We treat a wide range of psychological issues including addictions and substance abuse. Many of our therapists are skilled in this area and several have worked at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).
I provide a compassionate, non-judgemental space for clients to freely express themselves and to explore their issues openly. Together we will come to better understand not only your thoughts, feelings and behaviours around your addiction issues, but we will also seek to uncover the underlying reasons that drove you to addiction in the first place. Together we can learn how to confront challenges, heal trauma and develop self-compassion to enhance your life and move closer toward your goals.
Addiction can be treated. Working with one of our therapists, you can create strategies tailored to you so that you can take back control of your life.
Occasionally, individuals may engage in recreational use of drugs, alcohol, or other vices. However, for certain individuals, what starts as casual use can spiral into addiction.
Addiction can have profound and detrimental effects on both individuals and their loved ones. It is characterized by an inability to cease the consumption of a substance, chemical, activity, or behavior, despite the resulting psychological or physical harm.
Finding solace from addiction can be a daunting task. Take the first step towards healing by reaching out today to schedule a consultation with one of our mental health specialists. They possess the expertise and resources necessary to provide the support and tools you need in your journey towards overcoming addiction.
As a psychotherapist with experience in working with substance use, I provide a supportive, non-judgmental space to help individuals navigate recovery, understand the underlying causes of addiction, and develop healthier coping strategies. Together, we work to foster emotional resilience, rebuild relationships, and create lasting change through a compassionate, strengths-based approach tailored to your unique journey.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Social Worker, BBA, MDiv, MSW, CMAT, CSAT
As a Certified Multi-Addiction Therapist, I know that is rare for someone to be only addicted to one substance or behavior. I am here to help address every addiction and unhealthy coping mechanism to help ensure long-term sobriety and prevent you from replacing one addiction with another. The goal is for you to be able to stand on your own 2 feet and truly progress in healing and recovery.
Reach out today to get the care that you deserve!
I work primarily with those who are in later stages of recovery and those looking to enhance or deepen their experience in sobriety. This may involve exploring the roots of your substance use and/or seeking support for ongoing challenges of life and relationships. I have worked with those who have abused alcohol, marijuana and other drugs, or behavioural addictions such as shopping or video games.
Registered Psychotherapist, Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology 1994
I have worked on a Community Withdrawal Team for substances for five plus years providing counselling to people who are withdrawing from alcohol, cocaine and other substances. I can work with you and your doctor to help you succeed in the difficult process of withdrawal. If you do not have a doctor; I can refer you to one who works specifically with Addictions or you can visit Ontario RAAM clinics associated with most hospitals on your own. You can contact True North Medical which is based in Toronto and see a doctor there. Those services are covered by OHIP in the Province of Ontario. I also can support you through post-withdrawal period which is often one of the hardest parts of the withdrawal. I provide counselling for Addictions only in the City of Toronto or outside of York Region. All other therapy I offer is Ontario wide.
Gain a deeper understanding of your addiction patterns and the function these behaviours serve when it comes to emotional management. Learn more effective ways to connect with and manage difficult thoughts and feelings, and begin taking steps towards what really matters in life. Address other issues commonly associated with addiction, such as anxiety and social anxiety, stress, low self esteem, ineffective communication, trauma, and poor coping skills. Focus is placed on beginning to build a richer and more meaningful life and to develop a better relationship with the self, rather than focusing on sobriety and abstinence primarily. Get better at creating the kind of life where substances no longer play an important role.
From a trauma-informed perspective, addiction is understood to be a manifestation of unresolved trauma for which the addiction is a coping method. I work to help clients better understand both their addiction and their trauma, and how to resolve both by learning more healthy and helpful ways of coping and by doing trauma processing. As Gabor Mate says "do not ask why the addiction, ask why the pain".
We believe that addiction and substance use problems are an attempt to cope with the pain of living. More often than not, people who engage in substance abuse and who experience addiction have experienced loss or adversity and were not taught adaptive strategies to cope with it.
