Drug & Alcohol Counselling

Your someone.health psychologist can work with you to manage drug & alcohol addiction through evidence-based video and telephone counselling.
Your someone.health psychologist can work with you to manage drug & alcohol addiction through evidence-based video and telephone counselling.
GP Mental Health Care Plan - Someone Health

Learn about drug & alcohol addiction

People use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs for many reasons. Some people use these substances to help them to relax, to feel more lively, to feel less inhibited or to feel pleasure. Others find the effects of substances make it easier for them to cope with problems.

 

Substance use can cause problems for an individual and their families, even when they are not highly dependent or addicted to the substance. If you are taking a substance, you might find it difficult to judge whether the substance use has become a problem. However, if the substance use has started to impact on any aspect of your daily life, including your performance at work, or relationships with a partner, colleagues, family members, or friends, then you should seek the advice of a psychologist.

 

Some of the more common substances that can be problematic include legal substances (alcohol, benzodiazepines: anti-anxiety drugs, painkillers with codeine in them like Nurofen Plus or Panadeine Extra/Forte and tobacco) and illegal substances including cannabis-marijuana, heroin and amphetamines including dexamphetamine without prescription, and ice. These are all drugs that can bring about high levels of dependence, and can be problematic even when used in low doses.

 

When we think about substance use problems, we often think of stereotypical ‘addicts’ or ‘druggies’ as the ones who have the ‘real’ concerns. However, if you are taking a substance regularly, you may feel strongly that you do not belong in this category. Most people who with substance use problems are just everyday people who might use substances to ease the stressors and difficult feelings of everyday life. However, often they use these substances in a way that makes their problems worse in the long-run. It is unlikely that you have spontaneously developed a pattern of substance use for no reason. Usually there are underlying issues that prompt it. Stress is highly effective at causing a craving for substances, and are a major cause of relapse to problematic substance use. Other conditions associated with substance use include depression, anxiety disorders, impulsivity and attention problems, and bipolar disorder.

 

You may feel that you are using a substance a little more than you would like to, or that you are running into problems at work or home because the substance affects you at the wrong time. If substance use is beginning to affect your wellbeing, seek help before the problem escalates and has a more severe impact on your functioning. If you are unsure, the staff at VCPS are happy to provide an assessment of your situation and feedback on what we can do together to manage the concern.

 

Our psychologists are specialised in assisting in this area in a number of ways, including:

Helping you to acknowledge the concern

Providing emotional support for you to release any concerns or negative thoughts

Educating you on the best practices for reducing the substance use

Identifying the underlying concerns that have led to the substance use

Focusing on the thoughts and feelings you have about using substances, and providing unique ways to address those thoughts and feelings

Providing you with new ways of relating to your thoughts and feelings that can contribute to making better decisions about substance use

Help to build up your own support system and self-care plan, in order to reduce any stress and maintain a positive daily life despite any negative circumstances

Working with you to find a treatment program that will work for you in both the short and long term

Borderline Personality Disorder - Someone Health

Drug & Alcohol Counselling Psychologists

Meet the someone.health psychologists currently available to see new clients for counselling for drug and alcohol addiction.

Alex Forner

Hi there! Thanks so much for being here! I look forward to working with you!! I have worked as a general psychologist for 5 years, Living remotely has allowed me to work with a variety of different presentations from anxiety and depression, to PTSD, eating disorders and OCD. I've worked across many contexts from mining sites to Aboriginal communities, and...

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Adauto Furlanetti Severino da Silva

Adauto has 14 years of experience in a private practice focusing on anxiety, depression and life changes (work, divorce, sexuality and maturing) with young adults. Adauto believes that each person can benefit from problem solving strategies, but also from finding causes and reasons. Adauto studied Psychology in Brazil and applies CBT, ACT and DBT modalities.

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Sanja Cajic

Sanja's approach is positive, warm, explorative, and solution-focused. Sanja has worked with adult clients struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, chronic pain, trauma and PTSD, anxiety and depression, stress management, parenting issues, relationship and life transition issues.

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Kristy Johnstone

Deciding to see a Psychologist is a big step, so congratulations for coming this far. Once you choose a therapist, stepping into a their virtual therapy room is the next big step, and for many people this can feel overwhelming. A big part of my job is to help you feel comfortable and safe. All you have to do is...

