Addiction counselling & therapy in Vaughan

You don’t have to face it alone.

Whether it’s alcohol, drugs, gambling or another pattern that has started running your life, we help you understand what’s driving it and build a way out, at your pace and without judgment. In Vaughan and online across Ontario.

Book a free 20-minute consult (905) 553-9507

Takes 2 minutes. No credit card. No referral needed.

24+ Registered PsychotherapistsLook any of us up on the CRPO register
Direct billing availableSun Life, Beneva, Green Shield
Evenings and weekendsIn person or online

A person with short bleached hair and a teal jacket drinking from a bottle of water outdoors, against a pale sky

No lectures, no shame

Addictions

You’re not the problem

Addiction isn’t a lack of willpower.

If part of you wants to stop and another part keeps reaching for the same thing, that push and pull is one of the most common parts of addiction, and it makes sense. Addiction often takes hold because a substance or behaviour starts doing a job for you: numbing pain, quieting anxiety, or making a hard day bearable.

Patterns that were learned can be understood, and with support they can change. Counselling is where that work happens: you look at what the addiction has been protecting you from, learn skills for triggers and cravings, and build a life that leans on it less. No lectures, no shame, and no being told what you already know.

In plain words

Addiction counselling is confidential talk therapy that helps you understand the roots of an addictive pattern, manage triggers and cravings, and build a steadier life. It works alongside any medical care you may need, not instead of it, and you set the goal, whether that’s cutting back or stopping completely.

Zero judgment, whatever your starting point
Trauma-informed: we work with the cause, not just the habit
Private, with online sessions anywhere in Ontario

Is this you?

What has it been like lately?

Tap anything that sounds familiar. None of these means you’ve failed or that something is wrong with you. They’re common, and very workable.

Your next step0 of 8 noticed

Start with what you’re noticing.

Tap what sounds familiar, and we’ll suggest a sensible next step.

Book a free 20-minute consult

This isn’t a diagnosis.

A closer look

A craving is a wave, not a command.

Cravings can feel like they’ll last forever, but an urge rises, peaks and falls like a wave. Urge surfing is learning to ride it out instead of fighting it or giving in. Step through three familiar moments, and what therapy does with them.

1The urge
“It’s been a brutal day. One drink will take the edge off. I’ve earned it.”
2Underneath
This is a craving, not a command.Naming it creates a half-second of space between the urge and your hand. In that space you get to choose: set a timer, breathe slowly, and let the urge rise and crest without acting on it.
3The shift
“It passed, and I didn’t have to act on it. That’s one wave I know I can ride.”

An illustration of a common pattern, not a real client’s words. Urge surfing is one of several tools you’d build in sessions, around your own triggers rather than a generic list.

Talk it through, free for 20 minutes

Your guides

Meet therapists who work with addiction

Both are Registered Psychotherapists and trauma-informed, with real experience supporting people through addiction and recovery. Watch a short intro, read their profile, or let us match you in your free consultation.

Watch intro

Carol McDowell

Registered Psychotherapist
CRPO #10937Barrie · Online

Years of volunteer work with individuals and families affected by substance use, through grassroots organizations and treatment centres.

AddictionsTraumaGroup

Book a free consult Profile of Carol McDowell

Watch intro

Cristian Renzi

Registered Psychotherapist
CRPO #12088Maple (Vaughan) · Online

Brings experience from inpatient rehabilitation work, drawing on motivational interviewing and relapse prevention, with a special interest in men’s mental health.

AddictionsMen’s mental healthDBT

Free consult with CristianFree consult Profile of Cristian Renzi

Not sure who fits?

Several other therapists also support addiction-related work. Let us match you in your free consultation, and if the fit isn’t right, we’ll help you switch.

Find my match Browse all 24+ therapists

Two paths, one goal

Individual counselling, group support, or both.

There’s no single right way to recover. Some people want private one-on-one work, some find strength in a room of people who understand, and many do both.

Individual sessions · 55 min

Individual addiction counselling

Private, focused sessions with a therapist who gets to know your full story, and a plan built around your situation rather than a group curriculum. Individual work starts with a 70-minute initial assessment.

About individual therapy

Therapist-led groups

Group support

A supportive, therapist-led group of people walking the same road, where connection and accountability can make it feel less lonely. A separate group works with trauma and addiction together.

About the recovery support group

No surprises

What your first session looks like

The hardest step is the first one. Your first appointment is a 70-minute initial assessment, and here’s how it tends to go, so nothing about it is a mystery.

