Addiction Therapists in Wellington, AB.

Addictions are not problems, they are bad solutions. We always need to find the underlying problems and find effective solutions for them before we can let go of the stop-gap solution - whether the addiction is to a substance, a person, or an activity such as sex or gambling. There is always fear and pain underlying the addiction. We must learn to accept these feelings in order to free ourselves.

I am Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT). Sex addiction is an umbrella term for a variety of compulsive sexual behaviors. I have worked in the field of addictions since 2010. I can help clients navigate the best route for them (treatment centers, support groups, individual therapy). The first stage is to develop enough structure in your life to stop using, the second stage is healing and transformation.

Change is hard. However, you made a first step and recognized there is a problem. Next step is to find a caring professional who will support you on your road to recovery. I want to be that person for you. I want to give you time and space to share with me your thoughts, emotions, needs, desires, struggles, and questions. I want to empower you to take control.

Seeking help for addiction is a huge undertaking. Often we fear the consequences of seeking help. What if our employer finds out, what about our families, friends, loved ones? As a psychologist I protect confidentiality, and seek to help you sort your concerns through compassion without stigma or judgment. I will move towards change at your pace, safety seeking to minimize the harm of substances and behaviors through a harm reduction approach as you seek to organize, make sense, and move towards increased wellness. This wellness might look different from what others might tell you, but together we can help identify what health and wellness will mean for you and being taking the first steps.

Addiction is the constant need to use certain substances or engage in particular behaviours. It isn’t limited to substance use (drugs and alcohol); addiction can also show up as impulse control (gambling, self-harming, kleptomania, pyromania) and behavioural (internet, pornography, sex, video games, working, exercising, shopping, food). An activity or substance becomes an addiction when you use it to avoid or deal with activities, emotions or thoughts. Once you stop or slow down, the withdrawal symptoms begin. These Symptoms Can Present Physically and Psychological symptoms. Our specialists will help you move through this towards long term sustainable function.

What emotions are your addiction trying to mask? What are you escaping from? Is your addiction costing you your relationship, your family, your work? Your addiction or dependency, is serving a purpose. Let’s explore, understand and uncover what that purpose is and what the core issues are. It’s time to lead a healthier and more intentional life.

When working with clients who have addictions, it is important to understand family history, underlying triggers, and enabling factors to better manage the disease. Addiction treatment with me generally includes psychoeducation, challenging negative thought patterns, coping skill development, and relapse prevention, planning. My goal is to help clients intellectualize their substance use and improve their methods of coping so they can finally regain control over their addictions and their lives. Once clients are able, we may also work on repairing their self-image and relationships with others as these can often be damaged by addictions.

Addictions are created by things that make us feel better. I gets completed because some things we get addicted to change our brains and now we need that thing just to feel normal. The problem is that addictions tie us down and inhibit the ability to connect to the pain the made the addiction seem like a viable option in the first place. Reconnecting with this heals and frees us from the addiction. Visit my website at www.prairieowlpsychology.ca from more details. I have successfully worked with people from a variety of backgrounds to treat a variety of addiction issues and look forward to working with you.

Often, an individual's relationship with substance use such as drugs alcohol or will change over time. For example, the person might’ve initially used it only once a while in a month as to get away from his/ her stress and have some pleasurable time, but very soon it become an everyday necessity for the user. Did your relationship with your substance use change from the time that you started to now? Do you still use for the same reasons, or have those reasons changed? Have you done the bad things under the influence of substances that you wouldn’t have done if you haven't consumed? Feel free to contact to learn how counseling can help you.

Our Therapists at Rivers Edge Counselling can help you to • Find the cause of your addiction and manage it effectively • Learn how addiction works and take necessary steps to reduce it • Control emotions and quit unhealthy habits • Coping with the stages of change • Understanding your own self and develop self esteem • Develop skills to understand your addiction

Ready for change? In your life, relationships, and with yourself ? Change begins with you. Exploring how your addiction has influenced your life and imagining how your life can be by rewriting your relationship with addiction. Our lives and our pathways are not written in stone. When we tell our stories in ways that can make us stronger, we can discover - we are not the problem - the problem is the problem. When we separate ourselves from the problem, we can begin to revise our relationships with problems and gain new insight into different ways we can live our lives. I can help you discover ways to reclaim your past and re-envision your future and change your relationship with addiction.

I have been clean and sober nearly 26 years. I am familiar with 12-step approaches to treating addictions and compulsions, and sympathetic to those who find them uesful. There are, however, many who need help but cannot find it in 12 step programs. I am able to meet many of these where they are, and help them in ways they are able to use. Addiction and compulsions, like all conditions that respond to psychotherapy, are phenomena that are overcome through personal growth.

Are you feeling like your life is spiralling out of control? Do you feel that something is preoccupying your thoughts or making it difficult to focus on your daily life? Addiction comes in many forms, including substance abuse and computer/video game addiction. The root of addiction is often deeper than it appears, and I can work with you to uncover and understand your addiction, and then develop healthy coping strategies tailored to your unique context.