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Klaus War

I am a fully qualified hypnotherapist, treating all types of anxiety disorders, sleep disturbances, drug addictions, self-esteem issues, chronic pain, and IBS. I have 20 years of experience as a music teacher and taught children from age four to adults, aged 64 years. I also treat children and adolescents for peer relationship issues, school refusal, bullying, and poor school performance.

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Tony Nguyen

Tony supports people with a variety of presentations including depression, anxiety, stress, adjustment difficulties, grief and loss, addictions and work-related conditions such as burnout and career transition. Tony can also provide support in a high performance context (for example athletes & executives, start-up founders). Having lived in multiple continents and being from a multi-cultural background, Tony is able to support...

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James Minson

James' approach to mental health is about mind-body integration and looking at the “whole person”. Mental health influences how we feel, think and move, how we communicate and relate to the world, and can seriously impact our physical health. James will hep make sense of how this all fits together, to explore unhelpful thoughts and behaviour, and identify different options.

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Winifred Asare-Doku

Winifred has a keen interest in working with people experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, work-related mental health problems, perfectionism, procrastination, low self esteem and interpersonal difficulties. She focuses on being empathetic and supports clients on their journey. Winifred believes in creating a comfortable and safe environment where you feel you can talk openly about any issue.

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Bec Hill

Hi! I'm looking forward to supporting you on your journey in working towards your goals, wherever you want to go. I aim to provide a safe space to talk about difficult things and value working with a bit of humour. Sometimes it helps bring some spark of joy back to the day to day. It can add meaning when it...

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Elise Emhofer

Hi, I am really looking forward to getting to know you and working together to achieve your therapy goals. I believe in a holistic approach to therapy, recognizing that the psychological and physical both impact overall mental well-being and as such my approach to therapy includes elements of each in order to achieve lasting change.

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Sarah Krueger

Sarah uses a person-centred, strength-based approach, working in collaboration with clients to reach their therapeutic goals. Sarah is highly focused on the therapeutic relationship using a calm and relaxed manner, positive communication strategies, empathy, and understanding during therapy sessions.

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Dajana Bjelosevic

Dajana has 20 years experience as a Psychologist working with a diverse range of clients. She has extensive experience in substance abuse and addictions, depression, anxiety, stress management, adjustment disorder, PTSD and grief and loss.

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Bruce Wilson

I am committed to working with clients through a collaborative client-centered approach. I view acceptance and a non-judgmental interaction as critical components to the client-therapist relationship. I believe in focusing on strengths and self-observation skills as the keys to client change, growth, and development. I look forward to the opportunity of working with clients who are seeking to move forward...

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Emily Ramsay

I look forward to meeting with you! I have a warm, empathetic and non-judgemental approach to therapy. I am passionate about building a collaborative and trusting relationship with you. I integrate various evidenced-based treatments into therapy and enjoy working with clients from all backgrounds. I have worked with a variety of presentations including anxiety, depression, complex trauma, PTSD, aggression, personality...

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Caroline Gaffney

Caroline is very approachable and believes that positive change is sustainable, working holistically and using practical strategies, developing new skills and psychological interventions to achieve the best outcomes for you. She has been the principal psychologist and proprietor of Pure Gold Christian Counselling and Psychological Services for eight years.

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Sasha Truehl

Well done for making it this far! I'd love to work with you to further harness your bravery to go and get whatever you want for your life. This includes relationships, which can be hard, but also so fulfilling. If that's not your current experience, I'd love to work together to figure out attachment styles, or better conflict resolution or...

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Jessie Bendavid

Jessie has expertise with the psychological impact of perinatal loss, the topic of her Ph.D. She has worked with adults experiencing mood disorders, personality disorders, procrastination, anxiety and grief. Jessie offers a supportive, non-judgmental and accepting environment for her clients to feel safe so that they can openly discuss the issues that they would like to change.

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Raymond Kuhnell

Hey there, I'm Ray and I am passionate about making a meaningful and empowering change for others. I offer a collaborative, client-centred approach to deeply understand your challenges and experiences, support you in setting your goals, and help you work towards the life you wish to live. I aim to be a caring, approachable, and empathetic psychologist and I create...

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David Pyman

David has had 15 years of experience as a Psychologist working with children, adolescents and adults. He has experience working with educational needs, with a particular focus on life long education, differential diagnosis, understanding giftedness and managing neural diversity. David has also worked extensively with people experiencing anxiety, depression, issues of self worth and attachment concerns.

