Is your addiction making your life miserable?

Jessica Overcomes Her Pot Addiction With Counselling and Her Whole Life Changes

“I went to Candace because I had been addicted to weed for around 10 years (I’d been smoking it for more than 20 years). I’d tried to quit a few times previously but I always started up again. I wanted to quit for good because it was ruining my life.

I will be eternally grateful to Candace for helping me understand why I smoked and for helping me work on some deeper issues whose impact on my life I hadn’t been able to comprehend on my own. I had a few other “addictions” as well, such as treating other people like garbage, and hating myself. Candace got me out of the vicious spiral I was in by helping me understand why I was acting and thinking the way I was. Thanks to Candace, I don’t hate myself anymore, and I don’t treat people like garbage anymore. I’ve also been clean from weed for a year.

Candace didn’t say much when I was with her, but she is incredibly skilled at asking pointed questions that led me to new understandings of myself (and also my family members). I often resisted the questions at first, but when I went home those questions kept niggling in the back of my mind and suddenly – Ohhhhhh! Once I understood what was actually going on in my head, then I was able to change my thought patterns, attitude, and behaviour.

I cannot overstate this: Candace is a brilliant therapist who knows exactly what she is doing and she will help you make better choices (even if you don’t see some things as a “choice”). She’s not cheap but, as I discovered by trying out different therapists, you get what you pay for in this field. And hey, how much is your mental health worth? Frankly, she’s cheaper than the weed I was smoking. I was on the verge of losing my job, ruining the few friendships that I had left, dropping out of school, and basically going insane. Candace saved my life which, thanks to her, I now value. I would recommend her to anybody who is struggling with life.“

Overcoming Marijuana Addiction: Susannah’s Healing Journey

“I have had the good fortune of having Candace as a support in my life and healing process over the past several years.

I first went to see Candace when I was experiencing severe anxiety. I was also dealing with addiction to marijuana, using pot and alcohol on a regular basis. Candace helped me to understand that in order to stop using mind-altering substances, I had to understand why I felt I needed them.

As we worked together, Candace offered positive reinforcement for each step I took as I became clean and faced many of my fears. One huge challenge for me was around returning to school and furthering my education. I am proud to say that I am now a full-time student with very good grades.

Through Candace’s guidance, insight and counselling I have not used pot for seven years. I feel very grateful because without her support I know I would not be where I am now in my life. My relationships with my family and friends are much healthier now, and my confidence in myself has increased a lot. I feel like I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to, and I have begun to enjoy the challenges life hands me.”

Joanna’s Transformation: From the Depths of Darkness to a University Degree, Fulfilling Work, and a Healthy Relationship

“Looking back at some of the darkest moments in my life, it is hard to imagine how I got to where I am today.

When I first met Candace, I was in my early twenties and struggling with debilitating anxiety. I was also quite good at self-harm, more or less killing myself with hard drugs and by staying in a physically and emotionally abusive relationship.

My anxiety kept me isolated and I literally had to relearn everything about myself, including how to function in the world at the most basic level. I remember once telling Candace that all I looked forward to in my day, or all I was really capable of doing at that time, was having a cup of tea by the window in my bedroom.

Had it not been for Candace’s support and genuine care for my well-being, in addition to my strong inner will to turn my life around (and perhaps a guardian angel), I would not be living the full life that I have today. I am now strong and healthy, work full-time, and have completed a few college certificates and a university degree. I am also now married and expect to have children in the near future.

My life is not perfect nor is it pain free. There are still issues that I must deal with and some days are definitely harder than others. But through working with Candace, what I have learned is that it is vital to surround myself with supportive people in order to grow and better myself as a person. Today I want to do the very best I can as I continue on my unique journey.”

“Hi Candace

I was thinking of you today. I am watching a series called Six Feet Under, and one of the characters applies for a counselling job at an inner city clinic. The HR Director tells her ‘you have to be in a strong place’ to be able to survive there.

That’s exactly how I feel right now. I feel like I am in a strong place. My level of self awareness is extremely high, I recognize unhealthy behaviour early in the thought process, way before it could ever get to action. I feel my emotions, all of them. I can recognize them and say hello to them, instead of acting out to distract myself from the discomfort of them.

I am sure you must have had this experience before but I want to tell you anyway. I was a lost soul, headed in the wrong direction. Please add me to the list of people you have in your mind when you ask yourself if you have made a difference in this world. It’s not just me you affected, it’s my family, friends, and people I look after at work.

We have come a long way in our work together!”

Vic