Addiction Counsellor
Addiction rarely happens in isolation. For most people, there is a triggering event or set of circumstances that the addict feels the need to escape from. Examples of factors that push some people into substance abuse include:
- Witnessing or experiencing trauma or abuse
- Any form of bullying, including physical bullying, cyber bullying, verbal bullying, harassment, social ostracism and more
- Troubled relationships with parents, children, spouse or other family members
- Loss of a loved one
- Stress resulting from relocation, change in family composition, or career change
- Job loss or financial difficulty
One of the challenges with addiction is that the trigger may not be easily identifiable. For example, someone developing an addiction in their 40s may not tie it in with the fact that they were a target of bullies in high school. Or when the trigger is known, the individual may simply not know how to deal with it.
In both cases, counselling provides a way for the individual to be guided through the process of exploring what lies beneath their addiction, and learning ways to cope with those issues without turning to substances.
Reach out to us if you are looking for an addictions counsellor in Ontario.
CALL OUR TOLL-FREE HELPLINE NOW AT 1-855-929-4045 or SEND US A MESSAGE
Individual Therapy
In general, addiction counseling takes the form of a series of one-on-one sessions with a professional Addiction and Mental Health Professional. One of the biggest advantages to this approach is that it is completely customizable. The treatment counselor focuses only on you for the entire session, instead of having to structure a session to cater to a group.
While the process of talking about some deeply personal matters may be difficult in the beginning, a good therapist will allow you take the time you need to feel safe and comfortable. You can be assured of complete confidentiality during these sessions: while your therapist may discuss your progress with the rest of your therapeutic team, the actual conversations that happen are not shared.
There are several forms of individual therapy. These are selected through a combination of preference and fit.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
This is a short-term course of therapy that is designed to help you meet a clearly defined goal. The therapeutic process enables you to identify the thoughts and beliefs that are holding you back from achieving something, and then working to change those obstructive patterns.
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)
This is a form of CBT, but in addition to working on aspects of your thoughts and beliefs that you can change, you are also encouraged to accept things beyond your control that you cannot change. DBT has a good track record of helping people navigate the stress of change when they are back in the real world. Clients with personality disorders or suicidal tendencies can benefit greatly from this form of therapy.