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Julian Couzins

Julian's professional style is a person-to-person clinical practice focusing on individual needs. He works in a natural and holistic style. Your personal preferences are key to the therapy that you receive. Julian delivers therapy that considers your being in the world so that you can gain positive personal relationships and satisfying personal interactions.

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Agnes Szollos (Agi)

My combined professional and life experiences make me highly aware of the types of difficulties encountered by people from all walks of life and the impact on their and others’ lives these obstacles to wellbeing can have. My efforts and professional skill are dedicated toward helping to make a difference and to assist people in developing their greater potential

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Jade Munsel

Jade has more than 20 years experience in working with people of all ages, across both private and government settings. She has a special interest in weight management psychology, as well as mood disorders (anxiety and depression), stress management and health psychology.

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Thomas Fegent

I am looking forward to working with you. I believe that our experiences of life informs how we see the world. This means that I’m interested in who you are and what you believe in. My goal is to move you to the place that you would like to be. I have a lot of experience working with people whose...

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Trisha Nowland

Trisha has experience working with a diverse range of clients including children, community from different cultural backgrounds, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, and LGBT+ community.

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Louis van der Bank

Louis has experience working with adults and young people aged 16+. Louis has a keen interest in working with people experiencing anxiety, depression, grief and bereavement, trauma and PTSD, bipolar disorder, dealing with anger, stress management, drug and alcohol issues, and managing health and lifestyle.

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Ariana Kenny

Congratulations in taking the next step to tackling whatever it is that brought you here. I have enjoyed 20 years as a Psychologist working in a number of areas, and the one thing that ties all the people I work with is the desire for more in their lives - because they deserve more. In a judgement free space we...

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Simon Coyle

Simon is a qualified primary school teacher as well as a registered psychologist. Simon has a keen interest in working with people experiencing anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder and behaviour and emotional disorders in children. He has a relaxed, easy going nature and likes to provide people with the skills to manage life's challenges.

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Andrew Pangrazio

I am excited to listen and get to know you as we work together to make sense of, predict or change areas of life. My practice has always been to actively listen, to explore and to experiment using a range of psychology tools. I work using innovative approaches that highlight your strengths whilst also addressing issues or areas that are...

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Michelle Findlay

I am looking forward to working collaboratively with you to identify your goals for therapy. I will endeavour to provide an environment that is warm, flexible, non-judgemental, and empathic. I believe in building a working partnership to identify your strengths and weaknesses and to focus on finding appropriate solutions and strategies so you can achieve your desired outcomes. I am...

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William Heaton

Will is a warm and compassionate Psychologist who is passionate about supporting individuals attain greater mental health and well-being. Therapeutic sessions are centered around helping individuals gain a deeper insight of themselves, their behavioural patterns and self-beliefs.

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Melissa Sykes

Welcome and hello to you, I am looking forward to understanding who you are as an individual. I am hopeful that through our time together we can put in place some steps and strategies to assist you in achieving the outcomes you desire.

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Luke Carolan

I enjoy helping both adolescent and adult clients discover there is an alternative to the life of distress and discomfort quite often being experienced in the lead up to engaging with mental health support. I work with people who are experiencing low mood and/or low motivation, difficulties adjusting, stress, anger, confusion or worry, to empower them to discover their strengths...

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Yaari Caroline Self

I am looking forward to meeting many and varied clients to work with together to bring the very best in your life. My style is relaxed and friendly and I like to focus on the relationship we build together. I have practiced for over 30 years with all range of problems so I welcome all or any struggles in your...

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Racquel Laulita

For over a decade Racquel has worked with adults who have experienced difficulties with emotional regulation, substance use, trauma, stress, depression, anxiety, and antisocial conduct. She has a deep understanding of women specific issues (e.g., domestic violence and parenting concerns) as she has worked predominantly with women.

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Videsha Samarawickrama

I look forward to working with you on this journey through collaboration to understand your goals and work towards developing a plan tailored to achieving these goals. I have a client centered approach to counselling and ensure that focus is on ensuring that any treatment is individualised to suit your needs which is aimed to promote functional, psychological, and social...

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Chantal Mercanti

I love what I do. I take earning your trust very seriously. I think it’s a big deal to share your thoughts, fears, worries, hopes and dreams in counselling. I work hard to listen well and to understand your experience of the world and how you would like it to be different. I’m a real person and will be clear...