To find relief from this incredible pain, they leaned into a substance or behaviour and found that it worked better than anything else to provide temporary relief from their pain and suffering. When using they thought about what happened a little bit less, difficult emotions like sadness, guilt, anger and shame were dulled, physical pain subsided, and there was a sense of lightness.
The problem is that the high wears off, the physical and emotional pain returns, and the memories come flooding back. Eventually, you feel the relief less and less.
Other problems such as those listed below also occur:
- conflict and instability in relationships
- feeling isolated
- difficulty meeting obligations and work/school/family responsibilities
- financial strain
- hangover/emotional and physical stress
- intense urges for the substance or behaviour
- finding oneself in risky and dangerous situations
These difficulties cause more pain and lead to a vicious cycle of getting high, coming down, experiencing even more pain than initially, seeking the same relief which over time becomes shorter and less effective.
The good news is that it doesn't have to stay this way.
Our highly trained therapists offer evidence-based treatments for substance use and addiction.
Typically, substance abuse and addiction treatment at New Moon Psychotherapy will involve three components
1) Psychoeducation: Helping you understand substance abuse and addiction including why you are experiencing this problem and the function that this problem serves.
2) Coping Strategies: Teaching you various cognitive, behavioural, and somatic strategies to help you manage cravings, regulate your emotions, tolerate distress, and calm your nervous system.
3) Trauma and/or Grief Processing: This gets to the root of the addiction and allows you to heal the pain that has been keeping you stuck all this time. This is incredibly important because it is more likely to prevent the addiction from recurring.
Each of these components build upon one another and will allow you to heal and create meaningful, long-lasting change in your life.
Dr. Gabor Mate, an expert in the research and treatment of addiction, has said that addiction begins and ends with pain. The good news is that you can change the narrative and through therapy, change your ending.
At New Moon Psychotherapy, our team supports individuals experiencing various forms of substance abuse and addiction including alcohol, illicit and prescription drugs, and sex and pornography.
Addictions and abuse of substances can be symptoms of underlying issues. Together we address how the problems are impacting your life and explore your reactions. Weather your desire is harm reduction or abstinence we work together to enable that. It isn't always easy but it is possible to make change happen.
I specialize in supporting individuals struggling with addictions or substance abuse by offering a compassionate and non-judgmental approach. My therapy sessions are designed to help you understand the root causes of your addiction, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and create sustainable strategies for recovery. Through personalized treatment plans, I aim to empower you to reclaim control over your life and achieve lasting sobriety. Let's work together to break free from addiction and build a healthier, more fulfilling future.
If substance use or addictions are hurting you, your loved ones, or your life, we can work with you to understand and make peace with the underlying roots that may be leading to addictions and substance abuse. Our approach to this is rooted in compassion, understanding, and harm reduction. Our commitment is to meet you where you are at in your journey, recognizing that each path to recovery is unique.
I am trained in Relational Psychotherapy at the Toronto Institute for Relational Psychotherapy an intensive three-year theoretical and clinical training program in psychodynamic, intersubjective, and relational psychotherapy. I have worked with and supported clients in addictions or substance abuse.
Addiction can be a scary thing that is often surrounded by ambiguity and confusion: why do I continue to use when I know it is bad for me? Why do I want to use in the first place? Why can't I seem to stop using and why can't I change? In working with clients, step 1 of our work is figuring out the answers to these questions and figuring out why addiction occurs in the first place. After this, we explore tools, resources, and therapies that will best work for clients in helping them create the changes they need and to promote the lifestyle they want.
My speciality is working with individuals who have their addictions/substance use behaviours in a manageable enough place to explore the roots of the behaviours and/or current life challenges. This is my specialization as I find the worst part of addictions/substance use is that it is often misinterpreted by the self and others as a lack of effort or care and can lead to low self-esteem and excessive shame. My style is direct and genuinely non-judgemental so you can explore and build the wisdom and courage to find a new path forward through acceptance and change.
No one wants to have an addiction or abuse substances. These are coping mechanisms for the challenges we face in life. Regardless of why you started using drugs or alcohol in an unhealthy way, it is possible to recover from addiction. Let us help you find other ways to cope with life's difficulties and work through the challenges that come up along the way.
21 Years Experience
