Meet Dr. Marc F. Kern  AKA "The Habit Doc":

Clinical Director Dr. Marc F. Kern is the developer of Habitdoc.com and The Moderation Management Movement. He has an altruistic, no shame, unique approach of boutique style therapy of professional addiction services that offers concierge level care for each client. In 1982, Dr. Marc Kern received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. In 1983 he founded Addiction Alternatives as a private practice in Los Angeles, California which he worked at for 30 years.  Today, Dr. Kern serves as the Clinical Director of Alternatives Behavioral Health, LLC. 

Dr. Kern specializes in utilizing a multi-method approach to tailor individualized services for each client and designs a unique sequence of psychological strategies to overcome the “feelings” that motivate unhealthy habits and addictions. Dr. Kern likes to meet clients where they are at and uses harm reduction methods with clients who are struggling with addiction.  

Dr. Kern is unlike most therapists you may come across because he is an avid believer in research based techniques that are non 12 step based and also helps clients moderate their habits. The current addiction treatment market which almost exclusively uses AA, the 12-steps, the disease model and the requirement of 100% abstinence regardless of the causes or severity of the problem behavior. 

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

THE HABIT POEM

I am your constant companion.

I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.

I am completely at your command.

Half of the things you do you might as well turn over to me and I will do them - quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed - you must be firm with me.

Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons, I will do it automatically.

I am the servant of great people, and alas, of all failures as well. Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures.

I am not a machine though I work with the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a person.

You may run me for profit or run me for ruin - it makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet.

Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I? I am Habit.

-Author unknown