Addiction Therapists in London, ON.

I have offered support to those experiencing various addictions since 2010. My particular focus and specialty is supporting those who have experienced trauma and other negative life experiences that have driven them toward coping with substances. I offer a supportive and evidence based approach to people looking to reduce or discontinue using substances.

One of our lovely psychotherapists, Cher, has spent the majority of her career supporting folks struggling with addiction and addictive behaviours. It’s something she’s passionate about! Using a variety of therapeutic interventions and a harm reduction approach, she supports her clients to discover and develop their version of a happy and healthy life. This may include helping people gain new perspectives and strategies for addressing struggles with interpersonal relationships, facing difficult emotions, healing past wounds, and exploring and understanding one’s self in new ways. She greets each of her clients with non-judgment and meets you where you’re at.

As the great physician and teacher Gabor Mate states, "the opposite of addiction is not sobriety. The opposite of addiction is connection". People often develop an addiction as a way to cope and manage distressing feelings and thoughts. Addiction is a form of escape from what otherwise can feel very painful and uncomfortable, therefore addiction serves as temporary relief but unfortunately can cause longer term suffering. In counselling, you can explore the experiences which tend to lie at the root of an addiction, put voice to the things that have been hard to talk about, learn how to cope with uncomfortable emotions and sensations, and develop alternative coping tools.

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 can be a mask to coping with other complicated issues and emotions in your life. I would assist the indivudal through therapy by giving them distress tolerance skills, validating but not always agreeing with their views, and help them to accept what they cannot change while changing what they have control over. Together we will unveil and understand their triggers thereby empowering them to battle against the addiction. Creating short term goals to build their confidence by utilizing other health coping mechanisms and then long term goals to develop a pathway to new transformation.

Sadly, addiction is more than a surface issue. It’s any habit that controls you - your own healthy perspective or behaviour compromised. It can be: smoking, drinking, drugs, gambling, gaming, shopping, fetishes, cutting, porn, unsafe sex, unhealthy eating, self negating, bulimia, compulsive message checking, even too much time online. Elimination or control of such a habit is only a partial answer. There’s more going on. What led you to develop the addiction in the first place? In therapy a key issue I will help you look into is what you can do instead. You can realize why you came to lean on an unhealthy behaviour, then learn to Mindfully notice other options you have in the moment.

Addictions can help us get through some challenges and maybe even have saved our life. Then there comes a time when addictions seem to get in the way and cause more trouble and more problems. Therapy can help to find different ways of coping. Learning other ways of handing stress and conflict helps quiet the compulsions. Counselling will help you take charge of your life.

While I'm not an addiction specialist, I do have training in this area, and I can work with you to reduce or stop your use of addictive substances. We will work together to find the deep drives that feed the addiction. For example, is your addiction helping you feel less alone, less worthless, less powerless, or is it numbing some specific pain. We would look at how the addiction is affecting your life and how to use the supports around you to change your habits.

If you come to me because YOU want to end your substance use or behaviour, I can help you. If you are still struggling with whether or not you want to quit, I can help you with that as well! I may suggest a rehab if that is what seems best. If you are already sober and are trying to remain that way, I will offer you the numerous tools of relapse prevention, including self-care, having a sponsor, and practising mindfulness.

I have been helping individuals overcome their addictions since 1996. I have helped individuals who were addicted to drugs, alcohol, gambling and pornography. Given my experience working with addictions, I am able to determine if my counseling can be sufficient and or when other interventions would be more appropriate. If it is determined that outpatient or residential treatment is required, I have provided the support and assistance to individuals in preparing for and applying to appropriate treatment centres.

Sometimes it's hard to see when something we enjoy is beginning to get out of control. It's not uncommon that loved ones are the first to point out that our use of something has become problematic. Alcohol, opiates, sex... if you are not sure if your use of something has crossed the line, call me. I offer non-judgemental counselling for people who struggle with symptoms of addiction. While social work cannot diagnose, I can most certainly assist you as you continue to explore your challenges at this time.

I view addiction from a holistic perspective, taking the entire person into account when providing therapeutic support. While addiction can emerge through a biological predisposition, it is also often related to how we have learned to cope with and navigate life’s challenges. I approach intervention from a trauma-informed perspective, helping clients to understand where addictive behaviour is being used to cope with unresolved emotional challenges. I also help clients to identify new ways of coping and develop healthier behaviours that contribute positively to well-being.

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