Addiction Therapy

What is addiction?

Addiction (substance abuse) is a complex, multi-layered dynamic that results in maladaptive coping strategies used by individuals seeking to control or regulate their internal emotional states.

The work of addiction therapy

First, the work is to stabilize the client or family system, then to determine and address the issues underlying the addiction, and finally to return the individual or family to a healthy lifestyle.

Who it's for:

Addiction therapy can apply to:

• Individuals dealing with a substance-use/abuse issue, regardless of their stage in the process (i.e., unaware that the substance is negatively affecting their life; needing assistance in entering a treatment program; or having completed a program and requiring continued and concentrated support and therapy).
• Couples struggling with substance-use/abuse in their relationship, or a past addiction where old behaviours and emotions continue to emerge and affect the relationship.
• Family members who are living with or dealing with a loved one's substance use/abuse (e.g., spouse, parent, child, sibling or friend).
• Employees working for (or employers working with) an individual with a substance-use/abuse issue.

How Susan can help:

Susan's top priority in every situation is ensuring the safety and self-protection of the client. She approaches addiction therapy from a perspective of reducing the harm the individual is causing to herself / himself and others, and seeks to foster a greater degree of self-care. As needed, Susan can refer clients to suitable organizations or treatment centres.

Desired outcome:

The aim is to help the user understand and successfully deal with the underlying issues such that the addictive behaviour is no longer required as a coping mechanism. For family members and others, the goal is to promote detachment — in a caring manner — from the substance itself while maintaining a positive relationship with the user.