Hello, my name is Rita Barsky and I'd like to tell you about the experiences that led me to the field of addiction and recovery.

In 1976 I went to a 4-week workshop on alcoholism.  There was an educational talk, a film and speakers from three 12-step programs: Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon and Al-a-teen. This workshop changed the direction of my life.  Up until that point I had gone through my life knowing something was wrong but never being able to identify what it was. As I listened to people talk about experiences very similar to my own I was able to fill in many of the missing pieces regarding my life. 

As a result I began my own 12-step journey.  I learned about the disease of alcoholism and the impact it had on my life.  I learned new ways to approach life and found a measure of serenity, courage and wisdom.

In 1983 I decided to begin my alcoholism counselor training.  As I learned counseling skills made me realize that I needed more knowledge of the disease of alcoholism.  I continued my academic education and learned about ground breaking-research that provided evidence that alcoholism is not a weakness of character and instead is a medical illness caused by both environmental and biological factors.

From 1984 to 1987 I worked as an alcoholism counselor at the Nassau County Correctional Facility’s DWI Program, where I experienced firsthand the devastating effects alcohol dependency had on addicts and their families. From 1993 to 1997 I gained further experience by working for a private alcoholism outpatient center.

In 1997 I felt ready to break out on my own and go into private practice. My years of study and training taught me that alcoholism is a disease - it has to do with the chemicals in our brain, not with our character. Guilt, shame and ignorance are the most devastating components of this illness, and people die because of their inability to overcome these feelings. 
 
Those are the principles that I emphasize in my practice, where I educate as well as counsel my patients. I am somewhat unorthodox in that I give out my cell phone number to all my patients and I am available everyday, 24/7.  When someone comes to me for treatment I make it clear that I do not want to waste their money or my time. If they have to willingness to get better I can help and provide direction.  I do not force any of my recommendations on anyone seeking treatment - I respect my patients and believe that they have a right to make decisions about their own recovery.  I also believe in compassionate care - not everyone is able to maintain long periods of abstinence and sometimes relapses are inevitable, but as long as they are motivated to keep on trying I will continue to help them.

Alcoholism is a progressive, life threatening illness, and it should be treated as such. Any person with a chronic illness regardless of compliance deserves the best possible care, so does a suffering addict. My goal is to provide treatment that is humane and respects an individual’s dignity.