1
Minutes 0 to 15
A judgment-free start
Your therapist welcomes you, explains confidentiality, and makes clear there’s no pressure to share more than you want. You set the pace.
2
Minutes 15 to 60
Understanding the whole picture
Together you map what the addiction has been doing for you, what tends to set it off, and what you’ve already tried. This is often where the pattern starts to make sense.
3
Throughout
Your goal, not ours
Cutting back or stopping completely, you define what success looks like. Mixed feelings about change are normal and welcome here.
4
The last 10 minutes
Leaving with a plan
You agree on what you’re working toward, whether that’s individual sessions, a group or both, and one practical thing to try before next time.

If you’re worried about someone you love

“I’m not here to judge you. I’ve been worried about you, and I’d like to help you find some support.”

Lead with care, not with a list of what’s gone wrong.

When trauma is part of it

Addiction rarely travels alone. It often sits alongside anxiety, low mood or trauma, and we work with the whole picture, not just the habit.

Trauma and PTSD therapy

Start with a free 20-minute consultOnline in 2 minutes or by phone. No referral, no credit card.

How we work

Evidence-based, trauma-informed, and without the lecture.

There’s no single script for recovery. Your therapist draws on evidence-based approaches and tailors them to your goals and your pace. Sessions build toward a plan you can lean on between visits: practical coping tools, a relapse-prevention plan, and a rhythm you can follow.

Motivational, not confrontational

We work with your own reasons for change rather than pushing you. You define the goal, cutting back or stopping.

CBT

CBT and relapse prevention

Practical tools to spot triggers, manage cravings and plan for high-risk moments.

DBT skills for distress

Ways to ride out intense urges and emotions without acting on them.

Trauma-informed at the core

Because addiction so often grows from pain, we work with the cause as well as the behaviour. A dedicated group works with trauma and addiction together.

The PTSD & addiction group

InnerSight was founded by Svetlana Antonyshyn, RP, on the belief that healing should treat the person, not a label. More about our approach.

Why we trust this work

What the research says

We’ll always be honest about evidence. Addiction is common, recovery is real, and counselling helps on average, though effects vary and no therapist can promise how any one person’s recovery will go.

In Statistics Canada’s 2012 national survey, 21.6% of Canadians aged 15 and older, about 6 million people, had met the criteria for a substance use disorder at some point in their lives.

Pearson et al., 2013, Health at a Glance (Statistics Canada)

More than half of people with a substance use disorder have also had mental health problems at some point in their lives, which is why we work with the whole picture.

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Addiction

In a national survey of 855 Canadians in recovery from addiction, 91% rated their quality of life as excellent, very good or good. People chose to take part, so it isn’t a picture of everyone in recovery.

McQuaid et al., 2017, Life in Recovery from Addiction in Canada (CCSA)

A 2026 review of 52 trials with 9,442 people found CBT helped people cut their substance use compared with usual care or minimal treatment. The average effect was small, and CBT didn’t outperform other evidence-based therapies.

Magill et al., 2026, Behaviour Research and Therapy

InnerSight is not a medical detox or withdrawal management service, and our Registered Psychotherapists do not diagnose or prescribe. If stopping could be physically dangerous, we’ll help you connect with medical care first, then support the emotional work alongside it or after.

Clinically reviewed by Svetlana Antonyshyn, Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO #001652). Last reviewed October 2026.

Transparent pricing

What addiction counselling costs

No hidden fees and no pressure. Most private insurance plans cover a portion of psychotherapy fees. We can bill Sun Life, Beneva (formerly SSQ) and Green Shield directly when your plan is with one of them, and we provide receipts for claims with other insurers.

$0: Free consultation · 20 minMeet a therapist, ask anything, and see if it feels right. No credit card and no obligation.
$245: First appointment · 70 minA longer first conversation to understand what’s going on and set goals together.
$180: Ongoing sessions · 55 minEvery session after your first, in person or online.
$125: Reduced-fee sessionWith select supervised therapists in training. Reduced-fee couples and family sessions are $175.

Appointments cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice may be charged a cancellation fee. Sessions aren’t covered by OHIP, but psychotherapy from a Registered Psychotherapist may qualify as a medical expense at tax time. Worried about cost? See our reduced-fee program, or call us. We’re happy to walk you through it.

Coverage estimator

How far could your benefits go?

Pick your plan’s yearly maximum for a Registered Psychotherapist.

