stigma spring 2016

STIGMA MAGAZINE | 1

tigmaS

A Voice For The Voiceless.

SÉAN McCANN GREAT BIG RECOVERY

INVISIBLY DISABLED AT WORK

POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH

2 | STIGMA MAGAZINE

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Spring 2016

tigmaS

Stigma Magazine is one of Canada’s

premier magazines addressing the

needs of the 1 in 5 people who expe-

rience a mental illness or substance

use problem in their lifetime. Stigma

presents informative, and inspiring

articles that show readers not just

how to deal with their mental health

and addiction, but how to enjoy a

healthy life style.

Publisher: Luke de Leseleuc

Creative Director: Julia Breese

Contact: [email protected]

www.stigmamagazine.com

250.508.8562

Published by:

CONT

ENTS

From the Editor ....................................................5From the Assistant Editor......................................7Andrew’s Corner: The Heart of a Lioness...............9Séan McCann: Great Big Recovery......................13A Campus Call to Action....................................17Being a Ghost: Invisibly Disabled at Work.........21Post-Traumatic Growth....................................23Does Forced Drug TreatmentActually Work?..............................................27The Value of Innocence .................................29A Place Where Your Secrets See Light................31The Story of Kinghaven Peardonville House Society..............................33Helping Youth with Substance Use Issues.........37

4 | STIGMA MAGAZINE

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STIGMA MAGAZINE | 5

SPRING: A TIME OF NEW BEGINNINGS and looking

forward. If I’ve learned anything from publishing

Stigma, it’s how welcoming and supporting the re-

covery community is. Nearly everyone is willing and excit-

ed to share their story, and wants to support other people

in recovery however and whenever possible.

So that being said, I would like to announce that Stig-

ma Magazine is now part of the BeYouPromise.org family,

a charitable non-profit organization whose mission is to

educate Canadians on the benefits of moderation or re-

straint in the use of alcohol and/or drugs. So what does

this mean moving forward? Well, I will still be the publish-

er of Stigma and we will continue being a “voice for the

voiceless.”Being part of the BeYouPromise.org family will

bring stability, and with that stability comes much-need-

ed help in putting the magazine together.

I’d like to thank everyone who has supported the mag-

azine from the very beginning and would also like to take

this opportunity to welcome any of you who may be new

readers. From day one, our mission has been to produce

a magazine that is relevant to, and reflective of, the ad-

dictions and mental health communities. From all indi-

cations, we are meeting our objective. Your feedback has

been extremely positive and we thank you for your kind

words and continued support. In this issue, our featured

article on Sean McCann, one of the founding members

of Great Big Sea, talks about his recovery and how it has

changed the direction of his life. We also talk about men-

tal health in the workplace and some of †he challenges

that employers and employees face. We’re sure you’ll find

the articles informative.

By supporting people in the recovery community, and

recognizing our own susceptibility, we can continue to

grow a larger and stronger recovery community. We in-

vite you to write or e-mail us with your thoughts. We look

forward to hearing from you. Luke de Leseleuc

Luke de Leseleuc

FROM THE PUBLISHER

6 | STIGMA MAGAZINE

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STIGMA MAGAZINE | 7

I’VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT the term “resil-

ience” lately. It cropped up in Cassie Hooker’s piece on

post-traumatic growth that appears in this issue, and

since then I feel like I have been reading it in a lot of stories

and essays about addiction and recovery.

As Cassie writes in her piece, the idea is that, when a per-

son overcomes their addiction or mental-health struggle,

they emerge with something other than a path to recov-

ery: they’ve also grown as a person and gained invaluable

knowledge as a result of their suffering. It’s similar to the

old “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” adage (al-

though I do loathe the violent, confrontational language

we often use when talking about dealing with addiction,

mental-health issues or chronic illnesses, but that’s a whole

other column).

While I appreciate this sentiment and think it’s powerful

to acknowledge that reaching a significant milestone like

recovery provides one with valuable skills that can serve us

for the rest of our lives, we need to recognize that resilience

is something that is present in people throughout their

journey, not just something that materializes at the end.

