Stephen Kessler, MHS, LPC, LAC, has been working in the addiction field since 2003. He began his career with Dr. Alphonse Kenison Roy at Addiction Recovery Resources where he worked in a variety of settings including as Primary Counselor in the programs of Intensive Outpatient, Residential Treatment, Continuing Care, and Intake and Assessments. After Hurricane Katrina, Stephen was promoted to the position of Residential Program Coordinator, a position he held for 12 years before being promoted to Clinical Director. In 2018, Stephen continued his work as Clinical Director with Avenues Recovery Center by overseeing both the Residential and IOP programs and supervising a staff of dedicated counselors. In 2019, Stephen began working in direct client care again due to missing direct interactions with patients. Stephen freely shares his experience and expertise by mentoring new counselors in the addiction field. Stephen uses a Cognitive Behavioral / REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy) counseling approach to help patients to become aware of their distorted thinking and how it plays into their addictive mind. Stephen received his master’s degree in 2003 from LSU Health Science Center. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Licensed Addiction Counselor. Stephen lives in Metairie with his wife, Melissa, and their two young daughters, Lucy and Reagan.
