Addiction Therapists in Fort Saskatchewan, AB.

Addictions are not problems, they are bad solutions. We always need to find the underlying problems and find effective solutions for them before we can let go of the stop-gap solution - whether the addiction is to a substance, a person, or an activity such as sex or gambling. There is always fear and pain underlying the addiction. We must learn to accept these feelings in order to free ourselves.

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

I have deep experience helping individuals navigate addictions using twelve-step supportive therapy in a safe virtual space. Together, we explore behaviors and underlying factors while cultivating self-awareness, accountability, and healthy coping skills. My approach focuses on building resilience, fostering growth, and sustaining recovery in a supportive and nonjudgmental environment. Online sessions provide flexibility and security while allowing clients to engage fully with the twelve-step framework and create meaningful, long-term change.

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.

Are you feeling like your life is spiralling out of control? Do you feel that something is preoccupying your thoughts or making it difficult to focus on your daily life? Addiction comes in many forms, including substance abuse and computer/video game addiction. The root of addiction is often deeper than it appears, and I can work with you to uncover and understand your addiction, and then develop healthy coping strategies tailored to your unique context.

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.

Addiction comes in many forms - from drugs and alcohol to exercise and eating to porn and gambling and a variety of others. For some of these addictions, there can be more of a physiological or even genetic component. For all addictions, we see two key aspects: 1) avoidance of pain, discomfort, suffering, conflict, memories and 2) seeking of enjoyment, fun, pleasure, and comfort. And yet, it's never satisfied and you may feel like you just can't stop, like you're on a hamster wheel that you can't get off. That's where therapy can come in to support you in working towards change. You deserve support in these challenges. Reach out and let's work towards a more hopeful future for you.

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

[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

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 work with clients navigating compulsive patterns—whether it’s substance use, porn, social media, or other behaviours that create guilt, distance, or loss of control. My focus is not on medical detox or abstinence-based programs, but on the emotional and relational roots behind the pattern. Together, we build awareness, reduce shame, and create structure for lasting change. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or on the edge of losing something important, therapy can help you regain clarity and start choosing differently—before things spiral further. You don’t have to be at rock bottom to begin.

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!

In our early environments, we absorb a lot of information about ourselves and the world. Sometimes this stuff is positive – like language or self-soothing, but sometimes it comes from a disruptor and is not. Things like criticism, alcohol used by a parent, detachment from parents, perfectionism, or whatever can cause limiting beliefs about one’s self.