Adult Addictions – Brief Service

Brief Services offers 4 to 6 one-to-one counselling sessions to those 25 years of age and older. The counselling is focused on your strengths and goals, not on the past. We work with you to find solutions to the issues you’re facing now.

Like all CMHA SCB programs, this one follows a Harm Reduction approach, which means you choose your own goals (cutting back, quitting, or using more safely). After this short-term program, you can still get more help, like longer-term counselling or group therapy.

This program is for people who are:

Required to attend counselling (Mandated)
Looking for Aftercare (help after another program)
Family or friends of someone with an addiction
Needing help with a specific goal
Charged with Impaired driving

To learn more or book an intake appointment:
📞 Call 705-726-5033 Ext 810

More about who can benefit from Brief Service

People who are required to attend (mandated)

You may be a good fit for Brief Service if you are required to get addiction counselling by the courts or your workplace.

We can provide proof that you came to your sessions and finished the program, if needed.

People who already finished a program (Aftercare)

If you’ve already completed another addiction program, Brief Service can give you extra support. It aims to help you continue the progress you made, face new challenges, and stay on track.

This includes people who completed:

a live-in program
a day program
or one-on-one counselling

Family and Friends

If someone close to you is using drugs or alcohol, Brief Service can help you understand more about addiction and yourself.

We won’t tell you how to change the other person, but will support you to:

Set healthy boundaries
Communicate more effectively
Take care of yourself
Cope with the situation in a better way

People With a Specific Goal

Brief Services is helpful if you want to work on a clear goal related to your substance use.

It is focused on finding practical tools to address issues caused by substance use (eg. always late to work).

Brief relapse prevention may be a specific goal if you’ve already made changes and want help staying on track or getting back on track after a setback (eg. planning for an upcoming event). Full relapse prevention planning is done through our longer-term programs

Impaired Driving

If you have been charged with Impaired Driving (not careless driving or other driving offenses), you might be encouraged to attend addiction counselling. You can attend Brief Service to explore your thoughts about your substance use, determine if you would like to make any changes, and plan for how to avoid driving impaired in the future.

Note:
Brief Service is not the right fit for people who are dealing with both serious mental health challenges and addiction at the same time.