So glad you're here!

Our Mission  

Full Life Counseling & Recovery exists to provide professional services to individuals and families affected by diseases recognized by self-destructive behavior such as alcohol abuse, drug abuse, medication misuse, self-injury, or process addictions (ie. gambling, sexual acting out, shopping). Using comprehensive assessment methods, individualized treatment matching, individual and group therapies, relapse prevention and life skills management training, Full Life counselors seek to guide individuals and families through the maze of treatment providers, through the change process and along the long-term journey of sustainable, joyful recovery.

Full Life Counseling was founded in 2008 because Ginny Mills became aware of several families whose need for services was tragically complicated by the families' need for privacy. As they loved and tried to support the person affected by alcohol or drugs, they did so in silence and virtually alone. Having dedicated over 20 years to helping others, and Ginny elected to focus the remainder of her career to helping individuals and families achieve their own definition of "a full life" with the belief that a full life can only be achieved when our lives are free from addiction, despair and fear.

• October, 2008 - Full Life Counseling, PLLC was founded and began providing consultation services to other providers of substance abuse services.
• February, 2009 - Full Life Counseling offices were established in the historic West End neighborhood of downtown Winston-Salem at 942 W. 4th St. Assessment, intervention, therapy and Learning Sobriety Together services were offered. 
• Summer, 2010 - Full Life Counseling expanded services to include Gorski/CENAPS-model Relapse Prevention Counseling groups for those in early recovery with no history of relapse. 
• January, 2011 - Full Life Counseling expanded relapse prevention services to include Gorski/CENAPS-model Relapse Prevention Therapy groups for those with a history repeated relapse despite years of active recovery. 
• March, 2011 - David C. Pate, MS, LPC, LCAS joined Full Life Counseling to offer assessment, individual, and marital counseling services to individuals and families affected by addiction and other self-destructive behaviors. 

Our Values 

0. Use of substances is common in the American culture. Therefore, use of substances is not, in and of itself, a wrong, bad, sinful or shame-worthy behavior. Certainly the laws of the land apply, but even laws vary by location and culture. 
0. While alcohol is legal for those over 21 years old in the US and many people believe marijuana should be legal, these most-commonly abused substances can cause very real and destructive problems in the lives of those who abuse them. Legality is not what matters. What matters is what happens in the lives of those who abuse alcohol, marijuana or any other substance.
0. Some people who use substances develop problems, but not all people who demonstrate the symptoms of substance abuse are destined to develop the disease of addiction. Our job as addiction professionals is to help such individuals understand their risk for developing more serious problems (including addiction) and introduce them to alternative methods for getting their needs met. This means helping them identify other ways to relieve stress, work through problems, set boundaries, accept personal responsibility, experience joy and fun, and find a peer group that supports an alcohol- and drug-free lifestyle.
0. Those who do develop the disease of addiction should be treated with the same respect and dignity afforded to any sick person. Unfortunately, the symptoms of the disease are often offensive to others. Symptoms include dishonesty, deception, manipulative behavior, irresponsible and/or impulsive behavior, denial, and justifying their use of alcohol and/or other drugs. As distressing and challenging as these symptoms are, it helps us to keep in mind that they are symptoms demonstrated by a sick person in need of compassionate care.
0. Similarly, when addicts and alcoholics demonstrate the symptoms of the disease, it is our responsibility as addiction professionals to take steps to encourage treatment as soon as possible. While waiting for the addict or alcoholic to “hit bottom” is well-established conventional wisdom, failure to make every effort to encourage treatment (even for those who don’t know they are sick) could result in considerable unnecessary suffering or even death. Compassionate, respectful intervention is a loving and responsible act for families and friends to consider when the individual truly cannot see their disease or take steps to get help.
0. All strategies for helping individuals, couples or families must demonstrate professionalism, respect and dignity. “Hot seat” confrontation methods, shaming intervention approaches, and deliberate stripping away of defenses of the addicted person are not appropriate at Full Life. Such methods may be appropriate in some contexts under other circumstances, but not here. Our intervention services follow the tenets of the Love First and Family Invitational models.
0. Full Life is deliberately open to a variety of strategies and therapeutic interventions to help individuals and families experience a full life in recovery. Traditional interventions include talk therapy in groups and individually, Gorski/CENAPS Relapse Prevention strategies and mutual support groups. Clients may be referred out or specialists brought in to help clients access other activities such as yoga, mindfulness training, EMDR, fitness activities, art therapy, equine therapy or adventure recreation.
0. Use of some prescription and over-the-counter medications can begin legitimately and evolve into physical dependency with or without psychological dependency. We believe that those who have physical dependency without psychological dependency and who have never abused other substances may be excellent candidates for physician-only care, including the use of opioid maintenance programs such as Suboxone. 
0. We also believe that Individuals with psychological dependency, a history of addiction and/or those who are using other substances (besides opiates) are not good candidates for opioid maintenance programs and are best suited for abstinence-based recovery programs. Such individuals who enter into counseling with Full Life already on Suboxone will be encouraged to move towards an abstinence-based recovery program as quickly as is medically appropriate.
0. The use of non-addicting medications to assist recovery may be appropriate for some individuals. Campral, naltrexone, Neurontin, Topamax, Trazadone, Antabuse and other medications that can support recovery and can be appropriate when administered by a physician who is well-versed in addiction medicine. Full Life staff are encouraged to stay open to the possibility that use of such medications could be helpful.
0. Other conditions such as depression, insomnia, anxiety, ADHD, OCD or bipolar disorder can complicate recovery and may necessitate prescription medication to manage symptoms. While use of intoxicating medications, like benzodiazepines, should be avoided whenever possible, use of SSRIs, mood stabilizers and non habit-forming sleep aids have their place in the spectrum of care.
0. While we all have something to learn from those who are different and we believe there is value in a diverse culture, often the best recovery experiences occur in the company of one’s peers. Full Life makes every effort to match those needing services with a treatment or recovery group who is of similar age, professionalism, recovery experience and/or gender whenever possible.
0. Professionals providing counseling on behalf of Full Life are all seasoned and credentialed as addiction specialists. Despite such experience in the field, we are all are in need of support, objective perspective and clinical supervision. When the stressors of the job get the best of us, we are all challenged to take care of ourselves by reaching out, taking time off and striving to maintain meaningful relationships outside of work.
0. It is the responsibility of both the addiction professional and the person in recovery to explore and develop a full array of activities and practices that support recovery. While 12-step groups are well-recognized as the most accessible, most affordable and are highly effective for many, there can be various paths to successful, sustainable recovery. Generally speaking, mutual support, sober fun, productive/purposeful lifestyle and some form of spirituality are ingredients for successful recovery, regardless of which path or program is chosen. 

Full Life Counseling is here to serve and support each individual and their family so that they may achieve their own definition of "a full life." In general, that means enjoying loving and supportive relationships, productive activities, a sense of power and control over one's own destiny, and opportunities to have fun. But just like the fingerprint, each individual is unique. It's your definition of a full life that matters most of all.