Addiction Therapists in Anmore, BC.

As is often said in AA, your very best thinking has gotten you here. In other words, it's time to let yourself have the outside support you need. It's time to do something different. An important part of my role in working with clients who have addictions is helping them conceptualize what recovery means: while sobriety and/or abstinence are goals - they are merely steps along the journey of recovery. That is, without doing the inner work of healing, sobriety and/or abstinence are short-lived. Learning to identify and process one’s emotions in healthy ways, as well as establishing/re-establishing relationships with others and with self, are some examples of what recovery work entails.

Working with addiction, I focus on cultivating awareness of triggers and cravings without judgment. I teach mindfulness practices like meditation to help clients observe their thoughts and sensations. This awareness helps them break automatic patterns and make conscious choices, reducing relapse risk and promoting self-compassion. Mindfulness empowers clients to manage urges skillfully and build a healthier relationship with themselves and their behaviors.

My approach to substance use counselling is influenced by my experience in this field. Whether your goals are for moderation or abstinence, I will work with you to create your substance use goals and we will work on strategies that support you reaching and maintaining your goals. Without judgement and with compassion, I will support your path toward your personal goals.

I will work with you in finding detox and treatment suited to your needs. I will work with you to address the underlying issues which may have contributed to the addiction, such as unhealed trauma and loss, broken attachments, relationship issues and family disruption. I work with adult children of alcoholics to address the impact of growing up in a family affected by addiction.

There are many options available for addiction treatment. many people do not have time or resources for residential treatment for addictions. I am trained to work with people with addictions such as drug and alcohol, gambling, internet, sex addiction, and food. Addiction usually begins as a way of coping with stress and life challenges. As time progresses, the addiction becomes the main way of coping with difficulties. i help clients identify the problem areas of their lives, and learn healthier coping strategies to deal with difficult times. Addiction treatment begins with a willingness to change and hope for a more positive future.

Addiction isn’t the problem — it’s the solution your nervous system found to survive. In my counselling practice, I offer a compassionate, trauma-informed space to explore the pain beneath the pattern. Together, we slow down, listen to the body, and understand what your behaviour has been protecting. Healing begins with safety, honesty, and connection. If you’re ready to meet your story with gentleness and reclaim your freedom, I’m here to walk with you.

I view addiction with true compassion as it can be so painfully difficult to battle. I feel for those suffering and those who love them. Well-recognized addictions include use of cigarettes, alcohol, street drugs, and marijuana, but I personally believe that issues like self-harm and trichotillomania (skin-picking) can be seen as addictions as well. I support people no matter where they are in their substance use or behaviour, from those ready and wanting to stop to those not there yet. I also support harm reduction, abstinence, or a combination of these. EMDR Therapy and DBT are both effective approaches depending on your story, your goal, and where you are at.

There is no magic bullet to treating addictions. Many addictions stem from a trifecta of circumstances: (1) a biological / chemical dependance (eg. alcohol leads to chemical changes how our brain and body's nervous system functions and communicates) , (2) a cognitive dependance (I deserve a drink at the end of the day, it helps me relax), and (3) a behavioural (eg. having a drink at a social event is normal, or helps me loosen up). Often addiction is a (not so) perfect storm of these three issues. The good news is that the Cognitive and Behavioural components are quite easy to begin to address; and, in turn, the biological / chemical component is also adjusted.

I am adept at support clients in finding the root of their addiction whether it be trauma or challenges with emotional regulation. Addictive behaviour always makes sense. Unfortunately, there is still so much shame, judgement and misunderstanding when it comes to addiction. I will help you make sense of your addictive behaviour and achieve freedom.

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.

My qualifications include a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology and I am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors. I am also completing the education and supervision hours needed for certification as a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT-Candidate) and Certified Couples Betrayal Recovery Therapist (CCBRT-Candidate) with the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP). The programs offered by IITAP have provided me with specialized training, strategies, and tools to support and rebuild relationships that have been shaken by infidelity, problematic sexual behaviors, complex trauma, mistrust, and addiction.

Addiction counselling with me involves taking the time to unpack the dynamics that contribute to coping through addiction. With me you can expect a non-judgmental space, and to move at a pace you are comfortable with. Together we will take a compassionate and curious approach, locating strengths and supports and practicing mindfulness to grow in a sense of agency in decision making.

There is an interesting connection between trauma and addictions. When events or situations are perceived as life threatening or overwhelming (even though this might not be a conscious realization), the response to such overwhelming pain is logically to self-medicate. Treating addictions requires gently addressing how clients manage emotional, physical, and mental pain and sensitively building resources to find better coping strategies while healing old wounds.

Instead of viewing addiction as "bad" or something to get rid of, we'll look at the role addiction is playing in your life so that you can begin to develop a compassionate relationship with it. Addictions are very often protective mechanisms that help people numb, manage, and cope with overwhelming emotions, trauma, and stress. Understanding addiction in this light creates the conditions for healing the underlying traumas that are keeping us stuck in the addictive cycle. I'll help you develop new internal resources that will help you cope with cravings and triggers so you can make the shift from self-destructive behaviors to self-empowerment.

