Alcohol and Anxiety Treatment in Scottsdale, Arizona
At Redefine Wellness & Treatment, we treat both alcohol dependence and the dysregulated stress response driving it. Chronic alcohol use restructures GABA and glutamate signaling, making anxiety worse between drinks. Our programs address the nervous system directly, not just the drinking.
- Joint Commission Accredited
- Daily Neurofeedback
- Root-Cause Treatment
- Body + Brain + Mind Approach
- Outpatient Programs, No Detox On-Site
Commission
...and many more private plans
- Dual Diagnosis, Not Sequential Treatment
Specialized Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment in Scottsdale, Arizona
- Outpatient, Not Residential PHP and IOP programs that let you maintain work and daily responsibilities while getting structured, daily treatment.
- Neurofeedback for Nervous System Recalibration Targets excess high-beta brainwave activity and GABA dysregulation from chronic alcohol use. Daily sessions train the brain toward calmer baseline functioning.
- Co-Occurring Treatment From Day One Anxiety and alcohol dependence treated in the same program, by the same clinical team. No waiting to "get sober first."
- Medication Coordination With Your Prescriber Dr. Yasinski coordinates on medications for anxiety, sleep, or craving management alongside your therapeutic plan.
- 20+ Modalities, Tailored to What Started the Drinking EMDR for trauma-driven anxiety. CBT and DBT for worry and panic patterns. Breathwork and PEMF for nervous system regulation. Your clinical team selects based on what is driving your use.
Partial Hospitalization Program for Co-Occurring Alcohol Use Disorder and Anxiety
PHP is the right starting point when drinking and anxiety have become locked in a cycle that weekly therapy cannot break. After detox or medical stabilization, five days a week of structured treatment targets both conditions simultaneously: neurofeedback to calm the hyperaroused nervous system driving anxiety and cravings, EMDR or somatic experiencing for the trauma or chronic stress underneath, and CBT and DBT to replace alcohol as a coping strategy. You return home each evening.
- Neurofeedback for anxiety and craving regulation
- Individual and group therapy
- CBT and DBT for panic and worry patterns
- EMDR and somatic experiencing
- Step-down from detox or residential
- Return home each evening
Intensive Outpatient Program for Co-Occurring Alcohol Use Disorder and Anxiety
IOP provides structured treatment three days a week while you continue working and managing daily life. You receive the same modalities as PHP, including neurofeedback, individual therapy, group work, and body-based approaches, at a schedule that fits around your responsibilities. IOP is appropriate as a step-down from PHP or as the right entry point when the drinking and anxiety are disruptive but daily functioning is still intact.
- Neurofeedback for anxiety and craving regulation
- Individual and group therapy
- Relapse prevention built in
- Somatic and body-based modalities
- Continue working during treatment
- Step-down from PHP when ready
Aftercare and Continuing Support for Alcohol and Anxiety Recovery
The period after PHP or IOP is when anxiety tends to resurface and relapse risk climbs. Aftercare at Redefine keeps the clinical relationship intact: ongoing neurofeedback, individual therapy, and group support structured around where you are in recovery, not a generic alumni check-in. We stay in it with you through the transitions that matter most.
- Continued neurofeedback access
- Ongoing individual therapy
- Anxiety relapse prevention planning
- Alumni group support
- Frequency adjusts as you stabilize
- Same clinical team throughout
- Curated Programs
Our Alcohol and Anxiety Treatment Programs
Do I Need Detox Before Alcohol and Anxiety Treatment?
Redefine does not provide medical detox on-site. If you are still drinking daily or heavily, medical stabilization may be needed before starting outpatient treatment. Here is how the process works.
Alcohol Withdrawal Timeline
Medical detox for alcohol typically takes 3 to 7 days. Withdrawal can include seizures and is medically serious. Anxiety symptoms often intensify during this period and can persist for weeks as the nervous system recalibrates. Do not stop drinking abruptly without medical supervision.
We Coordinate the Transition
Our admissions team works with medical detox facilities to plan your transition into structured outpatient care. We communicate your anxiety history and co-occurring diagnosis so treatment continuity is maintained from day one. No gap in care.
Already Sober but Still Anxious?
Many people arrive already past withdrawal but with anxiety symptoms that have not resolved, or have gotten worse, since they stopped drinking. If you are medically stable, you may be able to start PHP or IOP directly. Call us and we will figure out the right entry point.
