Addiction Therapists in Toronto, ON.

Do you or a loved one need help for alcohol or substance abuse? Are addictions to pornography, sex and/or the internet hurting the people in your life? Do you have a gambling, drug, alcohol, food, sex, work, and/or shopping addiction (s) that are impacting your life? Are you impacted by your family member's addiction? Counselling for addiction and codependency is available. I am an adult child of an alcoholic. I am a recovering addict myself. It takes one to know one, and it takes one to help one! You do not need to struggle alone, let me be your one! I've Got your Back. We can work holistically and also utilize the 12 Steps. Note: I am a Cannabis Friendly Psychotherapist

Contrary to what is believed, addiction usually starts with a positive impact on a person’s life and even sometimes saves their life. However, as the time goes by, this creative adjustment becomes outdated and turns into a problem. Therefore, working with addiction should not be about illuminating the symptoms or the manifestations of the addiction, but rather trying to understand the reasons underlying the addiction and the function that it used to serve. A successful recovery is only possible through understanding and even respecting the addiction. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.

Addiction is a multifaceted challenge, and understanding its roots is key to recovery. While I do not offer therapy sessions for addiction, we have several addiction specialists at Psychotherapy Collective who are available to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with you to ensure they are the proper fit for your journey. Visit our profiles at https://www.psychotherapycollective.ca/our-team

Addiction is a multifaceted challenge, and understanding its roots is key to recovery. While I do not offer therapy sessions for addiction, we have several addiction specialists at Psychotherapy Collective who are available to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with you to ensure they are the proper fit for your journey. Visit our profiles at https://www.psychotherapycollective.ca/our-team

While most treatment approaches to addiction include 12 step programs, rehabs, and now sober living houses, Grey Matters International, Inc. provides a wildly successful alternative to traditional models of addiction treatment----that keeps the brain in mind. That is, talking to the conscious brain while the primal brain is deciding things even before you are consciously aware? Well, that is the problem to solve in addiction. We have the solution utilizing a new cutting edge neuroscience-centered brain rebalancing system. Contact kevin@kevinflemingphd.com or call 877-606-6161.

Addictive behaviours often develop as ways of coping with trauma, big emotions, stress, or painful experiences. In my work with addictions, I draw on ACT, DBT, IFS, and CBT to help clients understand the underlying patterns that contribute to substance use or compulsive behaviours. Rather than focusing on stopping the behaviour, we explore the needs and pressures that may be driving it while building healthier ways to respond. My clients benefit from learning practical tools to manage urges, develop greater self-compassion, and reconnect with values that support long-term well-being through sustainable change.

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.

My approach to addiction focuses on understanding behaviour through a lens of coping, survival, and unmet emotional needs rather than moral failure. Clients are supported in identifying triggers, developing healthier regulation strategies, and building alternative sources of relief and connection. Therapy also explores underlying patterns that maintain addictive cycles. Clients often benefit from increased self-awareness, reduced shame, and the development of sustainable tools for change, supporting greater stability and long-term recovery-oriented growth.

Addiction isn’t a failure—it’s a coping strategy that may have outlived its purpose. Whether you’re struggling with substance use, compulsive behaviours, or emotional dependence, we offer a non-judgmental space for healing. We’ll help you understand the emotional roots of the addiction, develop healthier coping strategies, and reconnect with what matters most. Recovery is not about perfection—it’s about rebuilding your life with honesty, self-compassion, and hope.

Struggling with substance use or addiction can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to face it alone. I’m Simona Ilieva, a Registered Psychotherapist specializing in addiction therapy. Together, we’ll explore the underlying causes of your substance use, identify triggers, and develop personalized strategies for lasting recovery. Whether you’re dealing with alcohol, drugs, or other addictive behaviors, I’m here to support you in taking back control of your life. Recovery is not just about breaking free from substance use—it’s about rediscovering your strengths and building a life you feel proud of. Healing is possible, and I’m here to guide you every step of the way. Let’s take that first st

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.

Art therapy and counselling approach addiction through a trauma-informed lens that recognizes substance use or compulsive behaviours as attempts to cope. Therapy supports exploration of the emotional, relational, and embodied patterns connected to these behaviours. Creative expression and somatic awareness can help increase insight, build safer coping strategies, and support a more compassionate relationship with oneself.

I am a Psychotherapist and Addictions Counsellor and having been through an addiction myself I understand what it takes to work through an addiction. I have built up a number of tools and modalities to teach others to gain strength and self-esteem. Addiction is a very broad topic, one that can't be written in a few sentences. I have the confidence in my abilities to help you through your addiction(s) I will create a safe environment for you and your loved ones while going through your challenging time. If you’re not sure if you have an addiction, feel free to call or email me. I have the patience and understanding to meet your needs where ever you’re at today.

I know from the inside what it is like to live with an addiction. I have been in recovery from my own for several years now. I also know this field as well as almost anyone. I am an international expert in addictions and the author of a national award-winning textbook on addictions counselling, now in its second edition. If you want someone who combines lived experience with genuine expertise, I have been a practising psychologist since 1986. I am based in Calgary and see clients across Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick by secure video. Book a session now: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14249112

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.