Addiction Therapists in Thunder Bay, ON.

If you are someone struggling with an addiction, or a family member/friend of someone who is addicted, please allow me the opportunity to provide support and guidance. I have numerous years of experience in the addictions field, both in working with individuals with addictions, as well as, family members impacted by the addictions of their loved ones.

"Addiction", whether it be over-using drugs, internet, sex, etc., is a means of seeking pleasure in order to mask difficult feelings and thoughts that you may be dealing with. Sometimes, the pain of difficult or traumatic experiences becomes so intense that we unknowingly turn to unhealthy means of gratification. It is my goal to collaboratively, delicately and thoughtfully explore the underlying reasons of your excessive use of drugs, internet, etc., and support the working through and acknowledgement of the feelings and thoughts associated with the underlying reasons. If you are persistent in obtaining health and a happier existence, you will experience healing and release from pain.

Addiction often overtakes whole lives and keeps its victims in captivity taking away the joy and freedom. I work with you and support you to fight it off and rebuild your life. You develop skills to effectively cope with cravings, how to go through your emotions during rough time with no judgement, and keep moving forward towards healing the relationship you have with yourself and the relationships with the close ones and begin to savor the taste of life, free of addiction.

Feeling out of control and unable to stop engaging in harmful behaviours can feel shameful, over-whelming and hopeless. My approach to addiction treatment is based in a harm reduction model. This approach acknowledges that maintaining abstinence may not be a realistic goal. Without judgement we will work together to set realistic goals that seek to reduce the negative impacts of your addiction. You may choose to explore the roots of your addiction and any other related issues. It will always be up to you. Please reach out for a consult so we can assess whether I am the right therapist to help you move toward change and stability.

Addictions often go hand-in-hand with emotional distress, masking a deeper pain beneath the surface. Finding relief from intrusive thoughts or escalating anxiety/panic is necessary and understandably leads many to distract or avoid the discomfort using substances in excess. Having a non-judgmental safe space to reflect on life is crucial for healing. You're invited to reach out and see if psychotherapy online is right for you.

My approach to counselling is attachment based and trauma informed. I have extensive training in emotionally focused therapy, the gold standard in couple's therapy, which I apply in my work with couples, families, and individuals. Addiction often isolates us and keeps us from forming meaningful and intimate relationships with those most important to us. During our sessions I will be engaged and focused on helping you to make the positive changes you are looking to make and helping you to build stronger and more authentic relationships.

I work with men who are successful in the workplace and have a family, but they can see all of this slipping away if they don't address the drinking. They feel stressed and overwhelmed. Let's face it, they've never been good at expressing what's going on inside their head or finding a way to deal with emotions. It's just not something they learned in their family. They need to keep this strong exterior and persevere. This isn't going to work in the long run though. When you keeping pushing things down and finding ways to escape, it'll just pop up elsewhere. I can help you find new ways to cope; Find new ways to get things out and feel confident again (not just like you're treading water).