Clinical Consultation

The first step in the process is a clinical consultation with our consulting clinical psychologist. Such a consultation includes an in-depth structured clinical interview, completion of a comprehensive psychosocial history questionnaire, other relevant clinical questionnaires, as well as a feedback interview. This process provides both the patient and the clinical team with a clearer understanding of the patient's current clinical presentation, as well as to provide the patient with the most appropriate follow up treatment recommendations.

Medical Assessment

The next step in the process is a medical assessment with one of our addiction medicine physicians. Such an assessment includes evaluating the patient's use of, abuse of, or dependence upon, alcohol, illicit drugs, prescription drugs or club drugs, laboratory tests, blood work, as well as broad-based drugs of abuse screening.

Individual Addictions Psychotherapy

An integral part of the program is weekly individual psychotherapy over an 8 week period. The major emphasis is on addressing the consequences of driving while impaired, ways to avoid driving while impaired, lifestyle modification, the behavioural consequences of ones substance use problems, and the emotional/psychological consequences of ones substance use problems. Emphasis is also on addressing the use of substances as a form of self-medication and self-soothing, as well as recognizing ones triggers, conditioned cues, and high risk situations that lead to ones substance use problems. In addition, the emphasis is on addressing how to cope with cravings, how to cope with boredom, ones stress management style, issues around self-esteem and self-image, social support networks, as well as issues around guilt, shame, and loss of credibility.