Mental Health and Addictions

Problems can emerge due to life events like a job loss or a breakdown of a relationship. Some problems are also related to a particular stage we reach in our life. And then some problems can be considered long term, recurring themes or chronic in nature.

Often we can’t control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to those situations. Some reactions can be considered effective coping mechanisms and others tend to be counter productive coping mechanisms. Why do we choose one over the other? Counselling can help us gain insight into these challenges and how to effectively manage them so we can optimize our potential.

If one suffers from a mental health issue like anxiety or depression, this can make adjusting to life’s challenges more difficult. At Transcend Counselling, we work through these challenges and help you to better manage them.

Transcend Addiction Services

Addiction affects everyone, not only those with the addiction. Addiction impacts family and friends, co-workers, employers and the victims of impaired driving and other related crimes. But people can and do recover from the addiction of harmful substances and behaviors if they receive the right support and services. Those impacted by addictions like family and friends, can also gain insight, strength and help in coping with someone else’s addictive behaviors. There generally however is a lack of resources and services to address the prevalence of addiction in our society, but by working together, we can help ourselves and those we care about. Transcend Counselling seeks to do it’s part by providing the following services.

Addiction Assessments – For:

1) Individuals – A psycho-social assessment by a substance abuse professional can help individuals gain insight into their problematic behaviors. Sometimes we aren’t sure whether or not we have a problem. Sometimes others are expressing concern about our behaviors or complaining it’s impacting them, but we are not yet convinced. When does a behavior cross the line and become unhealthy; or when does the use of a substance move from recreational, to harmful use, to abuse or a degree of dependency? Assessment can give use valuable insight into our concerns and help us to decide upon whether or not to engage in a course of action.

2) Family & Friends – Often counselors or therapists first learn about someone’s addiction from concerned friends or family. Alcoholism and other addictions are often referred to as a ‘family disease or illness”. This is a reflection of the fact that addiction can damage relationships but that sometimes those relationships can also contribute, in both supportive and negative ways. Sometimes in an effort to help, family and friends can inadvertently enable another person’s addictive behaviors. Regardless, in addressing both the problems and solutions, a person will find it difficult to recover from addiction in isolation from their family and friends. And those who care about the person suffering from an addiction often need support themselves.

3) Industry – More industries that employee workers in safety sensitive positions are adopting drug and alcohol testing and response policies. Transcend Counselling provides certified Substance Abuse Professional services, providing SAP services to both DOT (U.S. Department of Transportation) and non-DOT regulated employers. Transcend Counselling provides drug and alcohol assessment services to employers directly, as well as in affiliation with Employee Assistance Programs.

Addictions Counselling

Recovery from addiction is a process and Transcend Counselling can assist individuals and/or families through this process. Change happens in stages and counselling can help people to understand the process of change by gaining insight, identifying issues, developing strategies and skills and managing the many challenges associated with change. Counselling is also important in helping people identify and deal with the mental, emotional and life experiences that have contributed towards one’s addiction.

Relapse Prevention

After a period of abstinence, whether from counselling or from a period of residential treatment, the person recovering from addiction is on a new path. They seek improved health, better relationships, a renewed sense of purpose, meaning and happiness in their lives. Living a new life or living differently is a challenge and it isn’t always easy and without hardship. Relapse prevention is based on planning, implementing and applying new strategies and skills, and engaging professional support to manage situations and issues that can trigger relapse. Whether you are someone with success in sobriety and just needing some added or periodic support, or you are new to ‘clean living’, Transcend Counselling understands the challenges associated with recovery.