About Us
LGBTQ+ Inclusive Treatment in Toronto, ON
At Addiction Rehab Toronto, we pride ourselves in being inclusive and accepting of all walks of life, as we know that addiction does not discriminate.
LGBTQ+ incorporates those who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Queer, Non-Binary, Pansexual, Asexual, Two-Spirited and more. As the language of the Queer community expands, we consistently keep ourselves up to date on the resources needed for these individuals.
We offer specific programming and one-on-one counselling and psychotherapy for those who identify under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. We strongly believe in confidentiality, so the individual can decide for themselves whether to keep these conversations private or in groups and programming.
We work with individuals at their stage in life, whether you are out and proud, unsure, or have not been provided the opportunity to have conversations about the Queer community – we are here to support you, wherever you are.
How We Provide a Safe Environment for the LGBTQ+ Community
Your physical and emotional safety is important to us. We know historically the LGBTQ+ community have been subjected to harmful and challenging homophobic ideas, especially for those affected by HIV and AIDS. We actively challenge notions of homophobia and transphobia and offer emotional support for those who have suffered these histories. We do this by offering support and safety through:
Group and Programming Norms
Before each group and programming, we go over group norms which emphasized the importance of emotional safety. We explain confidentiality, and how we can support each other by using respectful and inclusive language. This means there is no room for homophobic or transphobic language within a group or throughout the rest of the centre.
Representation
We know that representation matters. There are Addiction and Mental Health counsellors that are represented in the LGBTQ+ community. With such lived experience, our Addiction and Mental Health counsellors can relate to stories that have been impacted by gender identity and sexual orientation. In addition, they can emphasize with individuals suffering from Addictions and encourage a life of sobriety and recovery.
Respecting Pronouns
Our client’s first moments at A.R.T entail the intake process. Our Intake Coordinator will get to know who you are as an individual. We ask about one’s gender and sexual orientation identification to create a treatment program that is inclusive and productive in one’s addiction recovery journey. For example: through the intake process, knowing that we are a Co-Ed facility, the Intake Coordinator will provide support for those who seek to be placed in specific resting areas as per their comfort and safety. Our intake coordinator will review the individual’s rights which accurately lay out the fundamentals of accepting everyone as a whole. In addition, our clinical team is well trained in LGBTQ+ Mental Health and respects Pronouns to create a safe environment for each and every individual.
LGBTQ+, Mental Health and Addiction Statistics
- 2SLGBTQ+ people report higher rates of substance abuse due to stigma and discrimination (Rainbow Health Ontario, 2019)
- 2SLGBTQ+ people reporter higher mental health issues such as mood, anxiety, depression, and poor self-esteem (Rainbow Health Ontario, 2019)
- 2SLGBTQ+ people report higher rates of suicide and self-harm (Rainbow Health Ontario, 2019)
- 2SLGBTQ+ people report higher rates because of trauma, lack of non-bar spaces, cultural acceptance, criminalization history, and lack of safe spaces for the queer community (Rainbow Health Ontario, 2019)
LGBTQ+ and Addiction Rehab Toronto
Removing barriers looks like (1) providing a friendly, welcoming and professional service, (2) visibility and representation within the Clinical Team, and (3) making sure we use LGBTQ+ positive language within each session, group and programming.
At Addiction Rehab Toronto, Love is Love. We want every individual to feel welcomed, accepted, and included whoever, wherever you are in life. Our main concern is to make each individual feel safe while striving towards success within addiction recovery and sobriety.
