SPRING-2017

Addiction, Substance Abuse, Drug Addict, Alcoholic – all words that are easily voiced but not easily lived – behind the words there is someone feeling pain, shame, guilt, regret, grief, anger and a host of other emotions. Alcohol and/or drugs are often used to cope in life. Whether we use them recreationally to enjoy a night out and forget about our tough week or use them daily to cope with our lives, substance abuse can come with heavy, life altering consequences. Consequences, the outcome of substance abuse, can change your life. People have lost their jobs, families, friends, homes, spiritual beliefs, emotional stability, finances, physical health, etc. because of choices related to alcohol and/or drug use. Some have not experienced these losses but risk them because as they continue to use, the consequences continue to build.

can be the losses (or threat of losses) that are experienced by family members, employers and friends. Now comes the question, “what can I do about my drinking and/or drug use?” What you can do is – learn new ways to cope in life, learn new ways to think about alcohol/drugs, learn how to reduce the harm of substance use, heal from past or present traumas, mend broken relationships, find supports, regain your power and control so that you can be present in your life. I can help you with this. As a counsellor in the field of substance use/abuse/addiction (whatever words you choose) I come to Quinte Counselling Services with over 30 years of experience. Working together, we can learn a new and better way to do life.

Paula Buskard, M.A. is an Employee Assistance Program therapist who provides services to adults, couples and families for addictions, PTSD, depression, anxiety, relationship issues and stress management.

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  Have you found yourself with too much month left at the end of your money? Have you scratched your head and wondered where the money went? Have you run away from a budget because it feels like a dirty word? Like it might spoil your life and your fun? And then the fun disappears because the money has run out way too soon. Ouch! So often, I find that our fear of the unknown paints us into corners. If we actually consider the purpose of a budget, we’ll find that it is simply a way to become aware of what our choices could be – a financial road map. By listing exactly our expenses and our income, we have the

I have an irrational passion for dispassionate rationality! All of us operate with emotional and behavioural biases when we make decisions. Understanding these biases can help us at work, at home and particularly in our financial planning. Ask yourself these questions when you are confronting a difficult or emotional decision. Am I more afraid of losing what I have than risking what I have in order to get something better? Loss aversion biases us against embracing risk. Staying in a bad relationship is easier than risking leaving and finding a new one. Keeping your savings in a GIC is easier than accepting the risks and likely higher returns long term in the stock market. Do I favour the information concerning this decision because it confirms my beliefs? Confirmation bias on emotionally charged issues, like love and money, leads to misplaced confidence in the decision. I am undesirable and so no-one will ever desire me. Investors who believe the stock market is going to crash have focused on the doom and gloom articles, ignored articles to the contrary and missed a bull market in stocks for the last seven years. Do I put undue weight on recent events and extrapolate them into the future. Recency bias – Work has been overwhelming since the beginning of January and will continue that way through the whole year, ignores the predictable up and down cycles of a regular work year. Gold has just gone up 10% and is going to go up another 25%! Do I generalize the attributes of someone based on the limited information I really have about them. The Halo Effect describes our tendency to like (or dislike) everything about a person (including things you have not observed) based on your basic impression. If you like (dislike) the politics of the Prime Minister you also like (dislike) his style and appearance and vice versa. If you like the style of your investment advisor and the layout of her office you also think that she is making good investment recommendations and not asking about her fees.