Substance Misuse (Addiction Counselling)

My focus is on helping you achieve your goals. Goals are personal and vary; they may include working towards abstinence, using in moderation, or addressing an underlying concern. If you are currently unsure about your goals, that’s okay; we can start there.

I can offer practical strategies to help you identify and address triggers, cope with cravings, and manage unhelpful thoughts. I can also help you explore, understand, and improve your relationship with substances.

I understand that making change is a process; that having mixed feelings is normal and that change, while it can occur quickly, tends to happen in small incremental steps. My role is to support you through this process.

What is harm reduction?

The aim of harm reduction is to reduce the negative impacts of substance use and destigmatize substance users.

Since any reduction in harm is seen as valuable, goals within this framework can range from abstinence, to moderate use, to safe use practices. Abstinence is not a prerequisite or necessary outcome of treatment and issues other than substance use can be the first focus of therapy.

Harm reduction acknowledges that people use substances for adaptive reasons.

It stresses that people who use substances have the right to respectful and quality care; care that is flexible, collaborative, and does not make assumptions about them or their needs, strengths, or goals.