Stuck in a rut? Trying to get out, but don't know how? Don't like AA? Let me help you unshackle yourself from that annoying addiction. Personalized help, skill building, and non-judgemental support in overcoming an addiction. Call 604-657-9534 now if you are ready to take a step into the first day of the rest of your life.

After working with clients that struggled with drugs and alcohol addiction, I learned that these clients need ongoing support after they leave their treatment programs. I help clients explore their stresses, traumas, and their mental and physical vulnerabilities to address the issues behinds their addictive behaviour patterns. The treatment plan includes an incorporation of mindful exercise and CBT techniques to regulate stress responses and reduce the stressors. Other evidence based techniques and literature is included in the plan to assist the client in adjusting to physiological and mental changes with no addiction and replacing it with positive changes.

Real Solutions for Real Challenges Common Sense techniques. Short-Term & Cost Effective Most often addictions are a symptom of pain. hurt , and loss of some form. The addiction serves to reduce this pain and suffering. However, the affect is has on the individual is to make them feel out of control, guilty, lazy, and generally worse about themselves whin in turn drives them to seek more relief. This is often the downward spiral of the addiction cycle. Martin helps his clients reframe thier negative statements about themselves and then exposes the core beliefs that keep triggering their destructive and untrue beliefs about their whole character.

While I do not work with people struggling with addictions, I provide support and guidance for members of their families. Often as the spouse, parent or sibling of someone struggling with drug or alcohol addiction we find our own lives spinning out of control. We find ourselves enabling and rescuing - hating that we do and yet not knowing how else to respond to the chaos. Counselling can help to reestablish a sense of stability and clarity about next steps. A counselling session for individuals, parents or all family members can provide perspective, guidance and skills to help family members make choices and take actions that are helpful for themselves and often for the one in addiction.

Feeling trapped in a cycle of addiction? Are you using to escape reality? Do you feel like you can't function without your addictive crutches? Do you struggle to control your cravings, and your loved ones are worried? If any of any of this sounds familiar, counselling can help. Let's work together to break free from the chains of addiction and regain control of your life. Imagine building stronger relationships with family and friends, living a healthier life, and finding emotional balance and inner peace. Take the first step towards a brighter future today. Book your free 15-minute consultation now.

If you have an addiction you are likely using a substance or addictive behaviour to manage your life and to help you get through the night ... Addictions have a down side, of course, which is why you are looking for help. There is often trauma or grief waiting to be managed and these feelings can be very intense. The consequences of your addiction often impact your relationships and may be connected to past relationship stresses. You don't need to face these things alone. We can explore your situation together and find ways to support you in creating new strategies for managing your addiction. From there, you can create a healthier and happier life.

Addictions can crowd out everything else that was once important to you; counselling can help you reclaim things you have lost. I will support you and I will not judge you. I am consistently positive and hopeful in the Lord. Together we will come up with a plan detailing your goals and ways of getting there and discuss reintegrating meaning in your life. We will also pursue practical strategies for maintaining your gains. Jesus catches you when you fall. He never forsaken you no matter what. Trust in the Lord's healing is there. I connect and provide referrals to physicians, residential treatment facilities, support groups, detox, acupuncture or naturopathic medicine.

Most of us have some form of addiction. Whether it be alcohol, pornography, drugs, shopping, gambling, eating or even love, these behaviours can enslave us. In therapy, we will identify that addiction, the reasons behind the addiction, the triggers and the payoff it provides in your life. You will learn about the cycle of addiction and recovery and relapse. I will give you tools and strategies to help you gain freedom from your addiction.

Addiction isn’t just about willpower—it’s about pain, patterns, and finding a way to cope. If you feel trapped in cycles of substance use or compulsive behaviors, I’m here to help you break free without shame or judgment. Together, we’ll uncover the underlying struggles fueling your addiction, develop healthier coping strategies, and build a life where you feel in control again. Recovery is possible, and you don’t have to do it alone. Let’s take that first step together.

I consider myself an expert in addiction therapy. My focus is not the addictive substance or activity. I focus on the root cause for why you engage in the various activities for the purpose of self-medication. As we flesh out the emotional and traumatic scars from past life events, you will find that your desire to self-medicate reduces significantly.

Whether you are struggling with an addiction such as alcohol or drug abuse, video gaming addiction, shopping addiction, gambling, ecc, most likely life is an emotional roller coaster for you AND the person who loves you. Addiction recovery is not about willpower but about identifying the underlying causes of your addiction OR your enabling behaviour and finding appropriate coping mechanisms to deal with stress and emotional overwhelm in healthy ways. As a certified Addiction Counsellor I specialize in working with LOVED ONES of addicts as well as the individual struggling with addiction using a blend of somatic and cognitive psychotherapy which has proven to be extremely effective.