About Alana Van Zanten
Experienced, thoughtful therapy without a one-size-fits-all approach.
I’m a licensed therapist with specialized training in addiction and relapse prevention, and I’ve spent much of my career helping people understand and change patterns that have become difficult to shift on their own.
Much of my work happens in the space between ‘everything is fine’ and crisis. Many people come to me because something in their life no longer feels quite right- anxiety is taking up too much space, the pressure they put on themselves has become exhausting, or they’re beginning to question their relationship with alcohol or another way of coping.
I don’t assume that one concern explains everything else. I’m interested in understanding the whole picture: what’s happening, what a particular behavior is doing for you, and what you want your life to look like instead.
How I Work
I tend to be active and engaged in therapy. I’ll ask questions, help you notice patterns, and offer observations when I think they may be useful. I also want therapy to leave room for complexity. We don’t have to decide immediately what something “means” or force change before we understand what is actually happening.
My approach draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioral approaches, motivational interviewing, and evidence-based relapse-prevention work. I use those frameworks flexibly rather than asking every person to fit the same treatment model.
The goal is not simply insight. It’s helping you make changes that hold up in your actual life.
Specialized Experience With Alcohol & Behavior Change
I have advanced training in addiction and relapse prevention and have worked extensively with substance use and behavior change throughout my career.
That background also informs my work with people whose concerns don't fit neatly into an addiction diagnosis. You may simply be drinking more than you want to, questioning why alcohol has become such a reliable way to decompress, or wondering whether you want your relationship with it to look different.
I’m comfortable working in that uncertainty. Therapy doesn't require deciding on a label first.
Licensure & Training
I’m licensed to provide therapy in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Connecticut. I also hold advanced credentials in alcohol and drug counseling and relapse prevention, including LAADC-S and ACRPS.
My training includes specialized work in relapse prevention, substance use and behavior change, trauma-responsive care, and evidence-based approaches including ACT, CBT, and motivational interviewing.
If you're considering working together, we can start with a brief consultation.