Addiction Therapists in Clearview, ON.

Addictions can be difficult to overcome. You may likely experience positive feelings related to the addiction, which adds to the difficulty in letting them go. I will help you to develop motivation for change (if required) and will work with you develop healthy coping skills so that you feel less in need of the addiction you may be using. I will work with you collaboratively and listen attentively to your experiences so that this may inform how I work with you.

Research indicates there can be both a biological and emotional element to addictions. Addictions can flow through families and can go hand in hand with ADHD as a result of genetic based nutritional deficiencies. An addiction can therefore represent a self-medicating boost in the stimulation of dopamine and other neurotransmitters, creating a desire for more. As research into addictions continues understanding has also grown around the role of relationships in addictions. While unsatisfying relationships and negative emotional dances can be at the root of addiction, healing connected relationships and resolving negative emotional patterns can also facilitate choices which stop the addiction.

If you are struggling with addiction then it is time to take action now. Any addiction can be harmful and it can take complete control of your life. Physical addictions are related to food, drugs, alcohol and mental addictions are related to gambling, video games etc.. In fact any mental or physical activity which creates dependence and it is beyond your control, can become an addiction. It means you are not In-dependent but you are Out-dependent. In my experience people can even be addicted to anyone or anything. Integrative psychodynamic therapy can give you permanent solutions although it can take some time. But who would not like to enjoy the idea of living an independent healthy life?

If we do something repeatedly, that we would rather not do, then we have an addiction. The problem with addictions is that people get hurt. The addicted person may not recognize the seriousness of their situation, but eventually both the addict and their loved ones suffer tremendously in a state of helplessness. Many families have been destroyed from addictive behaviour such as substance addiction (drugs/alcohol), gambling, sexual addictions, gaming/internet addictions. A counsellor can help. Workshops, groups, individual or family counselling can assist in breaking the devastating cycle of addiction. Coping skills and emotional awareness to negotiate compelling urges and compulsive in

With ample experience in the arena of addiction (especially Sexual Addiction), I can help you break the cycle that has hindered your path to health. You will gain self awareness in why you keep going back to the addiction even though you don't want to. You will learn to manage your triggers that kick off the addiction cycle so that you will make better choices.

Approaches to addressing addictions really vary from one treatment setting to another. My approach focuses on helping people manage their addictions. Not everyone chooses abstinence, and not everyone needs to. In fact, for many problem drinkers learning to become a controlled drinker can offer a more sustainable way of living. I tend to work with people to help them manage their addictions in a way that is sustainable, and in a way that works for their personal situation.

In my approach to addictions I work with clients to understand how the addiction may be helping them to cope and help them to learn alternate healthy coping mechanisms. Addressing related underlying issues may also be important in helping clients to leave the addiction behind. Although clients often find it difficult to let go of the addiction, they slowly feel ready as they begin to take steps and have more positive life experiences, which are also explored during therapy. Client strengths, motivations, hopes, and values are also considered and through these approaches clients begin to feel safe, satisfied, and happy living their life without the addiction.

Dealing with addiction is not easy. Addictions can put barriers between people and their relationships, families, work, and well-being. When the source of addiction becomes more important than everything else, it is time to seek help. I have worked with people from all walks of life: those who are working, with families; those who have experienced chronic homelessness as the result of their addictions; and those who are concerned about increased use of a substance or behaviour (drugs/alcohol/sex/gambling/shopping, etc.). I work with clients from a harm reduction perspective, in order to minimize the damage that a substance or behaviour is causing in a person's life.

Have drugs or alcohol taken over your life? Are your relationships and/or work suffering? Do you need help to learn other ways to feel good? Let's talk about how you can get back in control of your life. You don't have to go right to the bottom before you start on new and better path... and the sooner we help you feel good about yourself again, the sooner you'll experience joy in living.

If we do something repeatedly, that we would rather not do, then we have an addiction. The problem with addictions is that people get hurt. The addicted person may not recognize the seriousness of their situation, but eventually both the addict and their loved ones suffer tremendously in a state of helplessness. Many families have been destroyed from addictive behaviour such as substance addiction (drugs/alcohol), gambling, sexual addictions, gaming/internet addictions. A counsellor can help. Workshops, groups, individual or family counselling can assist in breaking the devastating cycle of addiction. Coping skills and emotional awareness to negotiate compelling urges and compulsive in

Addiction is a very complex issue, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the impacts of addiction are far reaching. While there are many factors that contribute to addictions, it is imperative to learn about emotional regulation in order to learn how to manage them. Individuals struggling with addictions find themselves in a continuous viscous cycle fighting uncomfortable emotions. Individuals continue with addictions because drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc. provide immediate and temporary relief from their environment and their painful emotions. My focus with addiction counselling is teaching emotional regulation and behavioural modification strategies.

If we do something repeatedly, that we would rather not do, then we have an addiction. The problem with addictions is that people get hurt. The addicted person may not recognize the seriousness of their situation, but eventually both the addict and their loved ones suffer tremendously in a state of helplessness. Many families have been destroyed from addictive behaviour such as substance addiction (drugs/alcohol), gambling, sexual addictions, gaming/internet addictions. A counsellor can help. Workshops, groups, individual or family counselling can assist in breaking the devastating cycle of addiction. Coping skills and emotional awareness to negotiate compelling urges and compulsive in

Admitting that you have a problem is the first step to managing an addiction. The next step is to reach out for help and get support to discontinue the addiction. The journey from addiction to recovery has challenges and multiple research studies point out that the people who are most successful are those who utilize support consistently. The focus of my work with clients who want to discontinue an addiction is relapse prevention; helping individuals develop a lifestyle without substance use.

