Addiction Therapists in Summerland, BC.

Addictions are a coping strategy gone wrong. In the beginning, using may have helped to numb the underlying emotional pain, but over time it created a new set of problems that only added to the pain, including financial problems, loss of important relationships, and problems at work. 'Triggers' are those precipitating events that give rise to cravings to use. A common trigger is emotions, especially painful emotions that are seen as unbearable so our first reaction is to do something - anything - to avoid feeling those emotions. A key step in recovery is learning to cope with emotions in healthier ways. I can help you gain the skills you need to prevent relapse and live a fuller life.

Often in life, stress, responsibility and unhappiness can lead to managing/medicating with a variety of substances; marijuana, alcohol, gambling, sex, internet, drugs, ect. This can lead to an unbalance in the usage of these substances, create a significant strain and negative affect on relationships, family, work and one self. We will work to uncover the motivating force that has driven to substance abuse and help to regain control. Through this work we will strive to regain a healthy and balanced life, free of addiction or dependency.

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.

I will help you learn alternatives to substance use. By identifying the difficult emotions that substances help you cope with we can create a new plan that will allow you to manage these uncomfortable experiences while still decreasing your substance use. This way, we target the underlying reasons you drink/do drugs/eat and address the core issues that motivate your unhealthy behaviours.

Robin Menard has her Masters in Social Work and over three years full-time experience working in the field of addictions. She uses a biopsychosocial holistic approach. She does comprehensive assessments to determine strengths and deficits emotionally, cognitively, mentally, physically, socially, as well as assessing negative core beliefs about self, others, and the world. She works along side her clients to draw up comprehensive treatment plans which create transparency, focus and direction to help her clients heal in every area needed. Some of the benefits that clients have reported when working with Robin include: increased self-esteem, increased competency, reconnection with family, increased ....

Having focused on addictions and mental illness in her master's program, working outpatient addictions and inpatient psychiatry at Interior Health and with youth in a residential addiction center means addictions and mental health are an area of expertise for Sheila. Trauma informed care is at the heart of finding freedom from addiction and intervetions are designed specifically to the individual's needs.

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.

Addiction of any kind can be thought of as a progressive narrowing of the things that bring us satisfaction, pleasure, and happiness. We are meant to find fulfillment in a wide variety of experiences. Expanding that category as well as exploring the underlying need to addiction is filling is a good start on the road to freedom and a more excellent way.

The pain of addiction is real. & So is the pain that leads us there. I believe we are drawn to substance, process, sexual, & an unending list of other addictions for a reason. & Often that reason is simply to escape our own inner pain or turmoil...that just feels too overwhelming to bear. That makes the journey to freedom from addiction rarely an easy one, but certainly a rewarding one. & It is not one I believe any of us were meant to take alone. Let me come alongside you & support you on your journey back to freedom, joy, & ultimately yourself. & All that you were truly made for.

Whether it is a physical addiction or substance abuse, there are areas in your life that are too big to control by yourself. Your addiction is hurting those you love most in your life, and you can't seem to stop. Counselling can help you identify patterns your addictive behaviour. Together with your counsellor you will see an awareness of what drives your addiction, a clear plan of action for when cravings strike, and a restored and reinforced relationships in your life.

Addiction treatment is a challenging and ongoing process that requires a lot of support. What is often helpful for clients is using a CBT approach or a DBT approach which has been shown with evidence-based research to help manage addiction. Some of the focusses in counselling with addiction is often to prevent relapse, have better communication, improve family relationships, discovering better and healthier ways to cope than using the addiction. We would also discuss other factors that can help manage the addiction, such as meditation, religious involvement, and others.

I am presently employed as a clinical counsellor in Bridgeway Addiction Services. I take a biopyschosocialspiritual approach. I work on both the symptoms and the root of the problem of addiction. The root usually includes work regarding past abuse and trauma, low self worth, negative core self beliefs, family of origin, etc. With the addition use of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) I can help people with both the causes of addiction and impulse/urge control.

