Online in
Ontario (Online Only)
Living with addiction in a relationship can feel confusing, exhausting, and isolating. Many partners find themselves trying everything they can to help, while feeling increasingly powerless. My goal is to help you make sense of what’s happening, reconnect with your own voice, and develop more effective ways of responding that support both your well-being and the possibility of real change.
For over 30 years, I have had the privilege of helping individuals and couples navigate some of life’s most difficult relationship challenges, including alcohol and substance use concerns and the lasting effects of trauma. As a trained couples and family therapist, I have a particular focus on supporting partners and spouses whose lives have been deeply affected by a loved one’s addiction. As a Registered Psychotherapist, I draw on a wide range of evidence-based approaches to meet the unique needs of each person I work with. My training includes Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Motivational Interviewing, Somatic Therapy, and Exposure Therapy. These approaches allow us to work not only with practical skills for communication and boundaries, but also with the deeper emotional and relational patterns that keep people feeling stuck.
I strive to create a thoughtful, respectful space where you feel heard and understood. Together we can navigate the complexities of your situation and help you move toward greater clarity, stability, and confidence in how you move forward.
Client Focus
Session Format: Couple, Family, Individual sessions.
Age Specialty: Adult
Treatment Approach
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) One of the most widely used approaches, CBT helps people identify unhelpful thoughts and replace them with healthier patterns. It is effective for anxiety, depression, and many other concerns.
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) An evidence-based treatment for PTSD that teaches clients to reframe unhelpful thoughts about trauma. It helps reduce guilt, shame, and fear.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Combines CBT with mindfulness to help regulate emotions, tolerate stress, and build stronger relationships. Originally designed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more broadly.
- Motivational Interviewing (MI) A collaborative, client-centered approach that strengthens motivation for change. It is especially effective for addictions and health behaviors.
- Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) Focuses on solutions and future goals rather than past problems. It is practical, short-term, and goal-driven.
- Somatic Therapy Helps clients notice how emotions are stored in the body. It uses breath, movement, and awareness for healing trauma and stress.
Approach Description: My approach focuses on helping you care for yourself while learning more effective ways to respond to addiction within the relationship. Drawing on the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) approach, I help partners develop practical skills to communicate more effectively, encourage healthier behaviour, and support change in ways that are more productive.
Therapy can also be a place to rediscover your own voice. We work on strengthening boundaries, identifying what you need, and helping you feel more confident advocating for yourself and navigating the treatment and recovery system.
If you love someone with an addiction and feel like what you’ve been doing isn’t working, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Support can help you find a clearer path forward—for yourself and for the relationship.
Education & Credentials
Cindy Jennings BA, RP
- Female
- License # 4656
- Licensed in Ontario
- Practicing Since 1992
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - University of Guelph
Finances
Insurance
- Out of Network
Cindy Jennings Practice Details
Therapy Sessions
- Available Online for residents of Ontario
- Online Therapy Details: I offer convenient online therapy via phone or video-conference on weekday evenings. Please reach out for free consultation to learn more about how I can help.
Do you feel like you’re constantly trying to hold things together because your partner struggles with alcohol or addiction? You may find yourself managing crises, walking on eggshells, or trying everything you can think of to help—only to feel exhausted, frustrated, and unsure if anything you do actually makes a difference.
I work with spouses and partners of people living with addiction who feel desperate for change but don’t know where to start. Loving someone with an addiction can leave you feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and questioning your own instincts. Often, the ways people try to cope or help—though deeply caring—can leave them feeling even more powerless over time.
Together we look at what’s been happening in the relationship and identify patterns that may no longer be helping. My approach focuses on supporting you while also helping you respond to addiction in more effective ways. Drawing on the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) approach, I help partners learn practical skills to communicate differently, support positive behaviour change, and shift dynamics that may be keeping things stuck.
Therapy is also a place to rediscover your own voice. We work on strengthening boundaries, identifying what you need, and helping you feel more confident advocating for yourself and navigating the treatment and recovery system.
If you love someone with an addiction and you are feeling like nothing is working, you don’t have to figure it out alone. There are ways to support change while also taking care of yourself.