Are addictions controlling
your life?

Tired of trying to control another’s addictive behaviour?

Private professional counselling is available...

Private counselling for those who are struggling with addiction and the people in their lives

If you are addicted or are a friend or family member of someone who is, you may have had the experience of trying to change the situation with little success. Often, after many failed attempts to stop destructive addictive behaviour, the addict begins to feel powerless to change. The family member or friend becomes frustrated in their attempts to help. Counselling can assist individuals, couples, and families to become empowered to change.

There are Many Types of Addictions

Addiction is rampant in our society. There are many forms of addiction that can negatively impact the life of the addict and those people that come in contact with the addictive behaviour. Some of these behaviours might include:

  • Substance misuse (e.g. alcohol, marijuana, crystal methamphetamine, PCP, ecstasy, nicotine, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, caffeine, prescription drugs, etc.)
  • Unproductive and compulsive negative thinking and worry that result in stress, anxiety, depression, irritability, and anger.
  • Emotional drama -- addiction to the emotional highs and lows as you move from one dramatic life experience to another.
  • Food (e.g. obsessively thinking about food, eating too much, eating too little, bulimia, addiction to particular foods such as chocolate, fats, carbohydrates, sugar, etc.)
  • Relationship (e.g. needing to be in a relationship to feel complete as a person, dependency on a relationship for emotional security and sense of well-being, etc.)
  • Love and the experience of falling in love and the sensations that accompany these emotional states.
  • Internet obsession (e.g. playing online games, gambling, viewing pornography, tracking face book, etc.)
  • Power and control (compulsive drive for dominance and control over others and/or your environment )
  • Compulsive spending or shopping
  • Gambling addictions (e.g. lottery, keno, slots, poker, horses, etc.)
  • Lying (e.g. exaggeration, the creative telling of life stories with no basis in reality, lying for the sake of lying and the addiction to the bodily sensations that accompany that behaviour, etc.)

Most people experience addiction in their lives — either through their own or someone else’s addictive behaviour. The impact varies depending on the nature of the addiction.

Addictive behaviour can negatively impact:

  • Feelings of self worth, motivation, and kind regard of others
  • Relationship with spouse
  • Relationships with family members and friends
  • Physical, emotional, and spiritual health
  • Job performance
  • Financial stability
  • Quality of living
  • Personal freedom

The Benefits of Private Addiction Counselling

If you have experienced failed attempts to change your addictive behaviour or to get a family member or friend to stop their addiction, counselling can help (Professional Help for Long Term Recovery from Addictions, Help for Family and Friends).

  • Discrete and confidential: All records are securely stored with the professional counsellor and not with insurance or employee assistance programs, or the local Health Authority.
  • Counselling provides support, strategies, tools, and education to assist you in successfully making the changes you wish to make in your life.
  • Improved relationships with spouse, family members, and friends
    Improved health:
    • Emotionally (increased feelings of self worth and well-being, decrease in experiences of depression, anger, anxiety, worry, and shame)
    • Physically (increase in physical energy and motivation, improved nutrition, improved concentration, increase in physical activity)
    • Spiritually ( heightened self awareness, mastery over your “run away” thinking, development of strong determination and the ability to change your behaviour if you choose to, living more in the moment).
  • A happier life without the burden of craving and shame
  • Heightened job satisfaction
  • Increased ability to maintain positive personal boundaries, good for you, and good for others

Counselling can help to bring the changes you desire in your life.

I am professionally trained and experienced in assisting people to change their destructive addictive behaviour or how they behave in reaction to another’s addictive behaviour.

I am on a journey of change myself. What I encourage my client to do (e.g. develop self awareness, mastery of one’s thinking and actions, strong determination, and a present-centered focus, etc.) I feel I must be willing to do myself. My practice of Vipassana meditation is a fundamental aspect of that pursuit. Real life experience and formal study in the areas of addiction and counselling, are additional, important influences, on my counselling practice today (see links Philosophy about Addiction Counselling, and About Barbara Wells).