Addiction is a growing problem in our today's life. But the addiction is one way that our mind has, to try to fix a trauma or to deal with an unidentified pain that your mind is registering as a real treat to your integrity. We can work to begin to find and heal that pain. It Is a journey, is not a fast process, but it is worth to walk the self-discovery path.

I have been a substance abuse counsellor for over 25 yrs.This included 12 years of facilitating substance abuse groups in a day treatment program.I will provide a safe, comfortable place for you to explore the underlying issues around your substance abuse. Addictions are a way of coping and often become a practiced way of managing difficult feelings. Counselling will include making connections to your past, healthy self-care, exploring thoughts that impact feelings, self esteem and anger. We'll take steps towards breaking unhealthy patterns that support substance abuse and learn more about boundaries, honesty, vulnerability and moderating our ways of showing up in the world

“It was a long and heavy day and I just need to break the edge.” “I communicate better after few drinks” “I can’t fall asleep if I don’t have my…” When a substance becomes a “priority”, or becomes overused, it begins to creep into and destroy an individual’s health, family, relationship and even work. The question becomes "Do I have control over it or does it have control over me?". Often substances are used as coping mechanism without realizing that it often creates even more anxiety and depression, leaving a person feeling more stress and low down the road. Feeling anxious without a "quick fix" or a “temporary Band-Aid” is a strong indicator that a person is or has lost control with the desired substance. In counselling, we work to support...(view profile to read more)

In addiction counselling, we focus on providing a compassionate and non-judgmental environment where clients can explore the underlying factors contributing to addiction. My approach combines evidence-based therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, to help clients understand and manage their triggers, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and set achievable goals for recovery. We work collaboratively to address both the psychological and emotional aspects of addiction, fostering resilience and self-efficacy. By supporting clients in building a solid foundation for change, we aim to empower them to create a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Addiction can be a way of coping with pain, stress, trauma, or unmet emotional needs. I approach this work with deep compassion and create a safe space where you can explore your experiences openly. Together, we look beyond the surface behaviors to understand the underlying patterns that keep you feeling stuck. We use an attachment-focused approach to explore how relationships and early experiences may influence addictive cycles, while also teaching nervous system regulation strategies to manage cravings, reduce overwhelm, and support balance. When trauma plays a role in addiction, I may integrate EMDR to help process painful memories and release the hold they have on present behaviours.

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.

Working through addiction can be a raw and difficult process, that often reveals the pain that the addiction was helping to disguise. My approach to treating addiction applies cognitive awareness and mindfulness strategies to managing and reducing addictive tendencies and impulses. Addiction tends to thrive in isolation, so having a guide to help anticipate the struggle of addiction, identify and exercise strategies that are clinically effective in relief of addiction, and trauma.

Addictions issues can both result from distress in relationships and precipitate or create distress. Support in addressing addictions issues can have a signifiacant positive impact on overall relationship functioning. The fact that relationships are one of our primary coping mechanisms multiplies the potential distress when addictions is present as it impacts the very mechanisms we use to cope.

Addictions come in many forms--substances, gambling, sex, shopping, social media. The addictive behavior is just what we see, and is about 15% of what's going on. The other 85% is what lies underneath, driving the behavior. What need is being fulfulled by the addiction? Is it a way of coping with uncomfortable feelings? Unresolved trauma? Loneliness or boredom? Only by dealing with the underlying unmet needs or feelings can a true shift be made in the addictive behavior. Together we can figure out what's going on for you, and then work to make changes--address the unresolved trauma, change relationship patterns, make the emotions manageable to deal with, or find healthy substitutes.

Clients with addiction issues will benefit from seeing a counsellor. Whether you are ready to make the change or just wanting education, we can assist you. We use motivational therapy and harm reduction techniques. Addiction assessments are available. Additionally, we offer training and support to families with a member who is dealing with an addiction.