Healing Substance Use Through a Trauma-Informed, IFS Lens

At Chris Peters Psychotherapy, I offer a trauma-informed, compassionate alternative to traditional substance use treatment—one that doesn’t pathologize you or pit you against yourself. Instead, I use an Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach to get curious about the parts of you that turn to substances and explore what they’re trying to protect. If you do not resonate with a 12 Step program or are not quite ready to make that step, we can offer a different approach to your recovery. 

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Substance Use Through an IFS Lens: What Does That Mean?

In Internal Family Systems therapy, we understand that every behavior—yes, even the ones that feel harmful or out of control—comes from a part of you that’s trying to help in some way. The “addicted part” (that goes in quotes because the parts choose their name) is no exception.

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Rather than trying to eliminate this part or fight against it, we get to know it. We explore:

• What is it trying to soothe?

• When did it first show up in your life?

• What pain is it trying to protect you from?

• What does it need in order to step back?

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This is not about willpower. It’s about compassion. Healing begins when we stop waging war on ourselves and start listening to the parts of us that carry pain—and the ones that have tried to manage it. This may be hard to find at first, as our addicted parts can cause a lot of destruction in their path, and we often have other parts that often criticize them and cause a destructive cycle together. A dance between using, and criticizing, which goes back and fourth.

 

The more we come to understand the protective role of our parts, the more compassion we develop for the. It is from this our decisions are made from a sound place, rather than out of necessity.

 

💬 “IFS has helped me understand that my drinking wasn’t about weakness—it was about a part of me trying to help me survive something I hadn’t fully processed.” — Former client (shared with permission)

 

Curiosity Over Judgment: Meeting the "Addicted" Part

Many clients express ambivalence: "I know this behavior isn't helping, but it feels like the only thing that works." In IFS, this internal conflict makes perfect sense.

We work with:

• Protective parts that rely on substances to manage emotional overwhelm

• Exiled parts holding unprocessed trauma, loneliness, or shame

• Firefighter parts that jump in with impulsive behaviors when distress flares up

 

By slowing down and listening, clients learn to lead with Self energy—curiosity, compassion, and calm—and can begin to heal the parts that have been carrying too much for too long.

 

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A Trauma-Informed Approach to Addiction

Substance use is often intertwined with trauma. Whether it’s early childhood neglect, identity-based trauma, or single-event PTSD, the drive to numb or escape can become deeply rooted. That’s why our work also incorporates:

• EMDR Therapy: to reprocess traumatic memories and reduce emotional intensity

• Somatically Informed Therapy: to regulate the nervous system and access healing through the body

• Internal Family Systems (IFS): to help clients build relationships with internal parts and develop compassion for themselves

 

What Makes My Approach Different?

🚫 No shaming.
🚫 No one-size-fits-all recovery plan.
🚫 No assumptions about what you “should” be doing.

✅ We move at your pace.
✅ We make space for complexity.
✅ We build trust with all the parts of you—even the ones that use.

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This is about sustainable healing, not behavioral control. Together, we create a path that honors your story, your nervous system, and your capacity to heal.

 

Why This Isn’t Traditional 12-Step Therapy

While 12-step programs can be a helpful support, our therapy model goes beyond behavior management and abstinence as a requirement to your work. We explore why a part of you might be using substances in the first place, what it’s protecting you from, and how to meet those needs in more sustainable ways. While this model is certainly helpful, there is a requirement to be able to turn internally and process your emotions, which requires a state of consciousness that will allow that. 

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This approach is especially supportive for LGBTQ+ individuals, who may carry unique burdens of trauma, shame, or identity-based rejection. We provide a non-judgmental space that affirms all identities and experiences.

 

When More Support is Needed: Exploring Higher Levels of Care

Sometimes, individual outpatient therapy isn’t enough. If substance use is interfering with daily life, relationships, or safety, inability to be sober for periods surrounding therapy for processing and integration, we work collaboratively to explore higher levels of care, such as:

• Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)

• Sober living communities

• Detox or residential treatment

 

This is never approached with shame or pressure. Instead, we help you make empowered decisions about the care that’s right for you, with a therapist who understands the complexity of your experience.

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Substance Use Therapy in Chicago & Virtual Therapy 

I offer substance use and trauma therapy in person in Chicago and virtually for residents of Illinois, California, and Los Angeles. Whether you're questioning your relationship with substances, in recovery and looking for deeper healing, or feeling stuck in shame, there is support here for you. If you're located in Chicago, our practice in Ravenswood is easily accessible from neighborhoods like Lakeview, Andersonville, Lincoln Park, Uptown, Edgewater, Roscoe Village and Rogers Park. ​

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Ready to Get Curious About the Part That Uses?

Let’s stop pathologizing and start understanding. If you’re ready for a different kind of conversation around substance use—one rooted in compassion, curiosity, and connection—I’d love to talk. Request a consultation below. 

 

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🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Affirming | Trauma-Informed | EMDR & IFS-Based | Somatically Informed

📍 In-person sessions in Chicago  | 💻 Online sessions available across Illinois and California

4043 N Ravenswood Ave, STE 306B Chicago, IL 60613