Drug Addiction Counselling & Treatment in Perth

Are you ready to face your drug addiction once and for all, or do you know someone who needs help taking the first steps towards a lifestyle without addiction? At Ashcliffe Psychology, we’re here to help with the Matrix Program, an evidence-based treatment for drug addiction in Perth.

Drug addiction should never be considered a character flaw or a sign of weakness. In Ashcliffe Psychology’s Matrix Program we see addiction, as a “neurobiological” issue, in which the substance “hijacks” the automatic part of the brain. The substance-use habit then becomes stabilised within the brain because it serves a purpose for the person using the substance. The matrix program  provides a variety of tools to help combat the cravings and compulsions that come with addiction recovery.

Addiction treatment also facilitates the process of “neuroplasticity”, which uses the brain’s natural tendency to re-build itself over time, using the self-sustaining techniques which accompany abstinence.

It’s completely normal to have conflicting feelings about walking away from the drugs that have become part of your life. However, with the right support network behind you, recovery can be possible.

On the road to regaining control over your life, the Matrix Team is with you every step of the way. By taking the first step to reach out for help, you have already reached a big milestone in the process.

Often it can be confusing to determine whether or not we actually have a problem that requires Psychological attention. Some signs that you may have an addiction to drugs and/or alcohol include:

• Continuing to take a prescription drug after it’s no longer needed for a past health problem
• Needing to take an increasing amount of a substance in order to achieve the same effect (known as “building a tolerance”)
• Feelings of depression, lethargy, upset stomach, sweat, lack of hunger or headaches once the drug wears off
• Inability to stop yourself from taking or moderating your use of the drug, even after acknowledging that it’s causing issues in your life
• Lack of interest in hobbies and other activities that used to excite you
• Inability to engage fully in standard day-to-day tasks like cooking, working or sticking to social plans
• Trouble maintaining sleeping patterns
• Gaining/losing weight in a short period of time

At Ashcliffe Psychology, we have dedicated programs, like the Matrix Program that were developed around decades of research. Our treatment plans cater for the fact that excessive drug use can create changes in the brain. Together, we will help you alter:

• How you deal with stress
• How you manage your free time
• The way you perceive yourself (with an emphasis on improving your sense of self-worth)
• Your relationships so they work more effectively in your life

Our clinic uses the Matrix Program to support and educate people on how to achieve a life that’s free of addiction, including help with overcoming a dependence to drugs and/or alcohol.

The Matrix Program provides education, skill development, support and motivation to help overcome addiction relapse and build lasting recovery.

There are eight guiding principles behind the Matrix Program:

1. Establishing positive and respectful relationships
2. Creating a client-centred therapeutic structure
3. Providing clinically relevant and evidence-based information and education
4. Incorporating a variety of evidence-based treatment approaches to meet each client’s individual needs
5. Ensuring positive reinforcement and encouragement
6. Supporting engagement and education for families and friends
7. Encouraging participants to engage in self-help and community-based programs for a more fulfilling life
8. Random and periodic drug testing to reinforce participant progress.

Learn more about our intensive non-residential treatment program for addiction, honed by experienced psychologists Kerryn Ashford-Hatherly and Michael Tunnecliffe. Ashcliffe Psychology can also assist with anxiety, PTSD and similar mood disorders.

Begin the road to recovery today, by booking a consultation with one of our professional therapists online. For more information first, contact our clinic directly and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.

Ashcliffe Psychology can also assist with anxiety, PTSD and similar mood disorders.

Please Note: The Matrix Program used by Ashcliffe Psychology is not endorsed by, and has no connection with, Clare Matrix (USA).

Matrix Program is the registered Trade Mark of Ashcliffe Pty Ltd in Australia.