Resilience is what helps someone decide that they want to

do something about their drinking. It’s what gets them up

off the ground and helps them say, “I’m going to try again,”

when they have stumbled for the second, 20th, or 50th time.

It’s what helped them to survive the horrific trauma that,

for some, led them down the path to addiction in the first

place. And, if complete sobriety isn’t what your recovery

looks like, it’s the inner strength, or the time spent con-

fronting issues in your life, that allows you to stop after that

second beer or live in the healthiest, happiest way possible.

So, wherever you are in your journey to recovery, whether

it’s merely an inkling in the back of your mind or when you

pick up your 25-year chip at your next AA meeting, I ac-

knowledge your resilience. We all have a lot to teach each

other.

On another note, this will be my last dispatch on these

pages for a little while as I take time off to care for my new

child. While I’ve often said this is very much Luke’s labour

of love, it’s been an honour hearing how grateful the com-

munity is to read the stories on these pages, and to see the

regular writers grow and blossom as they bring you said

stories. All the best to our readers in 2016.

Amanda Farrell-Low

From the Assistant Editor

8 | STIGMA MAGAZINE

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STIGMA MAGAZINE | 9

AS PARENTS, WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN the val-

ue of giving, and doing things for others. We try

to instill in them a healthy respect for life, and the

desire to do good things for their fellow man. When we

send them out into the world, armed with years of being

taught by example, it is with the hope that they will use

the lessons we give them. Most grow into beautiful hu-

man beings; every so often, though, a child takes what is

given them, and goes a step or two further with it.

ALEXANDRA SCOTT WAS SUCH A CHILD.

Born on January 18th, 1996, Alex was one of four chil-

dren. She loved school, and wanted to be a fashion de-

signer when she grew up. Her favourite animals were

penguins, and her favourite colours were purple and blue.

She was a girl in love with life, who shared her kind heart

with others whenever she could.

SHE WAS A CHILD WHO ALSO BATTLED CANCER.

Not long before her first birthday, Alex was diagnosed

with neuroblastoma- a type of

cancer that most common-

ly affects children less than

5 years old. Her doctors told

her family that, assuming she

managed to beat her cancer,

it was quite unlikely that she

would ever learn to walk. As

By Cassie Hooker

THE HEART OF A LIONESS

Andrew’s Corner

10 | STIGMA MAGAZINE

a testament to her courage and inspiring nature, however,

she was able to move one of her legs not two weeks af-

ter receiving this troubling verdict. By the time her second

birthday rolled around, she had learned how to crawl, and

could stand with the help of leg braces. She called on all

her willpower to build up her strength so that she could

learn to walk.

FROM THE START, ALEX WAS A GIRL ON A MISSION.

By age 3, it appeared that she had beaten the odds. It

seemed like her cancer was gone, giving her family a false

hope, until the devastating discovery that her tumours had

come back. In 2000, just a day after her birthday, Alex had

a stem cell transplant. It was then that she told her mom

of her intention to hold a lemonade stand when she got

out of the hospital; she was going to raise money for the

hospital that she had come to consider “hers”. With the

help of one of her brothers later that same year, Alex raised

$2000 with her very first stand.

While battling her own cancer, Alex held lemonade

stands each year after that, raising funds in support of

childhood cancer research. It wasn’t long before word of

this amazing little girl began to spread, and people all over

the world began to hold their own lemonade stands, in

support of Alex and her cause. It was an intention to do

good, that grew- like wildfire- into a movement.

In August 2004, at age 8, Alexandra Scott passed away.

She passed, with the knowledge that she-

and all those who rallied behind her-

had raised more than 1 million

dollars to help find a cure for

the disease that had eventually

claimed her.

With the support of a fan

base that ranged around the world,

in honour of their courageous little

girl, the Scott family continued the

legacy that Alex had begun. In

2005, Alex’s

Lemonade Stand Foundation was born, and it’s purpose

was clear: it was a foundation committed to not only rais-

ing funds in order to further research in the field of child-

hood cancers, but also to making new treatments accessi-

ble to those in need and improving the quality of patient

through targeted nursing training programs.

