Addictions - Online Gaming, Creativity Psycho-Educational Groups

Addictions - Online Gaming, Creativity

Online gaming addiction affects people of all ages, including children. As with other addictions, online gaming addicts use computer or video games as an escape from the problems in their lives. Games offer players complete control, and this intoxicating world causes their brains to release endorphins that cause a high similar to what drug addicts experience.

There is a specific danger attached to children with online gaming addiction, as they are often so attached to virtual reality that they have lost their ability to communicate naturally and comfortably with real people. In cases where children become addicted at a very young age, they may never have developed that ability at all.

It is often hard for people to quit something when it's always in front of you and when everyone else is doing it. Online gaming addiction involves players thinking about and wanting to play games all the time, and getting angry when they can't. They may be unable to talk about anything that doesn't involve gaming and as a result, it will impact on relationships. Adults with online gaming addiction may spend a lot of money on buying games and peripherals and enter tournaments and more. It may affect their work and family lives as well.

The therapists below are some of the few who acknowledge this "new" phenomenon, and they use a range of treatment approaches to help people with online gaming addiction. They will challenge beliefs that steer harmful behaviors and help patients to develop coping skills. Behavioral changes are implemented using a step-by-step method while dealing with underlying issues, such as social anxiety, depression and other issues.

Since online gaming addiction often goes hand-in-hand with other conditions, such as pornography addiction or online gambling, it is important to find a therapist who can help with that too.

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

Expressive arts or creativity therapy uses art as a therapy. The end result is not always of great importance in art or creative arts therapy, but rather the process of creation. Imagination is a potent tool for healing, and in artistic therapy, there are many different ways for people to express themselves.

Therapists that use the artistic methods believe that creative expression taps into the imagination, allowing people to examine their emotions, feelings and even the body and thought processes. Some of the models used in creativity therapy, include dance, drama, psychodrama, music, art, horticulture, and writing.

Creative Arts therapy has the ability to foster healing, development and human growth.It can help a person of any age to reclaim their capacity for creative expression about individual and collective experiences in artistic form.

Through creativity expression, an experienced therapist will help you to manage emotional and physical problems, using a range of creative activities. Art therapy provides an avenue for the client to explore emotional conflicts and to increase self-awareness. Expression therapy helps a person to express unspoken and usually unconscious issues, allowing for those issues to be expressed in a safe, nurturing environment.

During therapy, the therapist and the client will move freely between the different models, preferring the intermodal approach to facilitate deeper exploration. It enables the therapist to explore a wide range of emotions through different art forms, from journaling, to painting, dancing, drama, poetry, phototherapy and a range of traditional artforms. Evidence has shown that it is helpful in a range of circumstances, from helping with emotions related to diagnosis of an illness, to dealing with grief or post traumatic stress disorder.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers creativity therapy to address your emotional issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Psycho-Educational Groups, Psychodynamic Therapy, Online / Virtual / Telehealth Counselling

Psychoeducational Groups bring together different people who are experiencing similar  issues, to share the therapeutic experience. Whether the therapy is for interpersonal relationships or shared issues, Psychoeducational Groups can help clients reach a variety of therapeutic outcomes.

During Psychoeducational Groups therapy, participants will discuss their issues with other parents who have similar issues. The group setting provides a supportive environment, and a sense of belonging.  

Psychoeducational Groups provides participants with information and resources on specific topics. The groups are structured and provide specific modules or topics for discussion, with the intention to provide support for parents who are experiencing the same issues.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Psycho-Educational Groups, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Psychodynamic Therapy can help clients to become aware of feelings of vulnerability that have been repressed from their conscious awareness. This approach is based on the theory that every person has an unconscious which stores vulnerable and painful emotions that are too deep to handle on a conscious level.

Psychodynamic Therapy addresses the defense mechanisms that  have been developed. Defense mechanisms can sometimes do more harm than good. By resolving vulnerabilities such as repression and denial, painful emotions and memories can be processed in order for the defense mechanisms to be resolved, or reduced.

Therapists use a range of core principles in Psychodynamic Therapy, based on the client's needs. It will help the client to gain perspective while recognizing behaviours, actions, responses and character traits that can be transformed.

If you are looking for a therapist who offers Psychodynamic Therapy, please browse our list of practitioners below..

Online Counselling or Online Internet Psychotherapy uses common technology to create major shifts in clients' emotional health. It is suitable to clients who wish to enjoy therapy from the comfort of their own homes, and therapists have noticed an increase in patients seeking help using this medium.

In order to attend online counselling sessions, clients and the therapist need access to fast internet connections and webcams. Online counselling is particularly useful for clients who can't leave home, or live far away from a therapist.

While online counselling is effective for helping with anxiety and other emotional conditions, it does not replace medical assistance in emergencies.

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

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

Douglas Matear

Ed.D., CCC
    • In-Person Sessions
Douglas Matear is a Canadian Certified Counsellor providing Individual Counselling to adults, teens, and children.  He has a Master in Counselling Psychology and a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Policy.... Read more