The Matrix Program® has been adapted from The Matrix Model which is a combination of evidence-based interventions to support and assist individuals in recovery from addiction to methamphetamine, ICE, cocaine, alcohol, cannabis, prescription medication and similar substances.

Ashcliffe Psychology Directors Kerryn Ashford-Hatherly and Michael Tunnecliffe have both been trained to Supervisor level at the Matrix Institute in the United States. For anyone looking to address their substance abuse and addictive behaviours in Perth, our clinic may be able to help.

To begin the engagement process for the Matrix Program®, you will need to make an appointment to discuss your individual treatment needs. This appointment does involve a $60 booking fee. After the appointment and if you wish to continue we invite you to attend two of our group sessions prior to committing to the program. There is no cost or obligation to do this.

The information session (plus the two group sessions) will give you an idea of what’s expected of you throughout the program and assist us in better understanding your personal circumstances and any other mental health issues that may coincide with substance abuse.

The cost for the Matrix Program® is a fixed fee of $187 a week.

That works out to be $62 a session if you come for the minimum 3 sessions.

You can come to all 6 sessions and then the cost comes down to $31 a session.

During the information session you will be given all the details about the program and our Matrix Clinician will assess whether this is a suitable program for you at this stage in your recovery.  After the information session, and should the program is deemed suitable for you,  you will be invited to attend 2 trial sessions.

There is no obligation to join the program.  The trial sessions are an opportunity to see how the program works and hear from other people their experience of recovery in the Matrix Program®.

The Matrix Program® in Western Australia stands out as being unique in AOD Rehabilitation for 7 important reasons.

This long-standing, evidence-based, group treatment program was established in the USA during the 1980s. The Matrix Program® has been continually improved over the years with feedback from experts in addiction recovery and the clients who have participated in the treatment.

1. As the Matrix Program® is an intensive, non-residential group treatment, it suits the needs of those seeking assistance, but prefer not to enter a residential program, due to family or work commitments.
2. With the use of 110 rehabilitation topics, the Matrix Program® group sessions teach participants how to maintain their abstinence-based addiction recovery. At the same time, participants learn how to incorporate the important skills needed for an alcohol-free or drug-free life.
3. The Matrix Program® is one of the few treatment programs that encourages participants to bring a partner, spouse, family member or support person to one session each week. This allows participants and their supporters to be involved in education and discussion on the important role family support can play in recovery.
4. The Matrix Program® includes psycho-medical assessments in the program intake to assist in catering for the needs of each individual and establish baselines for recovery.
5. Program participation is underpinned by consistent client motivation, positive regard and ongoing encouragement from the staff team.
6. Group sessions are facilitated by experienced Mental Health professionals to assist participants to learn about the essentials of Early Recovery, Relapse Prevention and Social Support.

The Matrix Program® has been adapted from The Matrix Model which is a combination of evidence-based interventions to support and assist individuals in recovery from addiction to methamphetamine, ICE, cocaine, alcohol, cannabis, prescription medication and similar substances.

Ashcliffe Psychology Directors Kerryn Ashford-Hatherly and Michael Tunnecliffe have both been trained to Supervisor level at the Matrix Institute in the United States. For anyone looking to address their substance abuse and addictive behaviours in Perth, our clinic may be able to help.

To begin the engagement process for the Matrix Program®, you will need to make an appointment to discuss your individual treatment needs. This appointment does involve a $60 booking fee. After the appointment and if you wish to continue we invite you to attend two of our group sessions prior to committing to the program. There is no cost or obligation to do this.

The information session (plus the two group sessions) will give you an idea of what’s expected of you throughout the program and assist us in better understanding your personal circumstances and any other mental health issues that may coincide with substance abuse.

The cost for the Matrix Program® is a fixed fee of $187 a week.

That works out to be $62 a session if you come for the minimum 3 sessions.

You can come to all 6 sessions and then the cost comes down to $31 a session.

