Hello, I’m Max Yusim, and during my 35 years as a therapist, I have been honored to counsel many different people with many different addictions. I taught drug and alcohol classes at San Quentin Prison. I led intensive weekends with couples whose marriages were on the brink because of alcohol, addiction, and co-dependency. And today my focus is in helping individuals, families, and couples whose lives are being destroyed by excessive gambling.
Surprisingly, the opposite of addiction is not sobriety but connection. Addicts (and alcoholics) are often self-medicating anxiety, depression, grief and disappointment. Many compulsive people are also cross-addicted. This means they will eventually add a second or even a third compulsion to their favorite “drugs of choice.”
This all being said, I believe the biggest question on your mind today is: can I really help you? In order to figure out the answer to that question, I recommend you start by clicking on my personal statement. (Click here for personal statement). I am told that it is a very honest and transparent window into my life and my personal journey with addiction and then recovery. It will also give you insight into how I work as an addiction couples therapist.
"I liked mostly how blunt/honest Max was. He was very open about talking about sex.
I was hesitant about the cost/benefit balance. I was worried we wouldn’t get our money’s worth.
I was very wrong!
It was amazing to see how one weekend was more beneficial than 10 weeks of previous couples therapy."
I wasn't sure about getting professional help for gambling, but Max helped me realize I was in a crisis before I completely hit rock bottom. I'm really glad I met him.
He explained Gamblers Anonymous in a way that showed its real benefit, whereas in the past, it didn't work for me. But he is someone who went to GA, continues to go to AA, and taught me how to get the most out of it. I realized I didn't need to love therapy or the programs, but I needed the help. One of the biggest things he made clear was that we can't do this alone.
Highly recommend working with Max.
“On a scale of 1-10, we were a 3. We had tried weekly sessions, a long time ago, with little luck.
The core issue for me was to find a better way to resolve contentious issue between us.
Max was very diligent about using our time to the utmost and made excellent decisions about how to get past our personal resistance. He showed great insight into the linchpin issues.
We were lucky to have an excellent therapist nearby. We’re grateful.”