Accepting new in-person and virtual clients.
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ADDICTION COUNSELLING IN LONDON, ONTARIO
Addiction & Coping Behaviours
Most coping behaviours start as something that helped. Substances, and the things people do instead of substances, tend to arrive because something needed managing, and this was what worked. You do not need to have stopped, or decided to stop, before booking a session.
Not sure what kind of support you need? We’ll help you find the right place to start.
Coping can start to cost more than it gives.
Most coping behaviours begin as something that worked. They took the edge off,
or made a difficult day survivable. The trouble comes later, when the thing
that helped starts taking more than it returns, and the shame around it makes
it harder to say out loud to anyone.
We support several areas of addiction and coping behaviours, and we want you
to know: you will not be met with judgement or ultimatums here.
Addiction
Addiction is rarely about the substance or the behaviour on its own. It is usually about what that thing was doing for you: quieting something, making a day manageable, returning a sense of control. Sessions start with understanding that before looking at changing anything, because a coping strategy removed without anything in its place tends not to hold.
You do not need to be at a particular point to start. People come while still using, while cutting down, while abstinent, and after a return to use.
Substances
Alcohol, cannabis, prescription medication, and other substances. What counts as a problem is not defined by how much or how often. It is defined by what it is costing you.
Behavioural Addictions
Gambling, shopping, gaming, food, work, and other behaviours that have started running on their own momentum. These carry a particular loneliness, because they are easier to hide and less often taken seriously.
Self-Harm
Self-harm is often a way of managing feeling that has become unmanageable, and for many people it works, which is precisely what makes it hard to set down. It is not attention-seeking and it does not mean you are beyond help.
Sessions look at what the behaviour is doing for you and at what else could do
some of that work, at a pace you set. You will not be asked to promise to stop
before we begin, and you will not be met with alarm for describing it.
If you are in crisis right now, please see help for suicidal thoughts, or call or text 988.
Your struggle is welcome here.
Your honesty is welcome here.
You are welcome here.
If any of this sounds like what you're carrying,
a free 15-minute consultation call is a no-pressure place to begin.
Areas Related to Addiction & Coping Behaviours
This overlaps with other things people come to us for, like supporting a family member who is struggling, anger management (another way pressure finds an outlet), or trauma, which sits underneath a great deal of coping behaviour. Therapy isn't about perfect categories or starting points. We can simply meet you where you are, when you're ready.
How We Work: In-Person & Virtual Grief Counselling
In Person
We see clients in person at 130 Thompson Road in London, Ontario, inside the Thompson Medical Center (TMC+) with plenty of free parking available. Many couples prefer to attend together in person.
Virtually
Virtual sessions are available across Ontario, which can help when partners are in different places or when scheduling around children is a barrier. You can read more about virtual therapy across Ontario if you'd like.
Approach
We are not a treatment programme, and we do not run an abstinence requirement. Sessions are talk-based and work from where you actually are. If a higher level of care would serve you better, your therapist will say so and help you find it rather than keeping you in the wrong room.
Naming what's wrong is hard. You don't have to do it alone or get it right on the first try. Let's start with a conversation, and we'll help you find the right place to start.
THERAPISTS IN LONDON, ONTARIO | IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL
Meet Our Grief Therapists
Each of the therapists below supports clients through anxiety, depression, and stress.
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), Grief Counsellor
Brenda specializes in couples and family therapy, anger management, anxiety, grief, and difficult life transitions.
In-person and virtual sessions
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), Neuropsychology for Counselling Certificate
Sandra specializes in couples therapy, supporting family members with addiction, anxiety, depression, and personality disorders.
In-person and virtual sessions
Not sure who might be a good fit for you?
We're here to help. Please reach out to us, and we'll help connect you with a therapist whose story, style, and approach are best for you.
Common Questions About Addiction Counselling
Do I have to stop before I start therapy?
No. There is no abstinence requirement and no expectation that you have already made a decision. People come while still using, while cutting down, while abstinent, and after a return to use.
Will I be judged or told what to do?
No. Your therapist's job is to understand what the behaviour is doing for you, not to issue ultimatums. Shame is usually already part of the picture and adding to it does not help.
What if I'm not sure it's actually a problem?
That is a reasonable reason to book. What counts as a problem is not defined by quantity or frequency but by what it is costing you, and working that out with someone is a legitimate use of therapy.
Is this a treatment programme or detox?
No. We are an outpatient psychotherapy clinic offering talk-based sessions. We are not a detox facility, a residential programme, or a crisis service. If you need a higher level of care, your therapist will help you find it.
Do you support family members of someone struggling?
Yes. Living with someone else's addiction has its own exhaustion, fear and resentment, and support for that does not depend on what the other person chooses to do.
How long does it take?
It varies, and often greatly, depending on the person. You and your therapist will review your goals and progress together as you go.
Do you offer virtual therapy across Ontario?
Yes, we offer secure video sessions anywhere in Ontario, as well as in person at our London office.
What do I do if I'm not sure where to start?
That is completely normal. We invite you to call or text (226) 224-0301, and we will help you find the best way to begin.
Contact
We would love to hear from you.
Please reach out to us in whichever way feels most comfortable to you and we will get back to you within 1-2 business days at most.
130 Thompson Road, London, ON
226-224-0301 (call or text)