Addiction Therapists in Balzac, AB.

Are you tired of feeling like a substance has more control over your life than you do? You're drinking, drug use or other substance use may be affecting your relationships, your confidence, and the way you see yourself. You may know that you are capable of so much more, but struggle to access that part of yourself. I won't judge you or reduce you to your substance use/abuse or addiction. I'll meet you where you're at, and help you understand what's driving it, what you're trying to cope with or escape, and what keeps pulling you back. Together, we'll work toward healthier ways of dealing with what hurts, rebuilding trust in yourself, and creating more control in your life.

Addictions in the family significantly impact the lives of children. Family addictions can have many consequences for a child and impede his or her development in behaviour, education, and social-emotional wellbeing. Without help these children are at risk of developing severe mental health concerns including: depression, anxiety, issues with self-esteem and self-worth, issues with peers, sleep disorders, substance abuse disorders, etc. Keystone offers counselling and support for children with a family member struggling with substance abuse. Additionally, family therapy is offered to help develop healthy family patterns and strengthen relationships between family members.

I will work with you to understand the underlying emotional and psychological factors contributing to your addiction. I employ a harm-reduction approach to substance abuse treatment as opposed to complete and sudden abstinence. I will work with you to build effective coping strategies, heal trauma and provide techniques which will help you navigate the stress and complexity of long-term recovery.

I have deep experience helping individuals navigate addictions using twelve-step supportive therapy in a safe virtual space. Together, we explore behaviors and underlying factors while cultivating self-awareness, accountability, and healthy coping skills. My approach focuses on building resilience, fostering growth, and sustaining recovery in a supportive and nonjudgmental environment. Online sessions provide flexibility and security while allowing clients to engage fully with the twelve-step framework and create meaningful, long-term change.

My approach to addiction treatment is supportive, non-judgmental, and rooted in understanding the underlying emotional and psychological needs driving the behavior. I use evidence-based therapies like CBT, ACT, and mindfulness to help you develop healthier coping strategies, build self-awareness, and reconnect with your values. We’ll work together to reduce shame, strengthen emotional regulation, and support lasting change through compassion, skill-building, and a focus on what truly matters to you.

We can support your recovery with skills. We encourage those of our clients whom struggle with addiction, to use skills to manage their emotions and distress, while participating in individual therapy, community sobriety programs, and their community as a whole. We can support you recovery through encouragement and accountability. Our therapist are DBT informed and we offer phone coaching.

Addiction can feel overwhelming, not only for the individual struggling, but for the relationships and systems around them. Whether substance use or behavioural patterns have become a way to cope with stress, trauma, or emotional pain, Renee provides a compassionate, non-judgmental space where clients can begin to explore change without shame. Recovery is not linear, and setbacks do not equal failure.

Having worked previously at an addictions treatment facility for over 9 years, I have seen both the damage caused by a variety of addictions and the ability of individuals to arrest addictive behaviors and re-build healthy addiction-free lives. Whether you are attempting to moderate your use of an addictive substance or behavior, or abstain completely, therapy is an important tool. Together we will explore your triggers for addiction, relapse prevention strategies, and look at the resources available to you as you recover.

Addiction is a beast; one I have fought for most of my life, and beating it (and continuing to beat it every day) is one of the hardest things I've ever done. I'm also living proof that it can be done. I'm different in that I'm not here to enforce any programs on you and will never judge you. I will work with who you are as a person to determine how best you can recover, on your terms.

Addiction is often the surface problem, it's a way of staying away from a greater pain that is below the surface. Doing addiction counselling with me is a gentle and compassionate process of tending to the real issues below the addiction, so that there is no longer a need to engage in this harmful behaviour. When you pull out the roots of a weed, the weed will not grow back, and real change has been achieved!

Substance use or compulsive behaviours often begin as ways to cope with overwhelming stress or trauma, eventually feeling like a trap. At Curio Counselling, we reject punitive models. Our Calgary addiction counselling is grounded in empathy and curiosity. We collaborate with you using evidence-based tools like ACT to process underlying distress and navigate cravings without judgment. Lasting recovery is built on genuine connection.

If you or someone you know are addicted to prescription drugs, Dr. Mervin (Paraklesis Counselling) can come alongside you and help you to break the cycle of lapse and relapse. Often people with depression become dependent on taking benzodiazepines (a suppressant that depresses the mood), and they therefore struggle not only to get out of the depression but also to stop taking the tranquilizers. With an understanding of the working mechanisms of the drugs, and with the guidance of a psychopharmacologist, you can begin a new chapter in your life.

People don’t just “choose” addiction or harm—they’re often trying to cope with pain, trauma, stress, or the chaos of life. Harm reduction means we stop treating substance use like a moral failing and start treating it like what it is: a complex human behaviour that deserves understanding, safety, and support. We don’t expect perfection or total abstinence overnight. Instead, we offer a space where you can be honest about your use without fear of judgment or shame. We focus on: Understanding your relationship with substances and what role they play. Exploring safer ways to reduce risk—for your health, your relationships, and your life. Supporting you in setting realistic, achievable goals.