Through its diverse means of fund-raising, including the

simple lemonade stand by which it was all started, Alex’s

Lemonade Stand Foundation literally raises funds one cup

at a time- allowing people from all walks of life to be a part

of the change they want to see in the world. It is the collec-

tive belief of the foundation that everyone- even children-

can make a difference. True to the intention of the little girl

who inspired it- with the money it’s raised- Alex’s Lemon-

ade Stand Foundation has pushed forth innovations in the

field of childhood cancer, forever changing the landscape

of pediatric oncology.

To date, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has raised

over 100 million dollars, providing critical funding for over

500 research projects, with the goal of ending childhood

cancer.

It is true that we, as parents, push our children into the

great big world with lumps in our throats, and the firm

hope that they use the lessons we spend years in teaching

them. It is safe to say that, in her 8 short years, Alex took

what she was taught, and used it to make a true difference

in the world.

To learn how you can help raise funds to

support childhood cancer research,

visit: www.alexslemonade.org

STIGMA MAGAZINE | 11

We’ve been there. We can help.

[email protected]

Umbrella_FP_StigmaSept2015.indd 1 2015-08-08 12:10 PM

SÉAN McCANN HAS OVERCOME HIS SHARE of

demons over the years. On November 14th, 2013,

the founding member of Great Big Sea decided

to leave the acclaimed Canadian band and start a new

chapter of his life. Now he shares his story with others

who may be battling their own demons, and spreads the

message that, “We are not alone and that no ever has to

feel alone.”

LDL: Music has obviously been a big part of your life. What

part has music played in your recovery?

SM: It was the key to my recovery. When I quit drinking

and using I was faced with the pain and my anes-

thetic was removed. My memories and the pain of

my abuse when I was a kid started coming back

and now I didn’t have anything to help me deal

with it. But with my guitar, I was able to look at

it and start dealing with it. I was able to pick up

my guitar and start using words and music to

take away the pain without using. It became

what I needed to get through it, my go-to

every day. I’ve worked with music therapists

and I really believe that music is strong

medicine. It can really soothe and take

pain away better than a needle or a bottle

of rum. It’s more effective, because it ac-

tually helps you deal with the problem.

LDL: What were some of the biggest challenges you were

facing during the beginning of your recovery?

SM: That’s a good question. The first thing I experienced

was isolation. I had a lot of friends. I was a pretty popular

guy! But your drinking buddies are your drinking buddies.

When the liquor disappeared, they scattered and they

weren’t there. I was alone. Suddenly I had this real sense

of isolation, which added to the problem. So I started re-

cording these songs in my studio that I had in my head

and started to learn how to do things on my own. I started

putting my energy into recording.

Then I started putting these songs out there and the

reaction to [my album] Help Your Self was huge. People

would listen to a song and they would immediately reach

out to me on Twitter, email or my website and tell me,

“You know that song is about me,” or “that song is about

my mother, or my brother.” So I suddenly realized that I

wasn’t alone. That made all of the difference. I’m really

glad I put that record out. It was a very personal record.

When people reached out to me, I realized I wasn’t alone

anymore. That was something I needed to hear. Their re-

action got me through the other side. I’m okay because

I’m not alone. That’s the one thing I find consistently when

people come up and talk to me. They thought they were

alone. When people hear me say it, they come to realize

that, “Hey, he’s okay, he’s alive, he’s survived, it’s possible to

be okay.” And it is, because we are not alone.

SÉAN McCANNGREAT BIG RECOVERY

By Luke de Leseleuc


LDL: When you play your songs, and the people are re-

lating to the stories of your songs, how much of an im-

pact has that made on you and how did it help you walk

through the fire?

SM: I’m saying a lot more at these shows and at my pub-

lic speaking engagements — more than I ever have in my

career. It’s important. If I have any regrets, it’s that I wish I

had said more earlier. But now I have more time to make

up for that. It’s not easy sharing your story. You know, you

can’t be happy all of the time. I’ve learned that if you don’t

allow for the darkness, you really don’t appreciate the

light. It’s the shadows that bring out the light. Learning to

live with the dark is the key.

We all want to be happy, right? Every one of us experienc-

es lows. It’s how we

deal with the lows.

You can drink them

away temporarily

or you can actually

deal with them and

understand them.

It wasn’t easy and

that’s what I’m talk-

ing about. Walking

through the fire

wasn’t easy. But you

become stronger as

a result of walking

through it. My song

“Stronger” became my battlecry helping me get through

it. Hopefully, what I’m doing now helps people. I believe

that everyone is worthy of love and happiness. For me,

that’s the driver. Let’s make sure everyone knows that.

LDL: During your journey of recovery, what has been one of

the biggest surprises that you’ve learned about yourself?

SM: I’m tougher than I thought I was. You live in fear and

fear comes from a lot of different places. Fear of failure is

a big thing. People don’t want to see themselves as fail-

ures. I must have quit drinking a thousand times and that

added to my depression, because I thought I was a failure.

I didn’t like being a failure. I was a very successful person.

I remember Googling the term alcoholic because I sus-

pected I had a problem. Now when you suspect you have

a problem, you have a problem! So I Googled the term al-

coholic and said, “Oh, that’s what the problem is. Okay! I’ll

just stop. I can fix this!” But it was harder than I thought. I

couldn’t do it. It took a long time. But ultimately I was able

to do it. You know, I’m not a particularly strong person. But

if I can do it, other people can do it too. People are much

stronger than they think they are.

LDL: I read this biography on actor Spencer Tracy a few

years ago and there was a line that has always stayed with

me: “acting’s good until you get caught.” What does that

statement mean to you?

SM: My grandfather

used to say, “It’s a

great life if you don’t

weaken,” and my

grandmother used

to say, “If you scaled

your arse you got to

learn how to sit on

the blisters.” I know

a lot of people who

are still acting. It

rings true to me be-

cause I was fooling

myself. I was con-

vincing myself that I

didn’t have a problem and that this didn’t happen. “I’m

okay! I’m just going to have a drink.” You’re fooling yourself

and you’re wasting your time. You’re dealing with nothing.

I think that’s what that means.

When I run into people I see it happen all the time. I see

people and I’m like, “You’re acting. You’re fooling yourself.”

That’s why sincerity is important to me. I really don’t have a

high threshold for that anymore. My tolerance for bullshit

is gone. I can smell it and there are a lot of people who

talk and say nothing. I find that a waste of time. You know

that’s what I think Spencer Tracy is talking about. You’re

fooling yourself, and that’s what you have to avoid. That’s

the key. I think it’s so important. It doesn’t matter what

other people think, but that’s what people get wrapped

EVERY ONE OF US EXPERIENCES LOWS. YOU CAN DRINK THEM AWAY TEMPORARILY OR YOU CAN DEAL

WITH THEM AND UNDERSTAND THEM. WALKING THROUGH THE FIRE WASN’T EASY. BUT YOU BECOME STRONGER AS A RESULT OF WALKING THROUGH IT.

““



up in. What are people going to say?

A journalist once asked me, “Are you concerned your kids

are going to find out about this? You are being so open

about your drinking and your recovery.” I said to him, “No.

I think they are really going to be proud of me, because

their father changed his life for them. He told the truth

and he was able to face it rather than live with a secret.”

Secrets can kill you. You know I wouldn’t be here today

[if I had kept drinking]. I would have lost my family and I

would’ve died. So when I look at it that way, my kids are

going to look at this whole story and say, “Wow, my dad did

this for me, because he loved me.”

LDL: What message of hope would you like to share with

the people out there who might be struggling?

SM: I would like to tell them that they are not alone. No

one is alone. We are in this together. Everyone is worthy

of love and capable of finding it, no matter how bad it is. I

really believe that! Life can be unpredictable and it can be

horrible, but there’s always an alternative. For people who

are not lucky enough to have had the problem, keep your

eyes open and be prepared to help those who need help.

It’s a two-way street. My “Help Your Self” song was tongue-

in-cheek and it was another kind of battlecry for me to

attack my addiction. What I was really doing was accept-

ing and realizing that I needed help. So don’t be afraid

to admit you have a problem. The worst thing you can do

is pretend. The worst thing you can do is to continue to

be that actor your whole life. You’ll miss your life. If you’re

going to do it for the sake of the stage and the audience,

you’re being foolish. That was my life. I was on that stage

living the dream… pretending.

During his journey of self-discovery and recovery Séan

has released two albums; Help Your Self and You Know I

Love You. He continues to share his life story through his

music and speaking engagements with the NSB speak-

ing agency. He’s doing as much as he can to help other

people. He has opened his eyes, he has learned how to sit

on his blisters and he is prepared to help those who need

help.

For more information on Séan McCann visit:

www.seanmccannsings.com


tigmaS

Stigma Magazine features positive, in-depth insight and tools to keep your clients engaged on their road to wellness and recovery. Create a lasting impression and keep your patients, clients and event attendees con-nected to you. Let us show you how affordable and effective it can be to position your message in front of Stigma’s growing audience of people who are passionate about wellness and recovery.

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250.508.8562 Stigma Magazine | A Voice for the Voiceless

www.stigmamagazine.com


ON COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES ACROSS

North America, September sees a flurry of activi-

ty; students line up to register for classes, pay tui-

tion, buy textbooks, and settle into their new classrooms,

dorms and residences. Some of them leave their entire

family and social support networks behind to attend the

school of their choice in other parts of the continent or

even the world.

These days at Ithaca New York’s Cornell University,

something a little different happens in September —

something that would have been unheard of for earlier

generations of students: steel mesh nets are installed

under each of the seven bridges on campus. Overlook-

ing the beautiful gorges that Ithaca is famous for, these

bridges saw a total of six student suicides in 2010.

The steel nets, highly visible and effective, are a sign of

the times; they acknowledge the fact that even the best

and brightest are struggling. Shortly after the suicides,

university president David Skorton told the Cornell Daily

Sun that he considered these deaths to be “the tip of the

iceberg, indicative of a much larger spectrum of mental

health challenges faced by many on our campus and on

campuses everywhere.”

THE NATURE OF THE BEAST

Last year, Ryerson University in Toronto saw a 200 per-

cent rise in the demand for services capable of respond-

ing to the needs of students in mental and emotional

By Cassie Hooker

A CAMPUS CALL TO ACTION


crisis. The problem of negative student mental health

has been growing exponentially over the last few years.

According to Robin Everall, a provost fellow for student

mental health in the University of Alberta, “It’s across all

of North America.”

On top of daily stresses relating to their family, finances,

or even a previous medical diagnosis, students face an of-

ten overwhelming push to succeed at whatever cost, now

more than ever. With the current competitive job mar-

ket, and the fact that students are constantly “connected”

via technology and social media, we’ve ended up with a

generation of students who not only disregard their own

health in order to succeed in school, but also no longer

has the time or ability to disconnect and unwind — some-

thing that is necessary for mental wellness in anyone.

In an effort to quantify the needs of its student body,

The University of Alberta conducted a survey of 1,600 stu-

dents in 2011; the results show there is something terribly

wrong with the system. In that survey, 51 percent report-

ed feelings of hopelessness and overwhelming anxiety,

while 7 percent admitted to seriously considering suicide;

1 percent actually attempted it.

The problem has hit home here on the west coast, too.

The University of Victoria has been showing signs of fol-

lowing this disturbing trend. Although measures are be-

ing put in place to open a community dialogue about

student mental health, the waitlist to see on-campus

counsellors and specialists remains long.

Maria Browning,* a second-year student at UVic, had to

wait several weeks before she was able to speak with a

counsellor.

“I was at the top of my class in high school,” she says.

“After coming to university, I found that I was competing

with so many others who were also at the top of their

class. I’m struggling to keep my grades up, and there’s so

much pressure to do well. I had a mental breakdown in

my first year because of it. I had to take a semester off.”

HOPEFUL BEGINNINGS

Although the problem of poor student mental health

reached its critical point before institutional and commu-

nity dialogues began to really address the issue, there is

hope for current and future students. At the University

of Victoria, as well as educational institutions all across

North America, steps are being made to take the stigma

off of mental wellness and encourage those suffering to

reach out. After an extensive consultation process, the

university executive at UVic approved a three-year Stu-

dent Mental Health Strategy, which aims to ensure that

the mental-health services available to its students are

well coordinated, and strategically employed and mon-

itored, operating within a common framework of princi-

ples and goals.


