Matthew Goeckel is a social worker specializing in working with individuals with chemical dependency problems. With over 10 years of clinical practice in this area, he combines a straightforward style with a proven history of helping individuals address the emotional issues underlying addictive behaviors.
One of his areas of expertise in this regard is in working with people who experience recurrent symptoms of anxiety. Since one of the manifestations of anxiety is obsessive/compulsive thinking/behaving, Matthew views most addictions - including alcohol, recreational drug use and sexual addictions - as behaviors taken to excess which are intrusive and inappropriate. The defining factor is that the cognitions or behaviors are ego-dystonic - in other words, they result in feelings of distress or guilt. Matthew’s focus is on treating both the symptoms and the causal factors that fuel the desire to cope with emotional pain and anxiety by escaping into repetitive and persistent patterns of behavior. His gestalt is direct and solution focused.