If you are unsure whether you need detox first, our admissions team can help you figure that out before you commit to anything.
Calling on behalf of someone you love? Calls are completely confidential and require no commitment.
Social Anxiety and Alcohol Dependence Treatment in Scottsdale, Arizona
Our Approach
Social anxiety and alcohol dependence form one of the most common co-occurring patterns we treat. Alcohol becomes the primary tool for navigating social situations, and over time the brain stops building its own capacity to manage social discomfort. At Redefine, somatic experiencing addresses the body-level activation that social anxiety produces: the chest tightening, the racing heart, the urge to escape. CBT builds concrete skills for entering social situations without alcohol. Neurofeedback targets the overactive threat-detection patterns that make social interaction feel dangerous in the first place.
What Is Social Anxiety and Alcohol Co-Occurrence?
Social anxiety disorder involves intense fear or avoidance of social situations due to concerns about judgment, embarrassment, or scrutiny. Alcohol reduces social inhibition quickly, which makes it a highly effective short-term solution. The problem is that reliance on alcohol prevents the brain from developing natural confidence in social settings. Over months and years, social anxiety actually worsens without alcohol, and drinking becomes the only way to function in groups, at work events, or in relationships.
- Needing drinks before social events
- Avoiding gatherings without alcohol available
- Replaying social interactions afterward
- Drinking heavily in group settings only
- Increasing isolation when not drinking
- Physical symptoms before social situations
Generalized Anxiety and Alcohol Use Treatment in Scottsdale, Arizona
Our Approach
Generalized anxiety disorder creates a constant undercurrent of worry that alcohol temporarily quiets. At Redefine, we treat the dysregulated nervous system producing that worry, not just the drinking pattern it creates. Neurofeedback targets the excess high-beta brainwave activity characteristic of generalized anxiety. DBT builds distress tolerance and emotion regulation skills that replace alcohol as the default off-switch. Breathwork and PEMF therapy support nervous system downregulation between sessions. Your clinical team calibrates the approach based on how your anxiety actually presents, not a standard anxiety protocol.
What Is Generalized Anxiety and Alcohol Co-Occurrence?
Generalized anxiety disorder involves persistent, excessive worry across multiple areas of life: work, health, finances, relationships. The worry feels uncontrollable and often produces physical symptoms including muscle tension, fatigue, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping. Alcohol suppresses the GABA system in a way that temporarily mimics calm, which is why people with GAD often describe their first drink as "the only time my brain stops." Over time, chronic alcohol use downregulates GABA receptors, making the anxiety baseline worse and the need for alcohol more urgent.
- Constant low-grade worry that alcohol quiets
- Drinking every evening to "shut off" the brain
- Physical tension that only alcohol relieves
- Difficulty sleeping without drinking
- Worry increasing on days without alcohol
- Feeling unable to relax naturally
Panic Disorder and Alcohol Treatment in Scottsdale, Arizona
Our Approach
Panic attacks produce such intense physical distress that alcohol becomes a fast-acting sedative many people reach for instinctively. At Redefine, we address both the panic response and the drinking pattern simultaneously. Somatic experiencing helps the body complete the stress cycle that panic interrupts, reducing the frequency and intensity of attacks. Neurofeedback targets the hair-trigger nervous system activation that produces panic symptoms. CBT addresses catastrophic thinking patterns that amplify the panic cycle. We do not treat panic after the alcohol is addressed. Both conditions receive clinical attention from day one.
What Is Panic Disorder and Alcohol Co-Occurrence?
Panic disorder involves recurrent, unexpected panic attacks: sudden surges of intense fear accompanied by racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain, and a feeling of losing control. Many people develop anticipatory anxiety about the next attack, which restricts daily functioning. Alcohol sedates the nervous system quickly enough to feel like it prevents or stops panic episodes. The problem is that alcohol withdrawal between drinking sessions triggers rebound nervous system activation that closely mimics panic attacks, creating a cycle where drinking feels medically necessary.
