Dr. Kern’s Qualifications

A nationally recognized expert in his field.

Founder of Addiction Alternatives™, Dr. Marc F. Kern has over 30 years of experience as a clinical psychologist and addictions specialist in his private practice in Los Angeles, helping people overcome self-defeating, problem habits with alcohol, street drugs, prescription drugs and other excessive behaviors

“I believe that only people who learn how to manage their lives are empowered to enjoy the responsibility of their own existence.”

involving gambling, pornography, shopping, overeating, sexual addiction and Internet addiction. He has shown clients how to use a wide variety life management skills and tools to manage their negative behaviors and live happier lives.

Dr. Kern draws on his own personal and painful experiences with addictions and the life problems that arose from those addictions. When he realized that the Alcoholics Anonymous approach did not work for him, he knew he was not alone. Although A.A. obviously helped many people, others, like Dr. Kern, were turned off by A.A.’s central philosophy of personal powerlessness, a required belief in a higher power, and the need to attend meetings for the rest of your life.

Cookie-cutter treatments don’t work for everyone.

“People are individuals,” Dr. Kern reminded himself. “It is not realistic that any, single “one-size-fits-all” approach could help everyone.” That realization changed the direction of his entire life. He began his search for alternative treatment approaches for alcohol and drug problems that could be custom-fit to an individual’s special needs and goals. There was no doubt in his mind that a personalized treatment approach would dramatically increase a person’s chances of succeeding.

Although he was a professional architect when his alcohol and drug problems began to affect his life and his marriage, Dr. Kern returned to college to pursue his new passion to find alternative psychological approaches for the treatment of addictions. He earned his degree as a licensed clinical psychologist in California. He further honed his skills and became a Certified Addiction Specialist, a Certified Rational Addictions Therapist, and earned certification in the Treatment of Alcohol and Other Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders, as recognized by the American Psychological Association.

Today, as a nationally recognized expert in his field, Dr. Kern is known for his compassion, humor and deep personal understanding of the addictive process. He continues his lifelong study and practice of the newest research-based treatments that will best help his clients with addictions and other destructive, repetitive behaviors.

Dr. Kern’s appearances on TV, radio and magazines.

Dr. Kern regularly speaks at national and international professional conferences, conventions and workshops. He is on the Board of Directors for the self-help program, Moderation Management. Previously, he was on the Board of Directors of SMART Recovery and a member of the original board of Rational Recovery.

As a guest addiction expert, Dr. Kern has made over 100 media appearances, including syndicated and local radio and TV shows, including 20/20, ABC’s popular network newsmagazine show, and CNN’s renowned Larry King Live. He has also been featured in articles in dozens of daily newspapers and national magazines.

His practical self-help book “Take Control, Now!” is a do-it-yourself blueprint for managing unwanted habits.
It features breakthrough ideas and techniques of his provocative non-12-step approach to alcohol and drug treatment.

His work has been published in professional publications, including the prestigious International Journal of the Addictions.

Certifications

	Licensed Clinical Psychologist by the State of California (PSY-8246)
	A Certified Addictions Specialist (CAS)
	A Certified Rational Addictions Therapist (CRAT)
	Certified by the Board of Governors of the American Psychological Association College of Professional Psychology in the Treatment of Alcohol and Other Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders.