Patrick Casale, MA, LCMHC

When I was struggling with my gambling addiction, my life was completely out of control. The only thing I cared about was chasing that feeling, that high. Nothing else mattered to me, including relationships or my own health. It consumed half of my life and more often than not, things felt hopeless, like there was no point. Nothing was ever going to get better anyway. The guilt and shame were unbearable. I kept telling myself “if you just win enough money, you can be done with this lifestyle.” That obviously never worked because it really wasn’t about the money. Never feeling good enough causes unbearable pain. You can find yourself people-pleasing, chasing accomplishments, feeling like you don’t belong, becoming highly self-critical, or finding unhealthy ways to numb out the suffering.

Going through my own therapy and finding out how to better handle my emotions and learning healthy coping skills was life-saving. I began to understand why I struggled with perfectionism and never feeling good enough. I learned how to cope with life on life’s terms and to be kinder to myself. I’ve been in and out of therapy my entire life. I get what it feels like to be on the other side of the couch. Therapy allows us to heal and grow. It allows us to recover. It creates a light at the end of the tunnel and, with it, hope.

I know how hard it can be to reach out for help. I also know that change and recovery are possible. I love the resiliency of the human spirit. The ability to bounce back, even in the most difficult of situations is incredible. We all have the ability to bounce back, sometimes we just lack the tools and the support. Vulnerability is fucking scary, but it’s also necessary. We don’t grow when we’re in our comfort zone, especially when that comfort zone is unhealthy.

I’ve learned that all people struggle and addiction and mental health issues do not discriminate. It doesn’t matter what you look like or what you’ve been through. Everyone has a unique story and needs help sometimes. I offer an empathetic, person-centered approach.

I enjoy playing soccer, watching sports, re-watching The Lord Of The Rings on repeat, traveling all over the world, and reciting lines to funny TV shows.

I have gone through my own challenges with addiction and mental health. If you want to come to counseling in a judgment-free zone, please reach out.