About Counselling

A Holistic Approach to many Addictions—Alcohol, Drugs, Gambling, Shopping, Smoking

Counselling is confidential conversation with an experienced therapist who understands addiction, doesn't judge, and brings a new outlook to your issues. Counselling can be somewhat intimidating at first, but therapists generally are easy to talk to.

Confidentiality

Private counselling provides an extra layer of confidentiality, as nothing is going into government files. I will only release information to others with your written permission. There are three exceptions: (a) When a person under 19 need protection from abuse; (b) when individuals are very likely to cause injury to themselves or others; and (c) when we are ordered by a court subpoena to provide confidential records. In case (c) my policy is to attempt to negotiate for lesser information.

How I work

My approach to any addiction is to look at the whole person--you are much more than your addiction problem. You very likely have strengths and skills that can make recovery easier, and I have many years of experience to help you find them.

I use various techniques. These include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization Retraining, Traumatic Incident Reduction, and Hypnosis. They are discussed in more detail below.

As well as behavioral and psychological themes, there is another dimension which you may choose to explore. That is the spiritual or philosophical, in the sense of finding meaning in life. It may or may not involve formal religion.

"Sarah, I owe you so much. I was very near to losing everything before we met. Thanks to your encouragement and knowledge, I am now back on my feet with a much improved understanding of who I am and where I want to go in the future. I am a different, and I hope, better, person now."

"I just wanted to say thank you for our session yesterday. I was really tense because I had never done this before. Now, I feel that I can trust you and I will be comfortable with you. You were right when you said that it would be hard work but I think now that I can do it."

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? What is Psychodynamic Therapy?

I use both psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral therapies, depending on which is the best fit. Very likely, both will be utilized at different times during your counselling.

Psychodynamic therapy theorizes that experiences and feelings of which you are not consciously aware influence your present emotional state. It is important to have a trusting, non-judgmental relationship between therapist and client to be able to reach the unconscious levels. Often, when you know the reasons, change comes easier.

Cognitive behavioral therapy pays much less attention to the unconscious. It's about your thinking and how it gets in the way. CBT encompasses several models, but they all have some basic similarities. These are:

• Our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external people, situations and events
  
• CBT is a briefer therapy. It is time limited, involves homework, and does not deal very much with the unconscious
  
• CBT is structured and directive, based on an educational model. Specific techniques are taught during each session, and homework is a part of the process
  
• CBT is based on fact. Beliefs and thoughts (such as "I have to drink/smoke/eat/use drugs this minute") are questioned and tested. If, upon examination, the beliefs and thoughts prove to be incorrect, we work on changing our thinking and thus our behavior, to develop better responses.

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." Shakespeare (Hamlet)

I may use EMDR, TIR, or Hypnosis Therapies

Eye Movement Desensitization Retraining (EMDR)

When a person is very distressed, their brain’s normal information processing system cannot function. The stressful event (or events) become frozen, and remembering the incident(s) may be as bad as the first time. Sounds, smells, sights, emotions, etc. can retrigger the memories and the emotions. This is post traumatic stress disorder.

The impact can be severe, destroying emotional stability, relationships, self-esteem, and life in general. Drug or alcohol addiction is often the coping method used to numb the feelings. EMDR therapy stimulates the brain to process the past. The stressful events are no longer relived, but stored as past events, integrated into the self, without the overwhelming emotional weight, allowing the person to live a more stable and meaningful life.

EMDR also works well with less traumatic issues, such as phobias, compulsive behaviors such as smoking and gambling, and performance anxiety, including sports.

EMDR works by stimulating both left and right sides of the brain in the same way that the brain functions during REM sleep. Founded by Francine Schapiro, it has been around since the late 1980’s. There is more controlled outcome research to support EMDR than any other treatment for PTSD.

Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR)

TIR is a simple, systematic and effective technique based on long-standing therapeutic principles, which note that repeated reviewing of an experience in a safe place with experienced support will help the brain to process the “stuck” material of PTSD. Much of the therapy consists of repeated verbal exercises, carefully non-judgmental, that help the person to focus and thus process the experience and reduce or extinguish the emotional weight to a point where the client can live a stable, meaningful life.

TIR is also used for other conditions, such as depression, anxiety, phobias, compulsive behaviors, stress and grief.

TIR and EMDR have similarities. Both are client centered, in that the client directs the areas on which they want to work, and the speed at which they wish to work. Both are non-evaluative. The therapist does not interpret or evaluate the client’s understanding. With both, the client develops insights that seem to come “out of the blue” and help with the processing of the memories.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a scientific, natural, relaxing and proven way for you to allow your unconscious mind to do the job it was intended to do.

Brain waves are generated by the building blocks of your brain -- the individual cells called neurons. Neurons communicate with each other by electrical changes. Brain waves are measured in cycles per second, also called “hertz.”

A lower number of hertz indicates slower brain activity. The four basic separations are

• Delta waves (below 4 hertz) occur during sleep
• Theta waves (4-7 hertz) are associated with sleep, deep relaxation, and visualization
• Alpha waves (8-13 hertz) occur when we are relaxed and calm
• Beta waves (13-38 hertz) occur when we are actively thinking

Hypnosis is a state of focussed awareness that induces a trance-like state somewhere between alpha and theta, depending on the depth. It is generally accompanied by physical and mental relaxation. It allows the unconscious mind to be more open to useful and beneficial suggestions.

There is no surrender of mind or control. A person who does not want to be hypnotized cannot be hypnotized, nor can anyone be induced to do or say anything which violates personal standards of behaviour or integrity. Those people who behave like chickens on stage want to be there and to play.

Hypnosis, in combination with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, has been shown to be highly effective in solving nicotine addiction.

As with all techniques, including EMDR, TIR, and Hypnosis, there is no guarantee. They all require commitment and one approach may work better than another.

Stages of Recovery

It is important to remember that you have already made a first step towards recovery in checking out websites for counselling treatment.

Research has shown that the most important factor in addictions recovery is a good relationship between counsellor and client. This is part of the reason that I offer a reduced rate for the confidential initial consultation so that you can decide if you are comfortable, and can work with me.

Stages of treatment and recovery include:

• Initial examination of the extent of use and the impact on self and others
  
• Possible referral to detox or residential program (rehab) in the case of drug or alcohol addictions to establish abstinence
  
• A start on development of “tools” individual to you, the client, which will aid in abstinence. As well as environmental triggers to be avoided (certain people, places and activities), these tools may include temporary medication from your doctor, a look at diet and exercise, and/or the role of stress and anxiety.
  
• Support and informational counseling for family and involved others, if requested
  
• As stability increases, counselling proceeds on the reasons for using and how best to deal with the underlying issues that impede recovery
  
• As recovery grows, the stage shifts to what is called “maintenance.” This stage, too, requires support, hopefully more from family and friends and less from therapy

My office is in downtown Vancouver, BC.

Phone 604.836.6840 or e-mail me

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"Sadness flies on the wings of the morning and out of the heart of darkness comes the light" (unknown)

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