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Addiction Counselling Hertfordshire

Addiction counselling is one of the steps you can take to start to address your addiction difficulties. When we give time and space to a problem it is usually not as scary as we might have thought. Addiction counselling is one of the approaches we use to help people with addiction.

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What Is An Addiction?

An addiction is when you have a strong physical or psychological need or urge to carry out a behaviour or use a substance even though the behaviour or substance might cause you or other people harm. Harm might be defined as psychological problems, physical damage or money problems. 

Types Of Addiction

Examples of addiction might include:

Substance addictions - drugs, alcohol, nicotine.
People addictions - love, sex, co dependency.
Activity addictions - gambling, hobbies, exercise, work.
Thought addictions -obsessional thinking, worrying, fantasy.
Feeling addictions - guilt, hate, rage, anger.

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What Causes Addiction?

Addiction difficulties are caused by an underlying difficulty which causes a feeling of unease or disconent, feeling ungrounded, traumatised or lack of fulfillment. Difficulties which can cause these feelings include: physical, emotional and sexual abuse, trauma, shame, wounding and division within an individual.

Do I Need Addiction Counselling?

There are a number of signs which show that you have addiction that you need some help with. These signs might include:

  • The substance no longer provides relief
  • Obsessively thinking about the activity or substance
  • Being unable to imagine life without it
  • The addiction is encroaching into other areas of your life
  • Prioritising the addiction at the compromise of your values
  • The substance or activity controls you
  • Rationalising and justifying why you are addicted to something that is unhealthy
  • Friends and relatives are beginning to notice that something is wrong
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Counsellor & Psychotherapist

Matthew Alderton - MA, BSc, Dip, Dip Psych. I trained at The Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education in London to become a counsellor and psychotherapist. I am also an EMDR practitioner.

Addiction problems are symptoms of an underlying difficulty. Addiction counselling and a psychotherapeutic approach can help you to ressolve these underlying difficulties. This makes practical changes to help manage addiction easier. I use counselling, psychotherapy, EMDR and body psychotherapy to help with difficulties related to addiction. I am advocate of fellowship and the 12 step programme.

I am approachable and down to earth helping you to feel safe whilst using trauma informed therapy.

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Addiction Counselling Approaches

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitisation & Reprocessing therapy can help process trauma difficulties and calm the nervous system. Trauma is often the root cause of problems with addiction.

Signposting

Addiction counselling takes place once per week. Clients involved in active addiction will need additional support from other organisations. The Trauma Practice is an advocate of fellowship and 12 step programmes and will connect you with relevant organisations.

Body Psychotherapy

Body psychotherapy helps with underlying somatic difficulties which have caused addiction difficulties and are caused by addiction habits specifically drug and alcohol use.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is an in depth approach which helps to uncover and process the root causes of addiction problems. We also help with associated difficulties related to addiction. These might include: trauma, anxiety and depression.

Addiction Therapy Benefits

Root

When you get to the root cause of an addiction managing it becomes easier and normal life can resume.

One day at a time

Learn to treat each day as it comes. Take one step at a time without feeling overwhelmed by your addiction difficulties.

Connect

Connect with yourself on a psychological, physical and spiritual level.

Health

Find healthy ways to manage difficulty and process your triggers to make addiction easier to manage.

Life

Learn to accept life on life's terms without needing to use an addiction as a crutch for support.

Happiness

Feel happier because you are making changes and doing something positive for yourself.

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Addiction Counselling Hertfordshire FAQ's

How long does addiction therapy last?

Addiction counselling is usually twelve weeks of therapy. This enables you to get the support you need in early abstinence. If you are looking to do some more self development therapy might last longer.

What happens in an addiction counselling session?

Addiction counselling is a talking therapy to help support you through the early stages of abstinence and work through the root cause of your addiction. We dicuss the difficulties you have in relation to living a life in active addiction and provide practical help for you to manage this during early abstinance.

Will I have to manage my addiction forever?

Everyone is different. Some people work a programme on a daily basis to keep themselves safe. For some people addiction difficulties recede into the background and do not play a major role in their lives.

Client's Experience Of Addiction Counselling

JJ - Potters Bar

"I have been abstinent for six weeks now. This the longest I have ever gone without alcohol"

JD - Welwyn Garden City

"I no longer feel like i have to reach for a drug when I have a difficulty. I now have other options and a really good support network"

CK - Edgware

"I'm now optimistic about life and my future. I wish I had got help sooner"

LH - Croydon

"I feel like I am myself again without living under the shadow of my addiction"

Addiction Therapy Hertfordshire

Cuffley, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, EN6

My home based practice is located in leafy green Hertfordshire. A five miniutes walk from Cuffley train station and located ten minutes by car from junction 24 and 25 of the M25. 

Cuffley is ideally located to help clients in Hertford, Potters Bar, Stevevenage, Baldock, Enfield, Hoddesdon, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, St Albans and Barnet.

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Contact us

The best way of reaching us is via our contact form at the below link. We look forward to receiving your therapy request.

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