Addictions & Substance Use
Compassionate support for addiction and substance use, available in person in Saint John and Woodstock and virtually across New Brunswick.
Addiction & Substance Use Doesn't Always Look Like You'd Expect
Addiction and problematic substance use can affect everyone differently. They may influence your thoughts and emotions, but they can also appear in your body, relationships, habits and everyday life.
Thoughts
✓ Thinking about using substances or certain behaviours
✓ Difficulty focusing on anything else
✓ Making promises to cut back but struggling to follow through
Feelings
✓ Guilt, shame or frustration
✓ Anxiety, irritability or emotional numbness
✓ Feeling out of control or discouraged
Body
✓ Changes in sleep, appetite or energy
✓ Cravings or withdrawal symptoms
✓ Needing more to experience the same effect
Everyday Life
✓ Hiding or minimizing use from others
✓ Strain in relationships, work or finances
✓ Giving up activities or responsibilities that once mattered
You may recognize several of these experiences or only one or two. Addiction and substance use concerns look different for everyone, and you don’t have to wait until they seriously disrupt your life to seek support.
What Addiction & Substance Use Can Feel Like
Addiction and substance use concerns can develop gradually. You may continue managing work, relationships and responsibilities while privately feeling that a substance or behaviour is becoming harder to control.
- Using more often or in greater amounts than intended
- Trying to cut back but finding it difficult
- Relying on substances to cope with stress or difficult emotions
- Spending more time thinking about, using or recovering from substances
- Hiding, minimizing or feeling ashamed about your use
- Experiencing growing tension in relationships, work or finances
- Continuing to use despite unwanted consequences
You do not need to identify as having an addiction or reach a crisis point to explore your relationship with substances and seek support.
When Addiction & Substance Use Start Getting in the Way
Substance use can become concerning when it begins affecting your health, relationships, responsibilities or sense of control. You do not need to wait for serious consequences before reaching out for support.
- You are using more often or in larger amounts than intended
- Attempts to reduce or stop have been difficult
- Substance use is affecting your relationships or responsibilities
- You rely on substances to manage stress or difficult emotions
- Hiding or minimizing your use has become common
- Your physical, emotional or financial well-being is being affected
Seeking support does not require a label or a commitment to immediate abstinence. Therapy can help you understand your relationship with substances and decide what meaningful change looks like for you.
How Therapy Can Help With Addiction & Substance Use
Therapy offers a confidential, nonjudgmental space to explore your relationship with substances. Support can be tailored to your goals, whether you want to reduce your use, stop entirely or better understand the role substances play in your life.
✓ Identify triggers, patterns and underlying needs
✓ Develop healthier ways to cope with stress and difficult emotions
✓ Strengthen motivation and confidence for change
✓ Work through shame, guilt or setbacks without judgment
✓ Improve communication, relationships and personal boundaries
✓ Create practical strategies for reducing use or maintaining recovery
Your therapist will work collaboratively with you to set realistic goals and make changes that feel meaningful and sustainable.
What Addiction & Substance Use Therapy Might Look Like
1. Understand your patterns
Explore triggers, history, underlying emotions and the role substances may play in your life.
2. Build practical coping strategies
Develop healthier ways to reduce urges and manage cravings, stress and difficult emotions.
3. Work toward meaningful change
Set realistic goals for reducing use, stopping or maintaining recovery, with support through challenges and setbacks.
Therapy is shaped around your goals, experiences and readiness for change. You can explore your substance use openly without judgment or pressure to follow a particular path.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You do not need to use any particular label. Therapy can help if you are questioning your substance use, concerned about its effects or simply want to make a change.
Not necessarily. Your therapist will work with your goals, whether you want to reduce your use, stop entirely, maintain recovery or better understand your relationship with substances.
No. Therapy offers a confidential, nonjudgmental space where you can speak honestly about your experiences, concerns and goals at your own pace.
Yes. Substance use may be connected to trauma, stress, anxiety, depression or other difficult experiences. Therapy can help you understand these connections and develop healthier ways to cope.
Previous attempts can provide useful information about your triggers, needs and what support may be helpful. Setbacks are common and do not mean that meaningful change is impossible.
Yes. We offer virtual therapy throughout New Brunswick, as well as in-person appointments in Saint John and Woodstock.
Meet Some of Our Therapists Who Support Clients Through Addiction & Substance Use
Nancy Savoie, MSW
Registered Social Worker
Nancy offers open, nonjudgmental support for people navigating addiction, substance use and related challenges. Drawing on her experience in addictions and approaches including EMDR, she combines empathy, patience and humour to create an individualized path toward meaningful change.
Jean Sloan, LCT-C
Counselling Therapist
Jean offers calm, trauma-informed support for adults and seniors navigating addiction involving food, drugs, alcohol, gambling or other behaviours. Using IFS, mindfulness and body-awareness practices, she helps clients understand the experiences underlying their addiction and build greater self-compassion, awareness and confidence.
Rachel Milne, MSW
Registered Social Worker
Rachel offers warm, nonjudgmental support for adults navigating substance use, trauma and related emotional challenges. Drawing on approaches such as CBT, IFS, EMDR and ART, she helps clients understand underlying patterns, build on their strengths and work toward meaningful, sustainable change.
Related Resources on Addiction & Substance Use
Many of our guests on our podcast, Talking To Trauma, have shared their stories of addiction and healing.
Here are a few personal stories that you may find helpful:
You Don't Have to Navigate Addiction & Substance Use Alone
Changing your relationship with substances can feel difficult, but you do not have to take that step alone. We can help you connect with a therapist who will listen without judgment and support you in making changes that feel meaningful to you.