- Drinking to prevent or stop panic attacks
- Panic symptoms worsening between drinks
- Carrying alcohol "just in case"
- Avoiding situations without access to a drink
- Confusing withdrawal symptoms with panic
- Increasing doses to achieve the same calm
High-Functioning Anxiety and Drinking Treatment in Scottsdale, Arizona
Our Approach
High-functioning anxiety drives productivity and achievement while silently increasing the need for a way to decompress. Alcohol becomes the permission to stop, the signal that the workday is over, the only reliable way to transition from performing to resting. At Redefine, neurofeedback helps the brain learn to downshift without chemical assistance. DBT provides skills for tolerating the discomfort of rest without productivity. IFS explores the internal dynamics between the part that pushes and the part that drinks to cope. Our outpatient programs allow treatment to happen alongside your professional responsibilities.
What Is High-Functioning Anxiety and Drinking?
High-functioning anxiety is not a formal diagnosis but describes a pattern where anxiety fuels achievement rather than obvious impairment. People with this presentation often appear successful, organized, and driven while internally managing constant pressure, perfectionism, and difficulty relaxing. Alcohol becomes the one reliable tool for "turning off" at the end of the day. Because performance stays high, the drinking rarely gets questioned until it escalates to a level that creates health, relationship, or professional consequences that can no longer be hidden.
- Drinking as the only way to decompress
- High performance masking nightly drinking
- Perfectionism paired with evening alcohol use
- Inability to relax without a drink
- Overworking then overcorrecting with alcohol
- No one knows how much you actually drink
PTSD, Anxiety, and Alcohol Treatment in Scottsdale, Arizona
Our Approach
When PTSD, anxiety, and alcohol use disorder overlap, the nervous system is managing trauma, chronic hyperarousal, and chemical dependence simultaneously. At Redefine, EMDR processes stored traumatic material without requiring repeated verbal retelling. Somatic experiencing addresses the body-level freeze and hypervigilance that trauma produces. Neurofeedback targets the dysregulated brainwave patterns common to all three conditions. Brainspotting accesses subcortical trauma that talk therapy often cannot reach. Treating any one of these conditions without the others produces incomplete results. Our clinical team addresses all three from the start.
What Is PTSD, Anxiety, and Alcohol Co-Occurrence?
This triple overlap is more common than most people realize. PTSD creates a nervous system that stays locked in threat detection: hypervigilance, startle responses, intrusive memories, difficulty sleeping. Anxiety amplifies the hyperarousal, extending it beyond trauma-specific triggers into daily life. Alcohol sedates the entire system, providing temporary relief from all of it. Over time, alcohol prevents the nervous system from processing the trauma, which keeps the PTSD active, which keeps the anxiety elevated, which keeps the drinking necessary. Breaking this cycle requires treating all three simultaneously.
- Drinking to quiet intrusive memories
- Hypervigilance that only alcohol relieves
- Nightmares or flashbacks driving evening use
- Anxiety that predates and extends beyond trauma
- Emotional numbness maintained by alcohol
- Feeling unsafe without a drink available
Alcohol Withdrawal Anxiety Treatment in Scottsdale, Arizona
Our Approach
Withdrawal anxiety is one of the most common reasons people return to drinking after stopping. The nervous system, stripped of the GABA suppression alcohol was providing, rebounds into a hyperexcitable state that can feel worse than the original anxiety. At Redefine, neurofeedback directly targets the dysregulated brainwave patterns that produce rebound and protracted withdrawal anxiety. Somatic experiencing helps the body discharge the activation that withdrawal creates. DBT builds distress tolerance for the weeks when the nervous system is still recalibrating. Dr. Yasinski coordinates with your prescriber on any medication support during this period.
What Is Alcohol Withdrawal Anxiety?
Alcohol withdrawal anxiety occurs when the nervous system overcorrects after chronic alcohol use stops. Alcohol enhances GABA (the brain's calming neurotransmitter) and suppresses glutamate (the brain's excitatory neurotransmitter). When alcohol is removed, GABA is depleted and glutamate surges, producing intense anxiety, insomnia, irritability, and physical agitation. Acute withdrawal anxiety typically peaks within the first week, but protracted withdrawal anxiety can persist for weeks to months as the nervous system slowly recalibrates to functioning without alcohol.
