Substance Use Therapists in Southwest Calgary, Calgary, AB

Therapy and healing from past negative experiences is a journey and having effective support along the way is invaluable. With 20 years of working in mental health, I believe that one of the most powerful elements in healing and achieving a life worth living is authenticity in the therapeutic relationship. I also strive to bring compassion, humour, safety, respect and acceptance to the therapeutic process. Together, we will work to learn new effective coping skills, build on current strengths, take on new challenges that are in alignment with your personal values and goals and, heal from past painful experiences.

I am a Registered Psychologist who has experience in both inpatient, and outpatient community settings providing individual, couples, family and group services to diverse populations and age ranges. I have extensive training in a number of therapy modalities however, I use an integrative structured approach to counselling mainly incorporating Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, and Solution Focused Therapy. I am also able to complete psycho-educational assessment, social-emotional diagnostic assessments, as well as cognitive and memory assessments.

We all experience periods in life when we can benefit from professional support and guidance. I'm a PhD level clinical psychologist and my role is to provide a welcoming and non-judgemental space where we can focus on what's important to you. Perhaps you are interested in working on depression or anxiety, integrating a psychedelic experience, managing stress more effectively, or adjusting to one of life’s transitions; perhaps you are interested in exploring long-standing beliefs and patterns that are unhelpful.

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS. My practice welcomes individuals and families from different cultural backgrounds and offers a safe place to work together, share our experiences, and reconnecting to relationships that are meaningful. I believe that everybody has goals and dreams that they want to accomplish in life. However, sometimes we encounter stressors in our lives which can shatter our dreams and our relationships. I will work with you, using different therapeutic approaches, to help cope with the stressors that are getting in the way. I believe in resolving conflict, pursuing happiness, and preserving relationships.

I take a client-centered approach and I will meet you where you are at – because you really know yourself best. I tend to view things from a depth perspective, which means that I like to help you recognize, understand, and accept what is at the core of your struggles. I apply this perspective to a variety of issues including substance use , trauma, depression, anxiety, relationship problems, and self-esteem problems.

Let's face it, life can be cruel sometimes and relationships are hard. Whether this is your first time working with a psychologist or not, that you are reading this means this is likely not a high moment for you. No client I have ever worked with started a conversation with, "Derrick, I feel really good. My life is great! Things couldn't be better!" The reality is you're struggling, in pain, things are not going well for you or someone you care about, and somewhere along the way, I have entered the picture. That you trust me or anyone else enough to connect with you in your pain is a responsibility I do not take lightly.

Accepting Clients for in-person or online sessions: Whether you're experiencing general unhappiness or attempting to manage a personal loss, trauma, substance use , anxiety or depression, I'd welcome the opportunity to hear your story, explore solutions or offer strategies to enhance your health and well-being.

I strive to work with individuals who are looking to better understand their personal and social identity. Emphasis in the counselling field is often given to learning new thought patterns and coping skills. While I do this in my practice and find it effective, I also discuss the concept of 'unlearning' and its importance for growth, allowing us to create a new foundation which is centred on self-awareness. When we unlearn these 'autopilot' ways of responding to situations, we can create a reality where we are actively in the driver’s seat to create the lifestyle and connections that we find authentic, meaningful and long-lasting.

I provide remote therapy and assessment in Alberta and Ontario. Are you looking to make a change? I primarily work with OCD, anxiety, eating disorders (including weight management/binge eating), and conduct psychological testing/evaluation. I also often work with traumatic stress disorders, substance use concerns (what are often referred to as addictions or dependencies), ADHD, and anger issues. I use a compassionate, non-judgmental and confidential approach. I provide services across the lifespan, but focus most of my time working with adults and youth.

Whether you have been to counselling before or not, I hope to offer a safe space for you to feel heard and connected. I am passionate about helping people navigate the difficult circumstances that they are facing. I value you as the expert of your own experience and believe that you have the tools necessary to find a path to coping, healing, and growth. I would be honoured to support you to find those tools.

I work with individuals in Alberta (in person and virtual) and New Brunswick (virtual sessions only) who are feeling caught in problem behaviours, relationships, and/or feelings. Issues I work with include: Alcohol, drugs, food, body image, relationships, sex, video gaming, gambling, shopping, as well as anxiety, anger, low motivation, emotional dysfunction, and more. I provide a safe, non-judgmental place to talk about what is happening in all aspects of your life and provide feedback and strategies for outside of sessions. My team at Sana Psychological (Kayley Kearney and Jennifer Turner) provide support in many areas. Thank you!

I understand that people seek out therapeutic support for a lot of different reasons. You may be dealing with one or more stressful life events, struggling with relationships, substance misuse or mental health challenges. Perhaps you're experiencing a general sense of discontent that you would like to explore in a safe, supportive environment. Whatever the situation, I can provide a skilled listening ear, and help to identify a path forward.

Accepting new clients! It's not just the certifications on the wall, a stuffy office or a fancy suit that make a great therapist but one that understands and respects the needs of the individual first. My priority is making sure you feel comfortable so I can assist you with the challenges you are facing. I use different therapeutic interventions based on the tailored treatment plan I design for you. Whether you are struggling with depression, anxiety, substance abuse or other concerns, please reach out to see if I am the right fit for you!

Initially I will seek to provide you with simple compassion through empathy and listening. Once I've gained your trust, I will hold up your mirror and give you wise compassion. With true self awareness, you are able to develop new perspectives and therefore new coping skills and behaviours. This can allow for a sense of balance and serenity enter your life, regardless of your environment or circumstances. I offer a free 20 minute initial consultation because finding a therapist who is a good fit is crucial to the process of shifting confusion to insight and helplessness to hope.

*Currently accepting new clients* As an experienced counsellor, I have the great privilege of helping others discover insight and clarity in their lives to take action towards greater health and wellbeing. It is human to struggle. We all have our ups and downs and being isolated in our emotional experience can just make it worse. I am here to offer a warm and supportive environment to explore your concerns and achieve improvement in psychological, physical, spiritual and relational well-being.

In my practice, I support people in reducing or eliminating their chronic pain utilizing Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) and other mind-body approaches. I specifically focus on the emotional and psychological components of chronic pain, which is known as Neuroplastic pain (also called TMS or Mind-Body concerns). Neuroplastic pain is a common form of chronic pain that occurs in the brain due to learned neural pathways and your emotional state, and can present as back pain, neck pain, pelvic pain, fibromyalgia, headaches, or migraines. Neuroplastic Pain is very real and with appropriate treatment is can be reduced or eliminated.

Do you feel like your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are often misaligned with who you want to be, who you really are deep inside? Are you ready to begin transforming the beliefs, emotions, and patterns you hold inside of yourself that keep you from fully living the life that you want? Together we can explore the roots of whatever you are currently wanting help with - be it emotional regulation, self-compassion, relationships, depression, anxiety, addictions, life transitions, sexuality, spirituality, and racial identity. These roots can span across multiple generations, often inviting us to tune in to our ancestral history.

Through my studies, I have learned that creating physical, emotional, and mental safety are foundational components that help us heal. I work with clients to co-create a safe space so that they can focus on cultivating a healthy connection with their physical, emotional, and mental bodies – thus creating more self-awareness. By creating more self-awareness, we can unlock unconscious patterns, repetitive experiences, relationships, and situations that can generate barriers to achieving goals. Below are some things that can be developed in counselling: