Victoria McCann BA, MSc

Communications Director & Editorial Lead

Victoria McCann, BA, MSc, is Communications Director & Editorial Lead at Castle Craig and a member of the clinic’s founding family. With over a decade of experience in addiction treatment communications, she leads the creation of clear, compassionate content that supports patients, families, and healthcare professionals. Victoria is committed to reducing stigma around addiction and mental health, and brings strategic insight and lived sector knowledge to her work. She regularly attends and organises addiction treatment conferences across the UK and Europe, promoting high standards of care and best practice in the field. Victoria also works with the media to raise awareness and share informed perspectives on addiction and recovery. The Herald, The Times, BBC, STV, The Times, New York Post, The Guardian.

Detox Therapy

We set a slow and gentle withdrawal pace from alcohol and drugs so that detox can take place alongside psychotherapy.Detox is only the first stage of addiction treatment. It is important to start the psychotherapy in parallel with the detox process so that patients are embedded into their recovery programme and begin to form relationships […]

Medical Detox Treatment

The aim of detox is to rid the body of alcohol and drugs as safely, quickly and comfortably as possible. If necessary we prescribe medicines to manage the withdrawal symptoms. The doses are closely monitored and will be reduced over time until the patient has fully detoxed. Alcohol and drug withdrawal can be very dangerous if […]

What is Residential Rehab?

A residential rehabilitation treatment facility is one where patients live in the addiction clinic for the whole of the rehab treatment programme. The Benefits of Residential Rehab Higher Rehab Success Rates Many addiction specialists believe that inpatient rehabilitation programmes offer a higher success rate for the patient’s’ physical and psychological recovery than outpatient clinics. No Temptations […]

Personalised 1-to-1 Therapy for Addiction Treatment

Individual therapy is talking psychotherapy that uses psychological methods to help someone overcome addictions, other mental and behavioural health problems, negative beliefs, as well as improve relationships and social skills. There are hundreds of psychotherapy techniques from cognitive behavioural therapy to interpersonal therapy and psychodynamic therapy to transactional analysis. Recovery from addiction is not just about stopping […]

Group Therapy for Addiction

Entering an alcohol and drug treatment program requires courage and means you are a step closer to finding long-term freedom from addiction. However, many often experience fear, not only about getting clean and/or sober but of the therapeutic process and the prospect of being honest with yourself and others. Group therapy is one of the […]

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Our life experiences form a set of beliefs and expectations about ourselves and the world around us which can influence our behaviour. This is an involuntary process and these beliefs can distort how we perceive ourselves and other people, leading to problems with mental health including addiction. Obstacles to addiction recovery, such as our negative […]

Family Therapy for Addiction Treatment

Addiction is a cause of significant distress and disruption for affected individuals and their family networks. Many will feel a sense of hopelessness having tried what they think is everything to help their loved one recover. They may struggle not to make the person struggling with addiction a scapegoat which can compound the severity and […]

Trauma Therapy

At Smarmore Castle, Ireland, our approach to addiction treatment is trauma-informed. During our biopsychosocial assessments we build up a complete picture of you as a person – your history and past and present life situations. What is Trauma? A study of adolescents receiving treatment for drug and alcohol addiction in the US found that more […]

Eating Disorder Treatment at Addiction Rehab

Eating Disorder Treatment Smarmore Clinic can offer treatment for addiction to people with mild eating disorders such as mild bulimia nervosa or binge-eating disorder. The management of eating disorders is incorporated into the treatment programme. Unfortunately we are unable to offer treatment to those with severe Anorexia Nervosa. Assessment Once your admission has been agreed, […]

Grief Counselling & Support

Unresolved Grief At some point in our lives, most of us will experience bereavement and subsequent grief, the natural response to a loss. But grief can be painful, confusing, feel like it will last forever, and even lead to serious long-term health complications such as complicated grief or addiction. Individual experiences of grief vary and […]

Women-Only Addiction Therapy

What is Women-Only Therapy? At Smarmore Castle, women-only therapy, known as women’s group, is specifically tailored to help women with addiction issues. It is a safe space for women to open up about experiences that they may not feel comfortable discussing in a mixed gender group. In this setting, their emotions will be validated, and […]

Smoking Cessation

Quitting smoking at Smarmore Clinic Smoking cessation therapy is a non-compulsory therapy offered to patients who are already at Smarmore Clinic and receiving treatment for addiction to alcohol, drugs or gambling. The start of an inpatient treatment programme is a very good time to quit smoking. It helps patients to achieve the very best mental […]