5sessions within your maximum

If your plan reimburses the full fee, your 70-minute assessment at $245 plus 4 sessions at $180 uses about $965 of your $1,000 maximum. Plans that pay a percentage, or cap each visit, leave you the rest of every fee.

An estimate, not a quote or a promise of coverage. Plans differ on the percentage reimbursed, per-visit limits, deductibles and which providers they recognize, so check your benefits booklet or ask your insurer about “Registered Psychotherapist” and “Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying).”

Book a free 20-minute consult

Before you book

Don’t take our word for it. Check.

Anyone can say they’re good at this. Here’s what you can verify about us in about two minutes, without speaking to anyone.

Every psychotherapist here is registered with the CRPO.We publish each registration number on their profile. Look any of us up by name in Ontario’s public register.

Open the public register

Regulated, not self-declared

“Psychotherapist” is a protected title in Ontario. Our team are Registered Psychotherapists, accountable to a College with a public complaints process.

See every therapist’s registration

Supervised every month

Our therapists meet for clinical supervision every month, so the work stays accountable to someone other than the person doing it.

How we work

We show our sources

Where we describe what therapy can help with, we name the source and link it, from Statistics Canada and CAMH to peer-reviewed trials.

What we help with

Nothing locks you in

No referral needed. No contract, no package to buy. Fees are published up front, $180 for a 55-minute session. If the fit isn’t right, tell us and we’ll help you switch to another therapist on the team.

Fees and coverage

Start with a free 20-minute call

Common questions

Addiction counselling: your questions, answered

Still wondering about something? Ask us in a free consult, or call (905) 553-9507. Phones are answered weekdays 9 am to 5 pm, Saturdays 9 am to 2 pm.

Related support

Depression Men’s mental health Anxiety

Do I need a referral for addiction counselling in Vaughan?

No referral is needed. You can book a free 20-minute consultation online at psychotherapyclinic.janeapp.com or call (905) 553-9507. Most people have their first full session within a week.

Is what I share confidential and private?

Yes. Our therapists are Registered Psychotherapists regulated by the CRPO, and everything you share stays confidential within the standard legal limits, which your therapist explains clearly in your first session. Sessions are private and can be online if you prefer.

Do you offer medical detox or prescribe medication?

No. We are Registered Psychotherapists, not a medical or detox facility, and we cannot prescribe medication. If you need to withdraw safely from alcohol or other substances, we will help you connect with the right medical care first, then support the emotional work alongside or after.

Do I have to be ready to quit completely to start?

No. Many people come to us unsure, or wanting to cut back rather than stop entirely. We meet you where you are, without pressure or judgment, and help you get clear on what you actually want. You do not need to have it figured out first.

What if I relapse?

Relapse is a common part of many recovery journeys, not a failure or a reason to stop. If it happens, we look at what led up to it, learn from it, and adjust the plan together. Progress is rarely a straight line, and you will not be judged for it here.

Should I choose individual therapy or a group?

Both work, and many people combine them. Individual therapy gives you private, focused attention; our addiction and trauma groups add connection and shared understanding. We help you choose what fits in your free consultation, and you can change course anytime.

How much does addiction counselling cost, and is it covered by insurance?

Individual sessions are $180 for 55 minutes, and your first full appointment is a 70-minute initial assessment at $245. Most private insurance plans cover a portion of services from a Registered Psychotherapist, and we bill Sun Life, Beneva (formerly SSQ) and Green Shield directly, with receipts provided for other claims. Reduced-fee sessions with supervised therapists are available, and psychotherapy may qualify for the medical expense tax credit in Canada.

Can I do addiction counselling online?

Yes. We offer secure video sessions anywhere in Ontario, plus in-person sessions in Woodbridge, Vaughan and Barrie. Online counselling can feel more private and removes the commute, and works well for most people. Evenings and weekends are available.

How is addiction counselling different from AA or a 12-step program?

12-step programs like AA offer peer support and a structured set of steps, often at no cost, and many people find real value in them. Addiction counselling with a Registered Psychotherapist is different: it is one-on-one or group clinical work that digs into what the addiction has been doing for you, the stress or trauma underneath it, and builds a plan matched to your own goals. The two are not competing, many people use both together.

Is it addiction or just a bad habit?

The line is not always clear, and you do not need a label before reaching out. A useful signal is whether you have tried to cut back or stop and could not, or whether it is costing you relationships, work or health despite wanting to change. A Registered Psychotherapist cannot formally diagnose addiction, but a free consultation can help you understand what you are dealing with and what kind of support fits.

Where to find us