Addictions - Including Substances, Grief and Loss - Pets Marriage & Couples Counselling

Addictions - Including Substances, Grief and Loss - Pets

While some people can use prescription or recreational drugs with no negative effects, many others become addicted and face dramatic health and lifestyle problems as a result. Substance addictions negatively affect relationships, home, school or work, leaving the person feeling ashamed, helpless and isolated.

Physical symptoms of substance abuse and addiction are varied depending on the drug of choice, but the symptoms of the addiction itself are similar. People who are addicted to substances may neglect their responsibilities, take potentially dangerous risks and get into trouble with the law. As their drug use spirals out of control, they will lose interest in activities that used to be enjoyable and continue to take drugs despite knowing the harm it causes.

Substance addicts tend to build up a tolerance to their drug of choice, and get angry when they can't get more of it. Withdrawal symptoms are highly probable when an addict goes without it for too long. Depression, nausea, insomnia, sweating, restlessness, anxiety and shaking are all common withdrawal symptoms.

Psychotherapy can help you to overcome substance addiction by focusing on correcting maladaptive behaviors. Substance abuse is usually a coping mechanism against emotionally overwhelming past events or memories. Substances are often used to provide instant gratification instead of facing certain issues.

Therapists are equipped to help clients deal with addiction recovery through empowerment and helping them set simple short term targets. The first target is sobriety, followed by empowering the client with adaptive skills and finding new coping strategies that deal with the issues that caused the addiction. Substance addiction can be ended, allowing the person to live a healthy, productive life.

If you need a counsellor or psychologist to help you address the effects of substance addiction, you can search the directory below to find a professional with the approach best suited to your situation.

Grief and loss of a beloved pet can be as traumatic as that of a human loved one, whether the pet had to be euthanized or died of natural causes. However, society tends to pour scorn on the fact that someone would publicly display their grief. In turn, the pet owner would try to hide the fact that they are grieving and that causes even more stress, which in turn delays the healing process.

Pets often become a part of the family and play a crucial role in the lives of their caretakers. They tend to soothe the emotional and physical healing processes of humans like nothing else can. Therapists understand that, and that's why they now make counselling services available to pet owners who are experiencing grief and loss.

It is common to feel pain, grief and depression at the death of your friend and confidant. A therapist who offers grief counselling for pet owners going through the loss of a beloved pet will have an empathetic approach to your emotions. He or she will help you discover practical ways in which you can deal with your emotions.

Communication is important, while expression is the key to healing. Whether you decide to opt for individual counselling or group therapy sessions, you will find that you are better able to deal with the loss of your dear pet with the help of therapy. It will help you work through your emotions of anger, loss and depression and in return, you will be able to also help other people who are going through the same experience.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers grief and loss issues therapies or counselling to address the loss of your pet and related issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Marriage & Couples Counselling

Marriage & Couples Counselling offers a wide range of approaches that incorporate a variety of models to work in different situations. Some of the most common approaches in couples counselling are Imago therapy, emotionally focussed therapy, and Gottman approach.

One of the first undertakings of marriage & couples counselling is to set goals for the therapy. Establishing healthy communication within the relationship is one of the key components in any of the approaches make up their union, because this is what helps couples to better understand one another and the patterns that  Couples will be led to examine their communication styles and explore their attachment experiences. Healing past hurts and trauma is essential in building healthy future relationships.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Marriage & Couples Counselling, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Note: You may narrow your search by selecting more than one filter below.

Mary Longworth

M.Sc., RCC
Mary Longworth is in private practice (Delta Counselling) in the South Delta, Tsawwassen, Ladner and New Westminster regions since receiving her M.Sc. in marital, family and child counselling in 1995. Mary is a... Read more