- Anxiety that appeared or worsened after stopping
- Insomnia and racing thoughts in early sobriety
- Physical agitation without alcohol
- Feeling worse sober than while drinking
- Considering drinking again to stop the anxiety
- Persistent anxiety weeks after last drink
Executive Anxiety-Driven Drinking Treatment in Scottsdale, Arizona
Our Approach
Executives and professionals with anxiety-driven drinking need treatment that respects their schedule, their privacy, and the complexity of what they are managing. At Redefine, our outpatient programs allow you to continue leading while getting structured clinical support. Neurofeedback trains the brain to downregulate the constant vigilance that leadership roles demand and alcohol was artificially providing. CBT addresses the cognitive distortions that turn normal professional pressure into unbearable anxiety. IFS explores the internal tension between the part that performs and the part that needs relief. Treatment is private, individualized, and built for people who cannot step away from their responsibilities.
What Is Executive Anxiety-Driven Drinking?
Executive anxiety-driven drinking describes a pattern where high-stakes professional responsibilities generate chronic anxiety that alcohol manages. The drinking often starts as social (client dinners, networking events) and gradually becomes functional (the evening wind-down, the pre-meeting calm, the overnight flight drink). Because professional performance remains high, the pattern goes unquestioned for years. The anxiety driving the drinking often includes decision fatigue, performance pressure, isolation at the top, and the inability to show vulnerability in professional settings.
- Drinking to manage work-related pressure
- Alcohol at every business meal or event
- Nightly drinking disguised as routine
- Anxiety about performance driving evening use
- Privacy concerns preventing you from seeking help
- Feeling you cannot afford to take time off for treatment
- How Alcohol and Anxiety Present
Types of Alcohol and Anxiety We Treat
Brain & Nervous System
Chronic alcohol use downregulates GABA receptors and upregulates glutamate, leaving the nervous system in a hyperexcitable state that produces and amplifies anxiety. These neurological changes drive both the craving to drink and the anxiety that persists in early recovery. Redefine's neurological modalities target these patterns directly. Modalities include:
- PEMF Therapy
- Breathwork
- Neurofeedback
Alcohol and Anxiety-Specific Therapy
When alcohol is the primary anxiety management tool, recovery requires replacing it with skills and strategies that actually work. These modalities address craving cycles, anxiety triggers, and the gap between wanting to stop drinking and being able to tolerate the discomfort that surfaces without it. Modalities include:
- Motivational Interviewing
- Relapse Prevention Planning
- Contingency Management
- CBT for Substance Use and Anxiety
Underlying Roots
Anxiety-driven drinking almost always has something deeper underneath it: unprocessed trauma, early attachment disruption, chronic stress the nervous system never resolved. Treating the alcohol and the surface-level anxiety without addressing these roots produces temporary results. Modalities include:
- EMDR
- Internal Family Systems
- Brainspotting
- Somatic Experiencing
Body & Recovery
Anxiety lives in the body as much as the mind: muscle tension, shallow breathing, disrupted sleep, digestive distress. Alcohol temporarily masks these symptoms but prevents the body from learning to regulate on its own. Redefine's body-based modalities restore the physical foundation that sustained recovery requires. Modalities include:
- Yoga & Meditation
- Movement Therapy
- Mindfulness Practices
- Lifestyle Coaching
Your treatment plan is built around what is driving both your alcohol use and your anxiety. We use neurofeedback and clinical assessment to determine which combination of modalities will address your specific presentation.
(888) 546-5580- More Tools. More Options. Better Outcomes.
Our Approach to Co-Occurring Alcohol Use Disorder and Anxiety
- When to Seek Help
Signs An Alcohol Outpatient Program Can Help You
Alcohol problems don’t always look like rock bottom. Sometimes they look like functioning, just barely, and wondering how long you can keep it up. If several of these sound familiar, an outpatient program may be the right next step.
- Drinking more than you intended, or more than you used to
- Tried to cut back and couldn't stick to it
- Spending a lot of time drinking or recovering from drinking
- Strong urge or craving to drink
- Alcohol is affecting your work, relationships, or responsibilities
- Continuing to drink despite knowing it is causing problems
- Needing more alcohol to feel the same effect
- Levels of Care
Which Program Is Right for You?
