet-lined living room. He was considered by many as a forward thinker, a hippy in a suit and tie who blew the doors off expectations and conformity. He raised four kids, me the oldest, with the same hippy ideals - giving us the freedom to explore, take risks, and challenge society’s limitations.
But there was a dark side to that upbringing: drugs were an integral part of the culture then. The lack of restraint given by my free-thinking parents opened the door to substance abuse in all forms. By the age of thirteen, I was already an addict. and for years, I struggled with addiction and depression, which threatened my life on more than one occasion.
I woke up one day and recognized that my family, my friends, and my own life were more important to me than drugs, and I needed to make a change. With determination and the drive to never give up, I could see myself through to the other side and get my life back. I've made it my goal ever since to be a guiding light for people who need it most using understanding, support, and friendship.
In 1994 my wife and our two young kids relocated to the island of Martha's Vineyard, my wife's childhood home, and we’ve been here ever since. I now serve Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, and beyond in addiction counseling, crisis intervention, family therapy, sober transport organization, and more. My family and my own experiences with drugs and alcohol are the driving force behind my passion for helping others. Let me help you and your loved ones get the help they need today.
I am a Licensed Addictions Specialist CIP, CCAR Certified ER Recovery Coach, Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC1), Certified Intervention Professional, Recovery Coach Professional, and Certified ER Staff Recovery Coach.
Over the years I’ve served as an Emergency Services Clinician and been on the Substance Use Disorder Team for the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, helping distressed families in the ICU and ER. I have been affiliated with Island Community Services on Martha’s Vineyard since 2011, and am the former Drug & Alcohol Program Instructor for Island Community Counseling, where I ran the D24 Drivers Alcohol Education Program for five years and the Second Offenders Aftercare Programs for three years.
I have worked in psychiatric hospitals, and alternative education high schools in Colorado, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. These combined experiences have given me wide and varied exposure to addiction, mental illness, treatment, and recovery in many forms.
I'm also a father to two incredible, successful adult children who have taught me invaluable lessons about growing up in the age of technology, the influences of modern society, and the pressures associated.
"If you hurt - take action, lessen the hurt, and smile more."
I’m what they call a "reality therapist", and believe that problem-solving, learning to make better choices, and setting clearly defined goals will get you to where you need to go. The past belongs in the past, so we’ll focus on the here and now. Therapy and treatment are not one-size-fits-all, and with honesty, trust, and non-judgment we will pave your unique road to a healthy life.