Addiction Therapists in Bowen Island, 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.

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.

As a counsellor with years of experience working with addiction and its effects on the family, I have the skills to help you gain insights, change your behaviours, heal your pain and recover a sense of wholeness for life. My goal is to help you find a way out of the bondage of self hate, shame, and pain that is often caused by living with addiction. I believe that with hard work, you can regain the hope that this disease steals.

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.

Addiction can affect every area of your life, from your physical health, mental health, emotional health, social life to your core values. I view addiction problems not through a lens of a lack of willpower, but through a lens of brain dysfunction and see that through brain training with Neurofeedback (NFB), processing with EMDR or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) there is a great potential for improvement.

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.

My approach to addictions counselling involves exploring what is going on underneath the surface. For me, addiction is really about disconnection. Through counselling, we can work together to understand more about what you might be feeling, what you are disconnecting from, and how we can support you to connect to yourself, others and the world in a healthier way.

In addiction counseling, I support people wherever they are in their journey—whether considering change, working to reduce use, or committed to stopping completely. Addiction often masks underlying issues like anxiety, depression, trauma, or relationship problems, so we address both the addictive behavior and what's driving it. Using a non-judgmental, motivational approach, I help you clarify your goals and develop practical strategies that work for your life. We focus on the root issues keeping the cycle going and build sustainable change. Whether you're struggling with substances, gambling, or other compulsive behaviors, you'll find collaborative support without shame or pressure. Family members seeking assessment and guidance for a loved one are also welcome.

I have worked extensively with all forms of addiction for 22 years. Always at the root of any addiction is unresolved emotional wounding or trauma. I work to de-shame the addictive behaviour; understanding that it has been used as a resource to cope with deep emotional pain. I work on fostering self-compassion and offer deep healing of the core issues where the addiction began, each therapeutic response tailored to the uniqueness of each persons addictive behaviour. Through a combination of body centred psychotherapy, practical behavioural tools, and the use of outside supportive resources where needed, most addictions can be resolved or navigated so that one can thrive again in their life.

Addiction counseling provides a holistic approach to supporting individuals struggling with substance use disorders and their loved ones. A safe and non-judgmental therapeutic relationship is used to explore the underlying causes of addiction, address co-occurring mental health issues, and develop personalized recovery plans. Additionally, counseling helps loved ones understand addiction as a complex disease and offers guidance on setting boundaries, practicing self-care, and fostering healthy communication within the family system. Through education, empathy, and ongoing support, addiction counseling empowers individuals and their loved ones to navigate challenges.

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.

If we all arrived on earth with an owners manual, it would be far easier to discover the most adaptable ways to cope with the onslaught of challenges we face as we grow and develop. But, we stumble along, often grabbing at crutches that soothe us for a while, but end up bringing us to our knees. My role in addiction recovery is helping you find positive soothing habits, helping you learn how regulate your emotions so that soothing is needed less on the whole, and helping you stay connected to your needs so that you remain in the drivers seat.

Addiction or problematic substance use can have a profound impact on relationships, creating conflict, broken trust, worry, resentment and emotional distance. While I don’t provide addiction treatment or substance-use counselling, I work with individuals and couples when alcohol, drugs or other addictive behaviors are affecting their relationship. We can explore the impact on both partners, patterns that have developed around the problem, boundaries, communication and rebuilding trust. My focus is on helping you understand what is happening in the relationship and find healthier ways of responding to each other while appropriate addiction treatment is addressed separately when needed.