Take back control, one step at a time.
We match you with a registered therapist who works with addiction - alcohol, cannabis, other substances, gambling, gaming and other habits that have started to run the show. Confidential, without judgment, and online across Canada. Most clients start within the week. If you drink heavily every day or depend on medications or drugs, speak with a doctor before stopping, as withdrawal can need medical support.
- Covered by most insurance plans
- 100% virtual, anywhere in Canada
- Appointments available this week
Helping you step out of the cycle and back into the life you want. Our registered therapists bring clinical training, experience, and zero judgment to every session - so you feel in control, not just white-knuckling it.
(How Addiction Shows Up)
Addiction can look like
a promise you keep breaking to yourself.
Addiction rarely announces itself. More often it shows up as promising to cut back and not cutting back, needing more to get the same effect, planning your week around it, hiding how much you use, and feeling rough the morning after. If any of the thoughts below feel familiar, you are not broken, and you are not alone.
Pick what feels familiar
Promising to cut back
I said I'd only have a couple. I always say that.
Willpower isn't the problem. We work on what drives the cycle.
Complimentary therapist matching. Most clients start within the week.
(Your Care Team)
Meet our experienced
addiction Therapists.
Our therapists bring clinical training and experience, a non-judgmental presence, and a genuine investment in your progress - working toward sessions that leave you feeling clearer, more in control, and less alone.
Contact us now
Amanda Sanichar
Registered Social Worker
Schedule a complimentary consultation with Amanda Sanichar (opens in new tab)Learn more
Darijan Northstar
Registered Psychotherapist
Schedule a complimentary consultation with Darijan Northstar (opens in new tab)Learn more
Alison O’Brien Moran
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
Schedule a complimentary consultation with Alison O’Brien Moran (opens in new tab)Learn moreBreaking the Addiction Cycle,
Working Toward Real Control
Addiction isn't one-size-fits-all. We match you with a therapist trained in evidence-based approaches for substance use and behavioural addictions, and together you set the goal that fits you - cutting back, stopping, or finding out which one you want - reviewing what is working as you go.
Understand the Urge
Map what happens right before you reach for a drink, a hit, or a bet - the stress, boredom, loneliness, or habit cue - so the urge stops feeling random and starts feeling workable.
Stop Letting the Urge Decide
Build the skills to notice a craving, sit with it, and let it pass without acting on it - using approaches like CBT, ACT and motivational interviewing that are practical, not preachy.
Loosen the Grip of Shame
Shame is what keeps most people stuck. Together you replace self-punishment with honest understanding, which is where lasting change starts.
Rebuild What Matters
Reconnect with your health, your work, your relationships and the parts of your life the habit has crowded out - one deliberate step at a time.
Understand the Urge
Map what happens right before you reach for a drink, a hit, or a bet - the stress, boredom, loneliness, or habit cue - so the urge stops feeling random and starts feeling workable.
Stop Letting the Urge Decide
Build the skills to notice a craving, sit with it, and let it pass without acting on it - using approaches like CBT, ACT and motivational interviewing that are practical, not preachy.
Loosen the Grip of Shame
Shame is what keeps most people stuck. Together you replace self-punishment with honest understanding, which is where lasting change starts.
Rebuild What Matters
Reconnect with your health, your work, your relationships and the parts of your life the habit has crowded out - one deliberate step at a time.
(Your Addiction Therapy Plan)
A clear way out,
step by step.
A habit that took years to build takes time to unlearn.
Together, we build control - one deliberate step at a time.
01
Understand Your Pattern
Together, we'll uncover when and why you use - the triggers, the routines, and the feelings you're trying to escape. Naming the pattern is the first step to changing it.
Clarity is the beginning of control.
02
Rewire the Urge
Learn to catch the thoughts and cues that lead to using, and practise a different response before autopilot kicks in. You build a pause where there used to be none.
An urge is a wave, not a command.
03
Handle the Hard Moments
Practical tools for the Friday nights, the stress spikes, the social pressure and the slips - because slips happen, and what you do next matters more. Guided and supported, you turn each one into information instead of a spiral.
Each step is gradual - chosen together, at your pace.
04
Build Control You Keep
Before therapy ends, you and your therapist review the skills you have practised - handling stress, spotting early warning signs, and rebuilding trust - so you know how to keep using them in daily life.
You carry this steadiness with you, always.
Complimentary therapist matching. Most clients start within the week.
(The Many Faces of Addiction)
No two patterns are alike.
Neither is our care.
Addiction shows up differently for different people - alcohol, cannabis, other drugs, gambling, gaming, spending, or a habit that has become your main way to cope. Choose the one closest to yours to see what it is, and how we help.
When "just one" rarely means one
Problematic drinking isn't only about how much. It's drinking more or longer than you meant to, needing a drink to unwind or get through social situations, and carrying on despite hangovers, arguments or health worries. Many high-functioning people drink this way for years before anyone notices.
What it can feel like
- Promises to cut back that don't hold
- Drinking more than you intended
- Needing a drink to unwind
- Regret or worry the next day
How therapy helps
Therapy helps you set a clear goal, whether that is cutting back or stopping, map your drinking triggers, and build routines that hold up at the end of a long day.
(Together We'll Focus On)
Your therapist works
with you, not for you.
Our therapists work with you to understand your relationship with the substance or habit - its triggers, its patterns, and what it has been doing for you. Because addiction looks different in every person. What helps you has to be built around you.
Identify exactly what triggers your cravings and keeps the cycle running
Understand the role it has been playing in your life
Build practical tools for cravings, social pressure, and slips
Rebuild honesty, trust, and health in your daily life
Feel steadier, clearer, and more in control - every day
(FAQ)
Questions about
addiction therapy?
Everyone moves at a different pace. Some clients notice shifts early - fewer slips, less shame, moments where the craving did not win - and others need more time. You and your therapist set clear, measurable goals together and revisit them session after session, and you step back for a fuller review at regular points. Across 6,500+ clients (as of July 2026), our average is 11.5 sessions per client. That is an average and not a rule, and therapy length varies based on individual needs and circumstances. If you're not seeing the change you hoped for, that's information rather than failure, and it tells your therapist the plan needs to change.
That is exactly why we exist. Most people who felt therapy did not work were not matched with the right therapist for addiction. A poor fit is one of the most common reasons therapy stalls - so matching is where we start. Your therapist has experience with substance use and behavioural addictions, and your sessions are built around the goals you set - not open-ended exploration with no clear destination.
Yes. All sessions are 100% online, available anywhere in Canada. You attend from the comfort and privacy of your own home - no commute, no waiting room. Research suggests virtual therapy can be as effective as in-person care for many people.
Many extended health benefit plans cover sessions with registered psychotherapists and social workers. We'll help you understand your coverage during your intake call - so you can focus on getting started, not on paperwork.
Yes. Therapy is confidential, subject to legal and professional limits. Sessions are online, so there is no waiting room and no one to run into. Many clients tell us the first session is the first time they have said any of this out loud.
Not necessarily. Some clients want to stop, others want to cut back, and some are not sure yet. Your therapist helps you set a goal that fits you and review it as you go. If you are physically dependent on alcohol, medications or drugs, please speak with your doctor before stopping, as withdrawal can need medical support. SolutionFirst Therapy does not provide detox or medical treatment.
(Get Started)
Ready to take back
control?
It takes 30 seconds. We match you with care.
Let's talk
Whether you have a question, need guidance, or are ready to begin - we're here. Reach out any way that feels right.
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