Drug and Alcohol Counselling Melbourne
Drug and alcohol counselling for adults across Australia via telehealth, with in-person appointments available in Coburg, Victoria.
Â
You might be worried about your drinking or drug use, concerned about the impact it is having on your life, or know that you have reached a point where it is difficult to change without support. It can be hard to know where to begin, particularly when there is so much stigma and shame around alcohol and drug use. You don’t need to have a clear goal in mind before we start. Whether you want to understand your use, reduce it, stop completely or something else, you decide what you want to work towards.
Why specialist drug and alcohol counselling?
Alcohol and other drug counselling requires specialist knowledge and an approach that recognises the complexity of people's relationships with substances. Some important principles underpin this work:
​
Non-judgemental and non-stigmatising -Â You should be able to talk honestly about your drinking or drug use and related behaviours without being judged, labelled or shamed.
​
Person-centred, collaborative and led by you - Counselling is about building a shared picture of what matters to you and working together, rather than being told what you should do. You guide what you want to work on and what change looks like.
​
Harm reduction -Â A harm reduction approach in counselling means working with you to reduce the negative effects of alcohol or drug use and respecting your choices about what you do and don't want to change. It is not about telling you drugs are bad, drinking is wrong, or insisting you stop altogether.
​
Holistic and strengths-based -Â Your substance use is understood in the context of your whole life, including how it developed, the role it plays, what keeps it going, and the strengths and resources you already have that can be drawn on to make change.
​
Evidence-informed -Â Counselling that draws on approaches supported by evidence, while adapting the work to you and your individual circumstances.
​
When mental health and substance use are intertwined
Mental health challenges are often part of the picture when someone is struggling with alcohol or drugs. You might find that the two have become tangled together, with what's happening with your mental health affecting your drinking or drug use, and vice versa.Â
​
Sometimes people are told to address their drinking or drug use first and then come back to their mental health. But if drugs or alcohol have been helping you cope with anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep, pain or other difficulties, cutting down or stopping can also mean losing something that has been helping you manage.
​
My approach is to work with your mental health and substance use together in counselling, rather than treating them as separate issues. By recognising how they are connected, we can work on changing your substance use while also addressing the things it has helped you cope with.
When alcohol or drug use is difficult to talk about
Struggling with drinking or drug use can come with a lot of shame and secrecy. You might be blaming yourself, keeping things from people in your life, or have done things that don't align with your values.
​
Some of this can feel excruciating to talk about. You may worry about being judged, or wonder what I will think if you tell me the whole story.
​
I know it takes an enormous amount of courage to say these things out loud. I am committed to creating a space where you can be honest about what's happening without fear of judgement, including the parts that are hardest to talk about.Â
What we can work on together
We might focus on practical relapse prevention skills such as coping with urges and cravings, or recognising the thoughts, feelings or situations that make you more likely to drink or use, and finding different ways to respond.
​
We may focus on strengthening your motivation for change by exploring what matters to you, what you want in life, and where your drinking or drug use fits with that.
​
We might also work directly on mental health concerns that are connected to your use. For example, if social anxiety is contributing to your drinking, we could use gradual exposure to build your confidence in social situations. Or if depression has led you to withdraw from things you enjoy, we might work on bringing some of those things back into your life. Or if you get overwhelmed by strong emotions, we might practise relaxation and grounding techniques to help you manage those moments.
​
I draw on a range of approaches, including motivational interviewing, CBT, DBT, compassion-focused therapy, relaxation and mindfulness. What approach I take will be guided by what we are working on together and your preferences.
Other treatment options
Maybe someone in your life has suggested that you go to rehab or detox. Maybe you have wondered about it yourself, but are not sure whether you need it, or if you could take the time away from work, family or other responsibilities.Â
​
Detox and residential rehabilitation can be really helpful for some people, but they are not the only treatment options. For example, there are also day programs, counselling, or withdrawal support in the home.
​
It isn't always easy to know which type of treatment might be right for you, which services to trust, how much things should cost or what private health insurance can help with.
​
I have a well-rounded understanding of the public and private AOD treatment systems, along with clinical expertise in treatment planning. We can talk through your options and figure out the best fit for your circumstances. I can also help you navigate accessing support from trustworthy services.​
​