Addiction Therapists in Milton, ON.

Addiction cannot be completely understood by education alone. So many people are instructed to just stop doing it or just break the habit. Neural pathways once formed provide us with the equivalent to wheel ruts that in our thinking that we default to time and time again. We can with behaviour modification haul ourselves out of the wheel rut, but that wheel rut remains there waiting for us to fall back into when we are vulnerable in moments where we choose to medicate ourselves with our own addiction. Understanding how to rid ourselves of the wheel rut is part of the dual diagnosis addressing addictions - all of them.

Addiction brings pain and chaos individuals, couples and families. I see addictions as poor and destructive coping mechanisms and work with individuals and couples to interrupt the behavior and work to process the pain underlying the behavior. I am very familiar with 12 step programs and CSAT work that help individuals and couples make sense out of the addiction. I also work within a complementary framework of attachment and the importance of strong close inter-dependent, not co-dependent relationships with the most important people in one's life, family. Call me for a consult about your particular needs and situation.

I help clients gain control over addictions to substances, gambling, gaming, and other addictive behaviours. I provide collaborative professional support, deepening insight into the underlying forces driving the addiction, increasing motivation for change. Throughout the process, clients gain clarity regarding their values, a sense of purpose and direction, self-confidence, social connection, and effective coping skills to regain a sense of control. Using Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I provide an empathetic person-centered approach, helping insights emerge throughout the interaction.

Clients who come to me with addictions or substance misuse challenges will be met with a non-judgemental, consistently optimistic approach. Together, we will address the causes and course of the substance use, and resolve the issues that acted as the catalyst. We will identify possible triggers, develop effective strategies for harm-reduction and/or recovery, depending on the readiness, and goals of the individual. The pace of therapy will be guided by the client, and relapse will be accepted with understanding and compassion. Without question, it is difficult to overcome an addiction. But with the right support, insight and motivation, it is more than possible.

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.

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

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.

I am a highly trained and experienced Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), trained by Dr. Patrick Carnes of the International Institute of Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP). I am the only Certified Sex Addiction Therapist for a large area of southern Ontario. I offer programs for both addicts and partners of sex addicts, and hold Men's and Women's Groups . I am experienced in the treatment of all sexual addictions e.g. pornography, cybersex, sexual and emotional affairs, massage parlors, escorts and anonymous sex, etc. I am a facilitator of the Facing the Shadow Recovery Start Kit and an interpreter of sexual addiction tests. For more information see: www.btaylorsolutions.ca.