Addictive behaviours rarely start as a lack of willpower.
They usually begin as a solution — a way to cope with overwhelming emotions, numb distress, feel relief, or escape painful thoughts.

Over time, the behaviour starts creating the very problems it once helped manage.

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You may notice:

• Promising yourself you will stop — and not being able to

• Binge or compulsive patterns

• Secrecy or shame around use

• Cravings that feel stronger than logic

• Using to manage stress, emotions, or relationships

• Cycles of motivation followed by relapse

• Feeling out of control despite understanding consequences

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Recovery is not about shame or punishment. It is about understanding what the behaviour is doing for you and building safer, sustainable ways to meet those same needs.

I provide structured, evidence-based addiction treatment in Oshawa and virtually across Ontario and Nova Scotia.

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What I Treat

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Therapy supports both substance use and behavioural addictions, including:

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• Alcohol use

• Cannabis or other substances

• Gambling

• Compulsive spending

• Binge eating patterns

• Sexual compulsivity

• Gaming or internet overuse

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You do not need to identify as an “addict” or be ready for abstinence to begin therapy.

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A Skills-Based Approach to Recovery

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Addictive behaviours are strongly linked to emotion regulation, impulsivity, and avoidance of internal experiences. Treatment focuses on understanding triggers and building alternative responses — not just trying harder to resist urges.

Therapy may integrate:

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• Behavioural analysis of relapse cycles

• Emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills

• Urge management strategies

• Cognitive restructuring of permission-giving thoughts

• Values-based decision making

• Relapse prevention planning

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We focus on changing patterns, not judging them.