Substance Abuse and Addictions Counselling
You feel lost. Maybe you aren't sure how much you are ready to change or you might be someone who has made some huge life changes but now you are left with more questions than answers. You don't really know how you ended up here. You are scared. You want to understand yourself. You don't want to fall back into old habits. You want to learn how to have healthier relationships. You want to feel better about yourself.
Toronto Addictions Counselling
Do I have an addiction?
Our job is not to judge you or to make the decision for you about whether you have a substance abuse problem. What we are able to do is give you the facts, to discuss the impact that your substance use has on your life.
The following list is the criteria for substance use disorder:
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You experience cravings to use a certain substance
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You have tried to cut down or stop but were unable to
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Using in ways that are dangerous to yourself and/or others, (example: you have overdosed, driven while under the influence, or blacked out).
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Taking the substance in larger amounts or for longer than you intended (or than was prescribed)
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You have neglected other areas of your life because of substance use (school, work, family)
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Your substance use has caused problems in relationships
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When you've stopped using the substance, you've experienced withdrawal symptoms.
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You have built up a tolerance to the substance and have to use more to get the same effect.
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You spend a lot of your time using the substance.
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Your substance use has led to physical health problems ( such as liver damage) or psychological issues ( for example depression or anxiety).
How Will Therapy Help Me?
Substance abuse or addiction counselling increases your awareness of the ways that your behaviours are affecting your life. It can also help you to identify triggers (people, places, situations) that increase your risk of engaging in these behaviours. It can also assist you in understanding why you are using substances, the need that is being filled. This is important because if you decide to stop using, your problems do not automatically disappear.
Why Should I Work WIth You?
We are all highly experienced in working with various types of addiction/substance abuse. Often therapists you see have taken one course in addiction, some have had no training and are using general counselling techniques.
Kennedy is passionate about substance use issues, and holds a graduate certificate in addiction treatment and prevention. After this education, Kennedy recognized that many clients experienced trauma and this may be a huge contributing factor to their substance use. It is for this reason that all therapists with the practice are well trained and experienced in treating addiction/ substance use issues as well as trauma. We have worked with individuals as well as their family members in various stages of addiction and recovery.
What Do We Do In Therapy?
We am not here to judge and we don’t set the agenda. You will create goals and we will use that as a starting point to work together. We will help you understand your thoughts and feelings and the way that they impact your behaviour.
We will ask questions about your life, both past and present, your family experiences, and the lessons or messages you received. This helps us understand how you have come to be who you are. We will talk about your relationships and interactions with others. We will also discuss how your substance use may be impacting those relationships.
We will talk about healthy lifestyle choices you make for yourself, the areas of your life that you feel satisfied with and those that you would like to improve on. In this sense, addiction counselling is about much more than substance abuse. Because each person is different, every individual’s treatment plan is unique and is based on their own needs. we use a combination of treatment modalities that include motivational interviewing, CBT, DBT, solution-focused and trauma-based approaches.
The role of a therapist is not to "fix" you. Therapy is a process and it will require a commitment for any real change to occur.
What To Expect
Your first session will involve an assessment of your overall well-being as well as an intake of your personal history. Subsequent therapy sessions are 45 minutes in length and are unique to each individual's treatment plan.
Online Addiction Counselling in Toronto; Substance Abuse Counselling in Etobicoke & Mississauga.