Although students feeling overwhelmed and not get-

ting the help they need has led to an unfortunate rise in

student suicides over the last few years, professionals and

students alike are coming together to make change hap-

pen. Some institutional initiatives are taking the profes-

sional-led approach to student mental health, using the

assistance of counsellors and psychologists. Others are

choosing to expand their mental wellness campaigns to

include student-to-student programs, like Brock Universi-

ty’s Cope.Care.Connect, a student-led initiative designed

to help those suffering find successful ways to cope with

their problems.

Outside of the campus context, there are also options

available for students having suicidal thoughts. For a

complete listing of crisis centres across Canada, as well as

other resources, please visit: suicideprevention.ca. If you

need someone to talk to, but can’t go to a crisis centre,

please visit: suicide.org/hotlines/international/canada-su-

icide-hotlines.html

* Name changed at the request of the student

Get answers to your questions

no questions asked…

Free • confidential1-800-665-2437

hep c • aids • hiv • prevention • testing • treatment


INSPIRING HOPE AND HEALTH

TAKE THE BE YOU PROMISE

WWW.BEYOUPROMISE.ORGStigma Magazine is published by Be You Promise.Org


DON’T YOU JUST LOVE THAT “OPTIONAL” question-

naire when you’re done applying for a job in the

United States that asks whether or not you have

a disability?

While my experience is based in America, many Cana-

dian employers have similar questionnaires or boxes to

tick when you fill out a job application, or state promi-

nently on a job posting that they are an equal opportuni-

ty employer. Here in the U.S., the questionnaire goes on

further to cite “United States federal regulations on hiring

person(s) with…”Then you answer the question honestly,

stating, “Yes! Yes! I am disabled!”

Don’t you just love that?

After some time passes, you don’t hear back from the

employer, but eventually you get an email that states,

“While your skills and credentials were impressive…” Blah.

By D. E. Harris, MSW, LSW

BEING A GHOSTINVISIBLY DISABLED AT WORK

Blah. Blah. You just so happen to walk past said agency

you applied at, take a look inside and find someone in a

wheelchair working your job.

Don’t you just hate that?

It appears that seeing a disability makes a stronger case

than not seeing one. For example, if you were to ask for

work accommodations, people can generally understand

a blind person’s request for something like a service an-

imal — but if you had severe depression and needed to

work four days instead of five because your psychiatrist

only sees people on Fridays; people will want to know

why you get Fridays off. After all, you don’t look disabled!

In Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we meet the

ghost of the late Jacob Marley, a co-worker of Ebenezer

Scrooge, a stubborn, witless, profit mongrel who cared

very little about the welfare of others. On the off chance

you aren’t familiar with the whole story, I’m not going

to get into the whole plot, but when Marley’s ghost ap-

peared, it is bound in chains made of ledgers of this

dead-a-cation to his job in life and a cloth that held up

his jaw.

Let’s look at the scenario of Marley’s ghostly visit with

Scrooge and take away the chain of ledgers and cloth—

what do we get? Just a ghost that failed to file a grievance

before he died, but decided to air his complaint without

anything to show to support it.

Being a ghost sucks! And people with mental health

conditions are said to have an “invisible” disability, a dis-

ability that needs to be proven. And despite all efforts

to seek accommodations on the job, most employers (if

they hire you) will be hesitant to provide aids because of

a broad belief that mental health conditions aren’t real,

and if they are real, the employer is tongue-tied to ex-

plain his or her actions to envious employees.

In the end, an employer has two options: hire the per-

son with a visible disability that comfortably satisfies the

United States government’s disability hiring policy or

hire the person with a mental health condition whose

co-workers will wonder why he or she gets special treat-

ment over them. You can see the obvious choice.