During the information session you will be given all the details about the program and our Matrix Clinician will assess whether this is a suitable program for you at this stage in your recovery.  After the information session, and should the program is deemed suitable for you,  you will be invited to attend 2 trial sessions.

There is no obligation to join the program.  The trial sessions are an opportunity to see how the program works and hear from other people their experience of recovery in the Matrix Program®.

The Matrix Program® in Western Australia stands out as being unique in AOD Rehabilitation for 7 important reasons.

This long-standing, evidence-based, group treatment program was established in the USA during the 1980s. The Matrix Program has been continually improved over the years with feedback from experts in addiction recovery and the clients who have participated in the treatment.

1. As the Matrix Program® is an intensive, non-residential group treatment, it suits the needs of those seeking assistance, but prefer not to enter a residential program, due to family or work commitments.
2. With the use of 110 rehabilitation topics, the Matrix Program® group sessions teach participants how to maintain their abstinence-based addiction recovery. At the same time, participants learn how to incorporate the important skills needed for an alcohol-free or drug-free life.
3. The Matrix Program® is one of the few treatment programs that encourages participants to bring a partner, spouse, family member or support person to one session each week. This allows participants and their supporters to be involved in education and discussion on the important role family support can play in recovery.
4. The Matrix Program® includes psycho-medical assessments in the program intake to assist in catering for the needs of each individual and establish baselines for recovery.
5. Program participation is underpinned by consistent client motivation, positive regard and on-going encouragement from the staff team.
6. Group sessions are facilitated by experienced Mental Health professionals to assist participants to learn about the essentials of Early Recovery, Relapse Prevention and Social Support.

Alcohol also called ethanol is an ingredient in drinks such as beer, wine and spirits that makes you drunk.  Alcohol is known as a central nervous system depressant.  This means that it slows down the way the brain functions, dampens the motor and sensory centers, and makes judgment, coordination and balance more difficult.

Alcohol affects the brain's communication pathways. This means it interferes with the parts of the brain that are involved in our memory, speech, judgment and balance. It is understandable then, why as people consume more and more alcohol they can be more susceptible to saying and doing things that can cause accidents and injuries. In the longer term alcohol can alter the size of neurons in the brain and actually damage the way the brain functions.

Australians consume the 5th highest amount of alcohol compared to other developed countries at 9.5 litres per capita. This is much higher than countries such as the United states, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, FInland and Italy. 

One in four Australians aged 18 years and over exceeded the recommended intake for adults in 2020-21 (25.8%) (ABS, 2021).  This includes people who consumed more than 10 drinks in a week or 5 or more on any day monthly in the past 12 months (12 occasions per year).  A recent Canadian study has suggested more that 2 alcohol drinks a week is a health risk.

Too much alcohol does a number of things to us including slowing down the messages that travel between your brain and body.  This affects the way you think, feel and behave. ln the short term drinking too much alcohol can lead to injuries, car accidents, alcohol poisoning, increase in anger and violence as well as risky sexual behaviors. In the long term, drinking too much alcohol can increase the risk of people developing health problems such as cancers, high blood pressure, weakened immune system, learning and memory problems, alcohol dependence and mental health problems. Drinking alcohol to excess is also a high contributor to the burden of disease which causes death and disability. According to the Australian Bureau of disease, Alcohol contributes to 28% of the burden of road traffic injuries, 24% of chronic liver disease, 23% of suicide and self-inflicted injuries, 12.2% of mental health disorders, and 10% of pancreatitis burden (National health and Medical Research Council, 2009).

One standard drink is considered to have 10 grams of alcohol. The guidelines recommend healthy men and women should drink no more than 10 standard drinks in a week and no more than 4 standard drinks in one day. (NHMRC).  However, recent Canadian research has suggested more than 2 standard drinks a week can be damaging to our health.