- Our Team
The Redefine Clinical Team
Dr. Michael
Yasinski, MD
Trauma-Informed Psychiatrist
Lindsey Dunning,
PMHNP-BC
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Brenna Gonzales, LPC, SEP, CMAT
Trauma-Informed Therapist
How Alcohol and Anxiety Treatment Works
Consultation
Free, confidential call to understand your situation
Assessment
Evaluation covering your drinking patterns, anxiety symptoms, and how the two are connected
Care Plan
One plan for both conditions, not two separate tracks
Treatment
Daily work combining brain, body, and behavioral approaches
Integration
Skills for staying stable and preventing old patterns
Real Connection, Support, & Healing
Our Scottsdale outpatient programs combine innovative neuroscience with proven therapeutic approaches.
- Testimonials
Healing in Their Own Words
“They made me feel at ease and understood.”
Chris S.
“Love this place!!”
Christine D.
“Best treatment in my LIFE!”
Dan S.
“Laura is an excellent practitioner”
Dr. Jasmine
“What a blessing to have found and participated in treatment at Redefine Wellness.”
Jen C.
“I have never experienced such a professional and caring staff.”
Hunter B.
“The staff is so friendly and the facility is clean. ”
Gwen J.
“I love this facility. I have been coming here for several months.”
Robert B.
“I was lost, unable to stand up for myself and stuck in anxiety.”
Presley P.
“The wellness center is stunning and the whole team has been very kind and helpful.”
Mackenzie K.
“I’m so happy to say I would 100% recommend this place over and over”
briana medley
“The staff here are wonderful and compassionate. I definitely recommend this clinic!”
Beaunerism
“Receiving treatments here was 100% a game changer, I strongly recommend!”
Jae S.
“Highly recommend if you’re looking for something focused and personal.”
Scott Forbes
“Highly recommend!”
Jenna Wolf
“The entire staff at Redefine is amazing. ”
Brittany Whitley
“The staff is incredible—super friendly”
Jon Driscoll
“A beautiful location with wonderful staff”
Matt Sheehan
“They made me feel at ease and understood.”
Chris S.
“Love this place!!”
Christine D.
“Best treatment in my LIFE!”
Dan S.
“Laura is an excellent practitioner”
Dr. Jasmine
“What a blessing to have found and participated in treatment at Redefine Wellness.”
Jen C.
“I have never experienced such a professional and caring staff.”
Hunter B.
- FAQs
Your Questions, Answered
How do I know if I need treatment for co-occurring alcohol use and anxiety
If drinking has become your primary way to manage anxiety, and weekly therapy or medication has not changed that pattern, a structured program may be the right next step. Signs include needing alcohol to calm down, worsening anxiety on days you do not drink, and failed attempts to cut back on your own.
Will I need medication for alcohol use disorder and anxiety?
What is the difference between IOP and PHP for alcohol and anxiety treatment?
Do you treat the anxiety driving the drinking, or just the alcohol use?
What happens after I finish the program?
Our Mission
At Redefine Wellness and Treatment, we empower healing by uniting mind, body, and spirit. Using trauma-informed therapies, neuroscience, and holistic practices, we deliver personalized care that fosters resilience, growth, and lasting transformation.
Our Vision
We aspire to create a world where access to transformative healing is available to all, empowering people to lead fulfilling, balanced lives.
Recognized by
Co-Occurring Alcohol and Anxiety Treatment Works
Alcohol use disorder and anxiety disorders are among the most common co-occurring conditions in clinical treatment. The research supports what we see in practice: treating both simultaneously produces better outcomes than addressing either one alone.
A meta-analysis of integrated treatments for co-occurring substance use and anxiety disorders found consistent small to moderate effects favoring integrated approaches over treating substance use alone.
A systematic review of 20 studies found neurofeedback targets alcohol cravings, anxiety, and depression in patients with alcohol use disorder. Early research shows consistent improvements across multiple outcome measures.
Alpha-theta neurofeedback training reduced depressive symptoms and anxiety in alcoholic outpatients, with sustained prevention of relapse at 21-month follow-up. The gains held well beyond the end of active treatment.
Why We Treat Both Conditions Simultaneously
Adults with alcohol use disorder are three times more likely to have a co-occurring anxiety disorder. Treating one without the other leaves the cycle intact. At Redefine, we combine neurofeedback for nervous system regulation, EMDR and somatic experiencing for the roots of anxiety, and CBT and DBT for the behavioral patterns connecting both conditions. The research confirms what we observe in practice: integrated treatment produces more durable results.
- Blog