Here is a common situation for folks here in Penn-

sylvania: the United States Office of Vocational Re-

habilitations lost state funding so you have to wait

six months to see a counselor. Social Security is

threatening to take away your benefits after the third

medical review this month. Welfare is sending you

letters stating if you don’t start working you’ll lose

your Pennsylvania Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Program benefits (also known as food stamps), and now

you can’t be hired because you don’t look disabled. These

are the never ending perks of being a ghost.

Don’t you just love that?

D. E. Harris is a licensed behavioral health practitioner

and certified trauma-competent professional, who has

been a social welfare advocate for nearly 10 years. He is an

accomplished essayist, researcher, psychotherapist and

Adjunct Professor at Harcum College. He lives in Phila-

delphia, PA.


POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTHFINDING THE SILVER LINING AFTER ADDICTION

POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH (PTG) IS A NEW term

that is being tossed around in Canada’s psycholog-

ical dialogue. First coined by psychologists Richard

G. Tedeschi and Lawrence G. Calhoun in 1996, PTG refers to

the emotional/psychological growth that can occur after

one has grappled with addiction or other mental trauma.

The idea that trauma can have the ability to transform

the sufferer is not new — in fact, it has its foundation in the

ancient teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism. Modern in-

terest in PTG began gaining momentum in the mid-1990s,

founded on the notion that attention should be given to

studying healthy people, as well as studying the positive

aspects of human behaviour. Stephen Joseph, co-director

for the Center for Trauma, Resilience and Growth in Not-

tingham, England, writes in his book What Doesn’t Kill Us:

The New Psychology of Posttraumatic Growth that PTG is

more than a new acronym: “It promises to radically alter

our ideas about trauma— especially the notion that trau-

ma inevitably leads to a damaged and dysfunctional life.”

Post-Traumatic Growth doesn’t imply that addiction

is good, but does allow that good can come from it — in

essence, trauma gives us a choice between suffering and

growing as a result, or suffering and not growing at all.

RESILIENCE VS. THRIVING

The closest term that traditional psychology has to PTG

is “resilience;” basically, one’s ability to return to the way

they were prior to addiction…bouncing back, as it were.

The problem with resilience, in this case, is that most peo-

ple in recovery can never return to the way they were be-

fore addiction. For many, it really is true that, after you hit

rock bottom, the only way you can go is up.


As those who have dealt with substance abuse know,

there is little about addiction that is rosy; any positive

steps made after choosing to be sober are significantly

tempered by what is experienced during active addiction.

However, when the way one looks at the world has been

thrown into upheaval by trauma, one is given a unique op-

portunity to remake their reality.

This is where “thriving” comes into play. Thriving is dif-

ferent from resilience in that it goes beyond returning to

a baseline, allowing people in recovery to be better than

they were by finding the silver lining within their trauma.

In order to understand the nature of thriving, it’s impor-

tant to remember that growth doesn’t happen without

suffering. After addiction, some are able to build a reality

for themselves that is filled with hope, personal strength

and a kind of wisdom that they wouldn’t have been able

to appreciate before their addiction.

“A small percentage of people cannot return to their

previous level of functioning after a traumatic event,” says

Anna A. Berardi, director of George Fox University’s Trauma

Response Institute. “Most people emerge from a trauma

wiser, with a deeper appreciation of life.”

The growth that can happen in the context of thriving

manifests itself as greater self-acceptance, a change in pri-

orities, deepening relationships, the development of em-

pathy, and learning one’s personal strength.

James Rosecourt* was an alcoholic for 10 years. Sober

for nearly 26 years now, he indicates that his priorities have

changed “from needing to have a drink to needing to look

after my family. I now no longer turn to the bottle to solve

my problems.”

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

PTG is largely associated with Positive Psychology. The

approach that traditional psychology has to resiliency

is oriented toward the problem in question; this means

either fixing the issue or simply avoiding it so that one’s

baseline well-being can be maintained. The problem with

this approach is that it doesn’t acknowledge the fact that

growth can happen that exceeds the baseline — that is,

growth that goes beyond who the person was before their

addiction. Although it is typically applied to suicide be-

reavement, Positive Psychology attempts to reconcile this

while investigating one’s ability to grow within the context

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of the trauma. Since its fundamental approach is broad,

Positive Psychology in the larger sense — and Post-Trau-

matic Growth in particular — can be applied to people

who have grappled with addiction.