As with all drugs, there are always some people who will establish a consistent and habitual pattern of using alcohol and some that don’t. The research tells us there are several factors that underlie addiction. These include past trauma, abuse, abandonment, rejection, neglect and a pervasive mental health or personality disorder, a need to reduce symptoms of anxiety, low self-esteem, a sense of inadequacy, or a desire to build confidence. These factors all contribute to why a person who starts using drugs or alcohol will continue to use into a destructive habit.

According to the Australian Bureau of statistics men were more likely than women to exceed the recommended consumption of alcohol guideline (33.6% compared to 18.5%) in 2020-21 (ABS, 2021).

The research shows us that people who are employed full time are twice as likely as those unemployed to exceed the alcohol guidelines at 32% compared to 16.8% and people living in areas of least disadvantage are more likely to exceed the guidelines for alcohol consumption at 31% and 18.5%. (ABS, 2021).

Alcohol is not eliminated from the body on the usual half-life curves that other drugs follow, the liver just metabolizes as much alcohol as it can (about 10 gms per hour) until the alcohol is gone. This can mean a person who drives the day after a heavy evening of alcohol can still be over the limit.

People's brains adapt over time to the presence of alcohol. They do this by naturally stimulating chemicals in larger quantities than normal. As the brains adapt, people may become dependent on alcohol to maintain a chemical balance. If the person who is dependent on alcohol stops drinking all at once, this high level of stimulating chemicals can cause withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms vary depending on how much alcohol and how long a person has been drinking. These can include seizures, tremors, nausea, auditory or visual hallucinations, insomnia, confusion and agitation.

From the bloodstream, alcohol, which is a water soluble product, is distributed to all parts of the body. The effect we drink alcohol for is the stimulation of the pleasure pathways, the dopamine system that alcohol achieves by stimulating the opioid receptors and activates dopamine . Before leaving the bloodstream alcohol, which has  a direct toxic effect on tissues, can inflame the walls of the gastrointestinal tract, in particular the stomach, duodenum and small intestine. This causes problems, the inflamed digestive tract tissues are less able to absorb important nutrients, in particular Thiamine (Vitamine B1) the sulfur containing vitamin. The resulting thiamine deficiency can cause rapid and serious alcohol related brain damage.

When people use alcohol they do not set out to become addicted.  Most alcohol users do not believe they are addicted or have a problem.

• Finding it difficult to meet responsibilities
• Withdrawing from previously enjoyed activities
• Behaviour changes such as exhibiting violent behavior towards others or stealing
• More conflict with family and friends
• Signs of depression
• Having difficulty stopping the substance
• Needing more of the substance to experience the same effects

(Lifeline: https://www.lifeline.org.au/media/nfsf5qfg/rev1_ll-2pp-fact-sheet_substance-misuse.pdf)

People who drink alcohol socially tend to only drink in social situations and may experience the feelings being more relaxed, as this is what alcohol does to the central nervous system. Social drinkers can stop drinking whenever they want to. People who are dependent or addicted to alcohol can't stop or control how much they drink. They might not feel the effects of alcohol as much as other people as they have built up tolerance.  People with dependency issues may have a strong desire to drink even when they know they shouldn't, and can experience withdrawal symptoms if they try to stop drinking.

Methamphetamine is an illegal drug in the class of drugs known as stimulants. They are called stimulants because they ‘stimulate’ the part of the brain’s central nervous system that increases heart rate, blood pressure and other brain and body processes. This class of drugs can also be known as ‘uppers’ as they will generally make a person feel energised and invigorated. On the street, Meth is also known as Ice, Speed, Whizz, Goey, Rock, Freebase, Base, Glass and Crystal.

Ice is a purer, stronger and more potent form of Meth. Meth goes through further refinement to remove impurities. It forms crystals which look like ice crystals - hence, the name Ice.

Meth is unlike other illicit drugs because of the way this substance chemically and physically interacts with the brain. The brain damage and the body’s development of drug tolerance is far greater with Meth than with most other illicit social drugs.

