Addiction Therapists in Edmonton, AB.

I have been clean and sober nearly 26 years. I am familiar with 12-step approaches to treating addictions and compulsions, and sympathetic to those who find them uesful. There are, however, many who need help but cannot find it in 12 step programs. I am able to meet many of these where they are, and help them in ways they are able to use. Addiction and compulsions, like all conditions that respond to psychotherapy, are phenomena that are overcome through personal growth.

I am Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT). Sex addiction is an umbrella term for a variety of compulsive sexual behaviors. I have worked in the field of addictions since 2010. I can help clients navigate the best route for them (treatment centers, support groups, individual therapy). The first stage is to develop enough structure in your life to stop using, the second stage is healing and transformation.

Ready for change? In your life, relationships, and with yourself ? Change begins with you. Exploring how your addiction has influenced your life and imagining how your life can be by rewriting your relationship with addiction. Our lives and our pathways are not written in stone. When we tell our stories in ways that can make us stronger, we can discover - we are not the problem - the problem is the problem. When we separate ourselves from the problem, we can begin to revise our relationships with problems and gain new insight into different ways we can live our lives. I can help you discover ways to reclaim your past and re-envision your future and change your relationship with addiction.

I have advanced training in the assessment of addictions. In order to have any success with addictions counselling there has to be some level of commitment to deal with the discomfort of giving up or at least reducing the addiction. Family and relationships are core to the success of the counselling. Addictions are powerful coping techniques that don't really work. Dealing with addictions means dealing with the pain and past hurts that have not healed or been properly dealt with. Any successful additions therapy means diving deeply into ones life and the beliefs one has developed over a whole lifetime. Connecting to a deeper spiritual set of values can be a tremendous help and support

Embracing recovery from addiction is a courageous and transformative journey, and I'm here to walk it with you. As a dedicated counsellor, I provide a safe and empathetic environment where you can heal and regain control over your life. Together, we will explore the root causes of your addiction, develop tailored strategies for recovery, and foster resilience for a brighter future. I understand the complexities of addiction, and I'm committed to guiding you toward lasting recovery and a fulfilling life. Your journey to healing starts here, where hope, transformation, and lasting change are within reach."

Seeking help for addiction is a huge undertaking. Often we fear the consequences of seeking help. What if our employer finds out, what about our families, friends, loved ones? As a psychologist I protect confidentiality, and seek to help you sort your concerns through compassion without stigma or judgment. I will move towards change at your pace, safety seeking to minimize the harm of substances and behaviors through a harm reduction approach as you seek to organize, make sense, and move towards increased wellness. This wellness might look different from what others might tell you, but together we can help identify what health and wellness will mean for you and being taking the first steps.

Addictions are created by things that make us feel better. I gets completed because some things we get addicted to change our brains and now we need that thing just to feel normal. The problem is that addictions tie us down and inhibit the ability to connect to the pain the made the addiction seem like a viable option in the first place. Reconnecting with this heals and frees us from the addiction. Visit my website at www.prairieowlpsychology.ca from more details. I have successfully worked with people from a variety of backgrounds to treat a variety of addiction issues and look forward to working with you.

[I OFFER VIDEO SESSIONS THROUGHOUT ALBERTA AND ONTARIO]. I know what it is like to be an addict. I have been in recovery from my addiction for several years now. I am also an international expert in this field. My American textbook called “Addictions Counseling Today: Substances and Addictive Behaviors” was published recently. I have been a practicing psychologist since 1986. If you need a competent psychologist, book now at https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14249112

In working with addiction in counselling, I first start by developing a trusting and safe environment for clients to explore their concerns. I then help clients develop psychological flexibility and self-compassion when exploring and processing their issues related to addiction. Gordon Alan Marlatt's model of relapse prevention informs my approach (i.e., relapses are to be expected).

Addiction is often the surface problem, it's a way of staying away from a greater pain that is below the surface. Doing addiction counselling with me is a gentle and compassionate process of tending to the real issues below the addiction, so that there is no longer a need to engage in this harmful behaviour. When you pull out the roots of a weed, the weed will not grow back, and real change has been achieved!

Jennifer believes in the value of 12-step programs, due to their high success rate and popularity worldwide. She also believes, however, that often more issues need to be dealt with that are not treated in 12-Step programs, for clients to see long lasting success. If you have completed, and/or are currently a part of a 12-Step program, but feel you would benefit from working through some additional issues in therapy, Jennifer would be a good fit.

Addiction is the constant need to use certain substances or engage in particular behaviours. It isn’t limited to substance use (drugs and alcohol); addiction can also show up as impulse control (gambling, self-harming, kleptomania, pyromania) and behavioural (internet, pornography, sex, video games, working, exercising, shopping, food). An activity or substance becomes an addiction when you use it to avoid or deal with activities, emotions or thoughts. Once you stop or slow down, the withdrawal symptoms begin. These Symptoms Can Present Physically and Psychological symptoms. Our specialists will help you move through this towards long term sustainable function.

Our Therapists at Rivers Edge Counselling can help you to • Find the cause of your addiction and manage it effectively • Learn how addiction works and take necessary steps to reduce it • Control emotions and quit unhealthy habits • Coping with the stages of change • Understanding your own self and develop self esteem • Develop skills to understand your addiction

Often, an individual's relationship with substance use such as drugs alcohol or will change over time. For example, the person might’ve initially used it only once a while in a month as to get away from his/ her stress and have some pleasurable time, but very soon it become an everyday necessity for the user. Did your relationship with your substance use change from the time that you started to now? Do you still use for the same reasons, or have those reasons changed? Have you done the bad things under the influence of substances that you wouldn’t have done if you haven't consumed? Feel free to contact to learn how counseling can help you.

Addictions are hard but not hopeless. I my self battled with my own addictions. Along with education I also have understanding at a deeper level due to my personal experience. The substance that you are addicted to is not so much the issue as is the feelings, thoughts, experiences and behaviours. Processing ones story within therapy allows a person to step one foot closer to freedom and hope in a better life. It is a risk to reach out and be vulnerable. The key is to keep picking oneself back up and keep trying.I look forward to hearing your story and journeying with you as you process it.

Dealing with addiction issues starts with an understanding of the purpose the addiction serves in one's life. Simply trying to stop the addictive behaviour will not address or alleviate the root cause of the issue. New, more problematic behaviours will likely result just develop. In order to deal with addictions, healthier options must be recognized and embraced. And to be able to do that, we must first become comfortable with our own selves. We need to be able to be honest about what works and what does not work in our own life.