The term “addict” is commonly shrouded in judgement, guilt, shame, and remorse. I want to introduce you to a different understanding of addiction while providing insight into your actions. I offer a safe space to share your story and the tools to help you move beyond addiction. I can help to uncover subconscious blocks on the journey of healing from addiction or from a loved one’s addiction. No situation is hopeless, regardless of the addiction (sex, drugs, alcohol, gambling, food), change is possible. We are powerful beings and regardless of our past hurts, we are all worthy of love and healing. We are all good enough as is to deserve peace, happiness and freedom from the urge to use. To Partners of Sex Addicts: Have you just experienced discovery?...(view profile to read more)

I have had extensive experience working in front-line settings such as Vancouver’s Downtown East Side in the addictions field and have become highly familiar working with both abstinence-based and harm-reduction approaches to addiction and concurrent mental health concerns. It’s important to me that my approach is client-centred, meaning that I work from the individual client’s goals and degree of readiness. My therapeutic approach integrates mindfulness, CBT, the Stages of Change Model, and trauma counselling. I also help clients explore the underlying factors contributing to the addictive behaviours and teach alternative coping strategies in order to promote lasting change.

Recovery from addiction is possible and my experience and training have taught me that a trauma informed psychotherapeutic approach and working as a team with community resources and family doctors builds a web of support for the recovering addicat that supports long term sobriety and a life of connection over shame and isolation. Come let us begin to recover your life!

Addictive behaviours may feel like comfort to the vacuum left by aloneness or detachment. The feeling of aloneness can start early. Children require a lot of emotional interaction to develop trust that their needs for support and caring will be met. If they don’t experience positive attachments, they may turn their needs for love and caring into physical cravings, which are easier to fill, and develop relationships with their addictions because they're more in control of them than those they look to for love and attention. I create a therapeutic environment in which individuals can deepen their understanding of their feelings and learn to trust their inner resources to connect with others.

Let's go for a beer. Not a problem. But lots of substances can turn into addictions when they affect behaviours and take over a person's life. Alcohol, cigarettes, gambling, drugs (cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, abuse of prescription meds), pain-killers, internet pornography and marijuana with misuse can all create problems and be a way of escaping problems. Trauma, especially in childhood, often gets linked to an addiction problem. If you notice you can't abstain, develop cravings, have little control over behaviour, you may have developed an addiction in response to life's stressors. Getting help early can save your brain from damage later on.

I work with family members supporting or living with someone with an addiction. I help them find ways to support themselves and their loved one, while staying safe and healthy themselves. We will look at communication, boundaries, self care, handling crisis, getting help. We will also spend time discussing healthy ways to respond when someone you love has an addiction. You are not alone.

Using substances or activities in an obsessive and/or compulsive manner is a way of trying to escape ourselves. We do these things for good reason, but we don't always know why. This is where I come in. I will help you to find alternative ways of calming and nurturing yourself. And then I will help you to face the demons you are running from. With my support, you will learn to be a good parent to yourself. As you repair your relationship with yourself, your relationships with others will grow. You will no longer feel banished to a lonely world of one. And you will once again feel connected to yourself and the wider community around you.

We view addictions compassionately, as a symptom of unresolved emotional pain or trauma, and offer an alternative to traditional AA/12-step models. Our therapists can support you in the journey towards processing and healing the underlying hurts that are resulting in addictions as a coping strategy. Together, we can build the emotional regulation, distress tolerance and impulse management skills on the inside that can reduce the reliance on addictions on the outside, so that pain isn't so overwhelming. We are trauma-focused and can help you navigate the complex interplay of shame, triggers, anxiety, secrecy, codependency, body sensations, relationship dynamics and relapse patterns.

A person may choose to cope with life issues by engaging in certain behaviours or by using substances. Once they start abusing a substance or repeatedly engaging in certain negative behaviours, this is known as addiction. Addiction is a disease that negatively impacts the individual suffering as well as their family and friends. Therefore, to minimize the damage and to increase the probability of efficiently overcoming the disease comes with early intervention. Using a task-centered approach will help individuals face the reality and causes of their addiction.

I view addiction as the mis-use of substances (e.g. drugs or alcohol) or the engaging in extreme behaviors (e.g. sex, work, dis-ordered eating), as ways to numb mental/emotional/spiritual pain. I approach substance mis-use from a harm reduction perspective and I do not judge. I also do not buy into the massive drug hysteria fueled by the media. I understand the temporary relief that people seek when in distress. I do not demonize drugs because some are natural, necessary medicines that we sometimes need (i.e. chronic & terminal physical pain). I focus on the "why" of your drug use and work WITH you to figure out how to better cope with your distress and live the life you want.

Addictions are a form of self-medication or self-soothing. When we are stressed or upset about something, we just want to 'feel good.' Addictions are the result of relying for too long on some substance or behavior that 'feels good' - and then turns into a pattern of behavior, or an addiction. The process of therapy for addictions, whether substances, internet porn or other problem behavior that has become an addiction, involves becoming aware of of the 'dis-ease' that resulted in the development of the addiction, and addressing that through your counseling.

We all have patterns that take on a life of their own; drive us toward harm rather than good. Addiction is most usefully understood in this way. It can show up as a substance or behaviour that may merely draw our attention too often or dominate our waking hours. All addiction arises from attempts (conscious or not) to survive otherwise unbearable situations by distracting ourselves from thoughts or feelings that we become deeply afraid to face. Through increased awareness and understanding of what we are running from, building our resilience & developing skills to face those buried experiences, you can become whole again and get back in control of your choices.