Meth affects the production of certain chemicals in the brain connected to our reward and pleasure centre. Meth forces the brain into over production of the chemical dopamine. Eventually the Meth virtually “fries” the ends of the dopamine receptors in the brain. Meth also damages other parts of the brain controlling concentration, focus and memory and body functions such as heart rate and blood pressure.

Meth is a stimulant drug like no other. It gives users an unnatural high and prolonged sense of euphoria. This creates three problems for the user:

1. There is the ‘come down’ or ‘crash’ which happens a couple of days after they use. With frequent users, this can be a time of severe depression and despair.
2. Meth changes the brain to make the user want more because it feels so good. This creates a constant urge that is highly distracting and usually leads to persistent use of Meth.
3.  After a while, an individual using Meth will need more and more of the drug to have the same “feel good” experience.

When people use drugs, they don’t set out to become addicted. Most Meth users do not believe they are addicted or have a problem with their level of use. In fact, most users believe they can stop using the drug at any time. Research has indicated that many individuals who use Meth may initially start using for social reasons and, in general, do not believe they can become addicted.

Meth is different from other drugs because of the type of damage it does to the brain. For some people, drug use can be overcome by will power and positive family and friend support. Meth addiction is different. It requires professional psychological treatment to stop using and reduce the possibility of re-using at a later stage.

No, this is not the case. There are now numerous studies showing that Meth changes the brain on first use. Generally, someone using Meth occasionally, may eventually realise that occasionally is more often than they thought. The physical recovery period for Meth is about 7 days after using, but it can take anywhere between 30 to 90 days after use for the user to go through withdrawal. If someone is using every couple of weeks, they are still within the withdrawal period and may not realise they are developing a pattern of use which leads to addiction.

Not all users of Meth become violent. Because Meth breaks down a person’s self- control, it’s common for that individual to become highly intolerant, impatient and short-tempered. In some cases, Meth users become violent when they have been ‘tweaking’, or if they are ‘coming down’ after a long period of no sleep. Violent behaviour can also accompany a Meth-induced psychotic episode.

After the initial high is experienced on Meth, the user will go through some symptoms associated with ‘coming down’ and the drug being eradicated from the body. This can involve the user feeling very tired and having cold and flu-like symptoms such as headache and nausea. The user is likely to find it difficult to focus, to concentrate on their work and meet safety requirements. Many users will purchase over-the-counter medications from a pharmacy to treat these symptoms.

The difficulty with Meth is ‘rock bottom’ can sometimes mean death. The moment a user makes the decision to stop using, is the moment they begin to get better. This happens every time they make that decision. The lure of Meth is so appealing, many people have to make this decision a number times. For Meth users, it’s important to never give up, on giving up.

The damage Meth use does to the brain takes time to repair. During this time, people are highly susceptible to relapse and re-use. Each time the person re-uses, the entire process of repair and recovery has to start again. It’s often about taking two steps forward and one step back. Keep in mind that every step forward is taking the person further away from the last time they used.

A residential rehabilitation program is only one option for Meth treatment. There are other treatment choices to support recovery. Even after completing a residential program, it is recommended that the person engage in some form of outpatient counselling to support them adjusting back into their daily routine.

Recent studies published in the Clinical Psychology Review have shown several factors seem to be consistent in people who are more likely to stop using Meth and remain clean. These factors are:

• Professional Treatment: Long term success has been linked to early intervention with professional treatment.
• Age: The younger the person, the more likely it is he or she will drop out of treatment
• Relationships: Having a supportive network of people is associated with higher recovery rates. This includes a good relationship with partner/spouse, family and positive, non-drug using friends
• Motivation: The more motivated a person is to stop, the more likely they will.

Studies over the past 25 years have shown intensive outpatient treatment has provided one of the best outcomes for long-term recovery from Meth addiction.