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Matthew Perrin

Matthew is trained in several evidence-based therapies, including; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Motivational Interviewing. Matthew has a keen interest in working with people experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma related concerns, drug and alcohol misuse, and OCD.

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Geoffrey Haines

Geoff has over 10 years of experience working as a psychologist and has a keen interest working with people who are experiencing depression, anxiety, procrastination, interpersonal difficulties and low self esteem. Geoff is trained in evidence-based approaches including CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Solution Focused Brief Therapy and Motivational Interviewing.

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Alana Maley-Berg

My passion is helping people, in good times and tough times, and that is my aim when meeting you. I want to get to know you and help you through whatever challenges are facing you. I like to celebrate successes, even the little ones, and work through the next steps towards more success. I see every barrier or bump in...

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Simon Green

Hi there. I am looking forward to meeting you and working with you to find ways to improve your life circumstances. I strive to provide you with a personalised treatment approach that is supportive, flexible, and non-judgemental.

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Eloise Gibson

A fully registered Psychologist with over 20 years of experience, I am ready to work with you in a very collaborative, friendly and compassionate manner to find the best way forward for you. I will work closely with you to assist you to develop a wide range of strategies, skills and ideas to allow you to find new ways to...

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Michiel Gonzales

I have learned that deep and lasting change is possible, that long-term issues can be resolved, and people can be free of emotional pain they carry by making sense of difficult experiences together, both past and present, and moving towards a place of self-understanding. Michiel works with adults and adolescents using an integrative approach which is based on empathy and...

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Eric Brunet

Reaching out for support isn’t easy. It takes courage to be honest and vulnerable, especially when things are difficult. I have been a counsellor for over 20 years and a psychologist for 3. And I have accessed counselling myself on the occasions where I have needed support. I find it really useful to have someone there to help think things...

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Rachel Troia

Hi, my name is Rachel and I'd love to meet and support you. What makes therapy with me different? We will work in the moment. I will meet you where you are at and walk alongside you using my wealth of tools and my deep intuition. You are not a diagnosis or a label to me. You are precious and...

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Martin Pearce

Martin is best known for his humour and pragmatism. Martin has experience working with a diverse range of clients, including children, adolescents, adults and families. Martin has spent recent years working in a mental health clinic for people living with addictions, trauma and mood disorders.

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Larissa Engel-Fiorelli

Larissa has 11 years experience working in the mental health sector and her therapeutic approach includes Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectal Behaviour Therapy (DBT). She works with clients over the age of 18 who are experiencing difficulties with anxiety, various phobias, stress and self esteem issues.

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Davin Brigg

Davin is a compassionate, warm, flexible, and approachable psychologist who understands the need for a safe and non-judgemental environment to support individuals in attaining better mental health and well-being. Davin has experience working with a wide range of age groups who are dealing with a wide variety of challenges. Davin is passionate about supporting individuals and providing a therapeutic, holistic,...

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Martha Weinmann

I have a passion for making a difference in people’s lives by increasing their psychological flexibility to become equipped with skills to live a more valued life despite the challenges. I am experienced in providing successful therapy grounded in empathy, genuineness and respect, I assists individuals across the lifespan referred from local stakeholders, mental health clinicians and GPs.

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Manya Scheftsik

Manya is experienced in helping people change behaviours that form part of a chronic condition whether physical or psychological. These changes include becoming more physically active and fit; pain management; feeling in control of your eating; the moderate consumption of alcohol; and cessation of smoking & problem gambling. She also has extensive experience helping people exit a substance abuse lifestyle.

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Dina Soufy

As a Clinical Psychologist, I am passionate, motivated, and committed to providing my clients with best practice interventions to support and guide them towards recovery, and self-improvement. I have a warm, empathetic and collaborative approach to therapy, and my aim is to empower you to make healthy, positive, and meaningful changes to your life. I am also deeply committed to...

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Samantha Lambert

Samantha has a warm and empathic approach; taking the time to engage with each client and to understand their issues and challenges. Samantha has been practicing as a Psychologist for 10 years and has a particular interest in depression, anxiety disorders, teens and younger adults, anger management, emotional regulation difficulties, perfectionism and procrastination, building self esteem, life transitions and difficulties...

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