Substance Use Counseling
in Houston, TX
We are a team of substance use disorder specialists, including therapists who have been directly impacted by addiction. We’ve seen both the beauty in recovery and the pain of addiction.
Do you feel like substances have taken away things you once loved?
Do you fear you’ll be judged or misunderstood due to your substance use?
Are you constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, even when you’re trying to do well?
When you’re stuck in the cycle of substance use, it’s often because your nervous system is overwhelmed. You might feel like you’re always "on," driven by an anxiety you can’t name, or so shut down that you use just to feel a spark of something. You overthink every choice and replay every mistake until the noise gets so loud you just need to quiet it down.
Clients Come To Us With
Feeling they can’t stop drinking alcohol or using other substances
Relationship instability
Emotional numbness
Uncertainty about their recovery
Multiple failed attempts to stop
Hiding use from loved ones
Social anxiety
Losing track of time
Being half-present in life
If these symptoms resonate, substance use therapy helps to manage them.
How Substance Use Counseling With Us Works
We focus on both insight and regulation. Understanding your story matters, but so does calming your nervous system so you can feel safe.
Our work is relational. We build a steady, consistent connection where your system can begin to experience safety. From there, we gently process what happened and teach your brain and body new ways of coping.
Modalities We Integrate
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Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) will help you build a practical toolkit to master big emotions and life’s high-stakes stress so you don’t have to reach for an escape just to feel okay.
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We work to heal the deep-seated loneliness or old relationship patterns that fuel the urge to escape, helping you build a more secure foundation within yourself.
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We help you cut through the internal tug-of-war so you can find your own "why" and make recovery choices that actually stick because they come from you.
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We use body-based techniques to quiet the physical "high-alert" or "shut down" modes so you can feel steady in real-time without needing a substance to cope.
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We work to rediscover who you are outside of your past or a "user" label, helping you build a life that feels authentic enough that you actually want to be present for it.
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Item description
Recovery isn’t just about stopping. It’s about building a life you don’t want to escape.
After Substance Use Therapy, Our Clients Report
Waking up calm
Reconnected with loved ones
Improved trust with self and others
Ability to say “no” to old patterns
Effective coping skills
Regulated nervous system
Clarity on recovery pathway
Control over ones life
Meet our Substance Use Specialists
Mary Duran, LCSW, LCDC
OWNER | PSYCHOTHERAPIST
I specialize in helping people understand the root of their substance use. I provide a steady, direct, and authentic relationship that serves as a foundation to our work. I help you understand the patterns of use and identify potential co-occurring trauma or mental health that is continuing to drive the use. I help build a plan with you that supports the version of recovery that aligns with your values and your desired life that feels worth living.
Nicole Duarte, LCSW, CCTP, NATC
PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Substance use problems do not happen overnight, and my work is about getting curious about what's underneath it. In a safe, judgment-free space, we explore what the use has been doing for you and how trauma, anxiety, or depression may be tied into it. As a certified trauma professional, I pay close attention to the pain that often sits beneath the patterns of use. From there, we shape a path forward that fits your life and your goals.
Availability: We work with clients in-person in Houston. Telehealth sessions available across Texas. Mary is additionally licensed in Colorado, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C.
Education, Credentials,
& Trainings
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Texas #66090
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Texas #104187
Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, Texas #14953
Mary is additionally licensed as a clinical social worker in Colorado, Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C.
Advanced Training in Substance Use Counseling, The Council on Recovery, The Menninger Clinic, J. Flowers Health Institute
Advanced Training in Attachment-Based Therapy
Training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Specialized Trauma Treatment Experience
3 Steps To Get Started
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Fill out the contact form. We will personally respond and answer your questions.
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We will schedule a short call to see if we are the right fit and answer your questions.
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We begin building safety, understanding your history, and creating a clear plan for recovery-focused work.
FAQs about Substance Use Disorder Treatment
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You don’t need to hit rock bottom to take back your narrative. If substances are interfering in your daily life, causing anxiety or depression the day after drinking, affecting your relationships, or making you feel like you’ve lost your footing, it is time to take a look at your substance use and identify goals that align with your values.
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Peer support groups such as AA, Refuge Recovery, and SMART Recovery provide a community, but therapy provides the individualized space to understand the why behind your use, build skills to disrupt unhealthy patterns, and ability to build a plan to support your recovery.
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No. We meet you where you are, not where you should be. While sessions require sobriety for safety, our work focuses on harm reduction and curiosity, treating the why behind the use without the shame.
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Rates:
Initial Intake (60 minutes): $250
Standard Session (45 minutes): $200
Extended Session (60 minutes): $230
Family & Couples Therapy (50 minutes): $250
Following your initial assessment, we will collaborate with you to determine which session length best supports your treatment goals.
Rates for Mary Duran, LCSW, LCDC
Initial Assessment (60 minutes): $275
Individual Therapy (45 minutes): $230
Individual Therapy (60 minutes): $250
Family Therapy (50 minutes): $300
Specialized Services
Case Management: Due to the specialized nature of case management, pricing is customized based on the level of support required. Please reach out to us for details.
Substance Use Disorder Assessment: Pricing provided upon request.
Rates listed are effective for the 2026 calendar year and are subject to annual adjustment.