Sydney Addiction Therapy

Is Addiction Taking Control of your Life?

Addiction comes in all shapes and sizes, and ‘rock bottom’ is a very personal place, but almost always a dark and lonely place. Whether the addiction is alcohol, prescribed medications, smart drugs, social drugs, food, sex, work, shopping, gambling or some other addictive behaviour, over time what was once pleasurable becomes unmanageable.

Uncertain that Counselling Treatment can help you?

Everyone is different and counselling treatment for addiction may not be for everyone, but I can assure you that I have helped many people whether they see me for one session or many.

Managing or abstaining from our addictive behaviours takes time. Counselling therapy treatment is not the only way, but it’s a good way. If you choose this way, Counselling Treatment for addiction generally takes between 6 to 12 months to effectively make the changes needed to return you to a happy and fulfilling life.

How does Addiction Therapy work?

Essentially, people use substances and addictive behaviours to meet unmet needs. Needs like not feeling they fit in and are accepted, are loved and secure within them self and relationships. What was once relaxing and pleasurable becomes a way to avoid bad feelings, bad thoughts, bad situations and bad people.

There’s no such thing as a ‘magic bullet’ for eliminating these unwanted challenges of life, but with some good guidance, patience and a bit of wisdom we learn to sail through life’s storms.

In our therapy sessions we focus on developing the life skills needed to help change why these things feel so bad. Together we identify your personal struggles and triggers by working on creating a mature self-awareness. This process includes learning how to develop an emotional intelligence that can help tolerate and regulate the emotional triggers that are the source of these feelings.

Of course you will learn practical skills and techniques for avoiding and managing the cravings that lead to relapse. We examine and defuse the unhelpful thoughts that tell you the old addictive ways will make everything better. You will also learn alternative ways to manage challenges like; dealing with inner and outer conflict; how to please others without sacrificing your own needs; how to feel good about yourself and to connect comfortably with others; and how to have fun and relax without feeling guilty.