Addiction Therapists in Lions Bay, BC.

Substance use issues can be incredibly challenging to overcome, particularly if they are linked to underlying issues like trauma, grief, depression, or anxiety. However, there are a number of evidence-based therapeutic approaches that can help individuals who are struggling with substance use. Two of these approaches include Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) and Motivational Interviewing (MI). I use these approaches, along with others, which can help you overcome your substance use issues.

I use a type of therapy called EMDR for addiction. This stands for Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing. Originally used for PTSD, it is very effective against addictions. It is a short term therapy that can be extremely effective in very little time. We identify triggers or urges that emerge just before one uses and we reprocess them so they are no longer triggering!

I have worked in a number of treatment centres and I am able to help clients face the fear of not having their addiction to deal with life's difficult times and the subsequent emotions . I work with clients struggling with addictions to the internet, gambling, shopping, drugs and alcohol, exercise and work. By looking at the purpose/reason behind the addictive or compulsive behaviour the client is able to begin to resolve their relationship with their addiction and to be free!!

Addictions can appear in many forms including substance addictions, internet addiction, sex addiction, gambling addiction, shopping addiction, pornography, social media, excessive exercise, food, etc. Strong cravings with a loss of control can lead people to become addicted in spite of possible dire consequences. Counselling is one of several possible treatments available for addictions. Individual, group and family therapies have been found to be helpful in order to inform a client regarding the harmful effects the addiction may have on themselves, their friends, family and society. Promoting physical, emotional and spiritual well being is often critical for the rehabilitation process.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Do you wake up in the morning with a feeling of regret and remorse over how many glasses of wine you had, again? Are you struggling with a habit that you thought was temporary and now you find you can't walk away from. The realization that you may be struggling with an addiction may gradually unfold or a loved one may bring it to your attention. Often addiction arises from a need to 'take oneself away' from the rough spots on life or it may be a habit out of control. Whatever the background, together we will look at what has contributed to your desire for you habit, what is reinforcing it and get you back in the drivers seat of your life.

There are many forms of addiction (ie., drug, alcohol, work, food, gambling, exercise, work). Many people find self help groups that follow the 12 step program helpful. Other people like to take a more personal form of support around their addiction issues. In that case, individual counselling can be helpful. The counselling I provide for clients with addiction issues is to help them set specific reachable goals. Coming to regular counselling appointments seem to help clients set up a personal accountability tool for themselves. Reaching goals can be celebrated and setbacks examined to determine how to move forward again with success.

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.

I worked for many years for a retreat centre and I have seen and worked with many addicts. I think that it is essential that someone suffering from an addiction is wanting help and change for themselves. I help the person with an addiction look at what negative core beliefs created the addiction in the first place.There are many types of addictions and although some take the form of alcohol or drugs, the most insidious are the emotional addictions. Understanding the "pay off" for the addiction is an important component for wanting change. It can also be helpful to work with then family members of an addict to help them understand what they can do to help their family member.

Addiction is often linked to unresolved and unprocessed complex trauma and it is also about codependency - reliance on something outside of oneself to cope with pain and suffering. I help clients create peace with unhealed parts in a safe space where emotions can be felt and processed. I may use CBT, Internal Family Systems theory, emotionally focused, mindfulness and/or energy based methods to change underlying codependent patterns and empower clients to face their deepest fears.

The question is not "why the addiction but why the pain" - Gabor Mate. Addiction is rooted in human suffering and complex social problems. Drawing on the work of Gabor Mate, Narrative Therapy, Systemic Family Therapy, and Response-Based practice, I will begin to address the pain and suffering experienced by individuals and families. We will also exploring the social context the contributes to an addiction culture. One of the goals is to start to separate the person from the addiction. Each individual is so much more than the addiction they experience.

Addictions and addictive beahviors can become a burden and a danger in one's life. It can be difficult to see a way out of the maze to freedom. Some addictions have us tricked into thinking that it is just who we are and that we are stuck this way. It is possibe to break free and get out of the maze. I offer progressive, informed treatment approaches to all addictions and addictive behaviors. My approach is unique and effective. Together we can work to get you free from addiction and free to become who you really are. Addiction does not have to have power over you another day. Contact me to start making changes.

As a therapist with a specialty in Addictions Counseling, I can help you work through the underlying issues that may be a contributing factor to your addiction. I can help you identify triggers and help you with coping skills, which are also a contributing factor to addiction. Developing a strong sense of self is key to a healthier and happier you. I can help you learn how to set boundaries, increase your self-respect, and how to give yourself what you need.

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.

Huge underlying drivers for addiction are shame and loss. I have worked with addiction for many years and have seen how ti presents in many different ways. A blend of support around managing urges, getting clear about what it is you want that addiction is stopping you from achieving and getting familiar with what it is that the addiction is protecting you from feeling and experiencing along with therapeutic processing are the approaches I adhere to.

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.

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.

In working with people wrestling with addictions I utilize skills from DBT, EFFT and take a harm reduction, trauma informed approach to our work together. This may include working alongside a medical team to support you in recovery. This may include using skills for managing urges along with techniques for managing distressing emotions and thoughts as well as the physical impact on your health.

A person with addiction usually goes straight from feelings into behaviour. And it is usually such an unbearable feeling that the person resorts to 'self-cure', i.e. substance abuse in order to bury it deep down inside. So after building trust, I carefully inquire about the painful events in the person's life. As alcohol and drug abuse is often sustained by denial, the client learns levels of discounting the problem (How am I lying to myself?). Often, clients will embrace alcohol/drugs because they have given up on people; sometimes, they don't know how to protect themselves from poisonous relationships: "discovering a 4-step approach to assertivity" can be of much help!

Substance and behavioral addictions are widely misunderstood, and as a result, those that experience addictions can be unjustly pathologized and even criminalized. The term “addiction” stands for diverse, multi-faceted, socio-cultural, biological, and psychological phenomena. The idea that addiction is a brain disease is an ideological narrative, not a fact. I offer non-judgmental and non-coercive counselling to support an individual’s growth and future pursuits. I hold a deep empathy for your life experience, choices, and lack of choices. I will coach you to tap into your inner resources, resilience, and “brilliant sanity.” I am an advocate for decriminalization and harm reduction policies.

Clients with lifelong addictions have found freedom and hope again. "The first time I saw Kathryn I was a mess! ...I was depressed, confused, hurt, angry and desolate and almost to the point of ending it all. Life just didn't seem worth living... Kathryn was so understanding and kind and helped me to change my negative thoughts into positive ones ...She also taught me that no one can make me feel anything happy, sad, lonely, miserable - these are my own thoughts and they come from my own guilt or shame,people just trigger them... I now want to live and I understand how important it really is to live an honest clean life and to care for and love myself like I never knew how to before."

I've worked in Addiction for many years at treatment centres and in corrections. I'm well versed in the 12-steps approach and will apply this approach only when a client is interested and open to this. The 12-steps approach is not for everyone and so I also provide alternative ways to overcome or reduce one's addiction. Treatment of addiction starts with identifying one's triggers and then goes into alternative coping strategies that are proven to be effective. Time is also spent on examining the source of one's addiction so that change can happen more deeply. I view addiction as a symptom of a larger problem and believe if we mend the larger problem, the addiction will decrease.