What can addiction therapy help with?
Addiction is rarely just about the substance or behaviour itself. Beneath it, there is almost always something else — anxiety, trauma, low self-worth, or a way of coping with pain that once worked but has since taken on a life of its own. Understanding that underlying picture is where the real work begins.
Derrick has extensive experience working with addiction and substance misuse. He works in a way that is honest, compassionate, and entirely free of judgement — because shame is rarely a useful starting point, and most people seeking help are already carrying enough of it. Whether you're looking to stop completely, reduce your use, or simply understand your relationship with a substance more clearly, Derrick will work with you to find the right approach.
He works with a wide range of addictions and compulsive behaviours, including alcohol dependency, drug use (cannabis, cocaine, prescription drugs and others), gambling, behavioural addictions such as gaming or compulsive spending, and nicotine or vaping dependency.
If you're unsure whether what you're experiencing counts as addiction, that uncertainty itself is often worth exploring. You don't need to have hit rock bottom to benefit from support.
How does addiction therapy work?
The first stage of the work is understanding — what role the substance or behaviour plays in your life, when it started, and what it may be helping you manage or avoid. This is done without judgement and at your pace.
A key part of this process involves motivational interviewing — exploring your commitment to change and what that change might look like for you. From there, Derrick will work with you to determine the most appropriate therapeutic approach, depending on whether you are looking to become abstinent or to follow a gradual reduction programme.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) are among the most effective approaches for working with addiction. Derrick draws on all of these — as well as psychodynamic and integrative approaches — depending on what fits best for each individual.
Addiction rarely exists in isolation. Alongside the practical work of addressing the behaviour, Derrick will help you explore the emotional and psychological factors that may be driving it — whether that's trauma, anxiety, relationship patterns, or something else entirely. This is often where the most lasting change happens.
Why choose us?
Specialist experience
No two people are the same, and neither is the work. Derrick tailors every course of therapy to the individual — drawing on different approaches depending on what's most useful for you and what emerges as the work develops.
Free initial consultation & no waiting lists
Individual clients are offered a free initial consultation — a relaxed, no-commitment conversation to talk through what's going on and whether working with Derrick feels right. As a private therapist, he can usually offer appointments quickly, without the delays of NHS or charity referral pathways.
Non-judgemental from the start
Many people delay seeking help because they fear being judged. Derrick's approach is warm, direct, and entirely free of judgement — whatever your history.
About
Meet Derrick, Your Therapist
Derrick is an experienced, qualified integrative psychotherapist and Level 7 counsellor, fully registered with both BACP and UKCP. He has completed a Level 5 COSRT Accredited training course in Relationship Therapy, and has a particular interest in working with couples navigating relationship difficulties.
Clients describe him as friendly, empathic, and thoughtful — someone who creates a space where it feels genuinely safe to talk.