“Mental health professionals have a long history of look-

ing only at what’s wrong with human functioning,” says

Anna. “But if you ask people, ‘Have you been through

something difficult and come out the other side stronger,

wiser and more compassionate?’ the majority of us would

answer yes. That’s powerful proof that as humans we’re

wired to grow as a result of hardship.”

HOW DOES PTG WORK?

Informally referred to as “benefit finding,” PTG is some-

times demonstrated as decreased reactivity to similarly

stressful events in the future, or the ability to recover faster;

it also often affects a drastic change in the way you relate

to and think about the world around you.

Generally, those with greater self-confidence, better sup-

port (and, thus, more opportunities for communication),

as well as the ability to accept things they can’t change

report the highest degrees of Post-Traumatic Growth. This

growth isn’t a direct result of the trauma itself, but rather

the recovering person’s struggle with constructing their

post-addiction reality.

“Since I decided to become sober, I’ve dealt with my di-

vorce, the deaths of my brother, sister-in-law and neph-

ew,” says James, “and having two young kids with special

needs, without once returning to the bottle. I commu-

nicate openly with my partner, and am able to work

through my problems better. There are still times when I

think about drinking, but I’m strong enough to resist the

urge now.”

Post-Traumatic Growth, and everything that is contained

within it, has given the experts a way to both express and

recognize what has been in plain sight all along: the enor-

mous ability of trauma to transform survivors so that they

become better than they were before their addiction.

For more information, visit www.trauma-recovery.ca/

resiliency/post-traumatic-growth/

*Name changed at interviewee’s request


DOES FORCED DRUG TREATMENT ACTUALLY WORK?

WHY CAN’T WE JUST MAKE PEOPLE

go to addiction treatment? This is

a question some may be asking

in light of recent overdose deaths and other

drug-related problems in Victoria. Is forcing

people to get help an effective response to

the problems caused by addiction? It turns

out the evidence is murky—and the research

may not even be asking the right questions.

Compulsory addiction treatment does exist

in Canada in a number of different forms. Peo-

ple can be formally mandated to a treatment

program as an alternative to going to jail or as

a condition of parole or probation. People can

also be compelled to get help in order to keep

their jobs, their children, their social assistance

benefits, and so on. Where the data are availa-

ble in Canada, the statistics show that around

1 in 5 people attending services for addiction

are required to be there.

Advocates of compulsory treatment ar-

gue that providing services and supports for

addiction is more humane, economical, and

effective than putting people in jail, firing

them, or letting them hit “rock bottom.” These

arguments have (quite reasonably) led to a

large number of studies aimed at determin-

ing whether or not forcing someone to attend

treatment “works.” After decades of research,

why is this still such a controversial topic?

At this point, it has become apparent that

the right question is not whether or not man-

dated treatment works, but under what cir-

cumstances might it work and how? And

under what circumstances does it become

yet another negative experience with the sys-

tem, leading to further marginalization and

drug-related harms? Here’s why.

The majority of studies have focused on

mandates from the legal system (e.g., through

the courts). Findings differ across studies, but

most show that people who are court-man-

dated seem to do just as well in treatment as

others. However, people who are court-man-

dated tend to be different from those who

are not. Specifically, they tend to be younger

and less severely addicted. Comparing groups

of people who are different to begin with,

finding that they differ (or not) at the end of

a study, and chalking that finding up to treat-

ment is not good science.

Another important issue is that personal

motivation and other life circumstances play

a role in recovery, and this is true whether

By Dr. Karen Urbanoski


or not the person is required to be there. Many people

who are court-mandated report low motivation to at-

tend treatment, but not all. Many of those who are not

court-mandated report low motivation and would not

describe themselves as “voluntary.” Comparing people

who do and do not have a court mandate is opportunis-

tic research, but it misses the point if we are interested in

knowing whether addiction services are effective when

they are forced versus voluntary.

Current policies on compulsory treatment implicitly as-

sume that people who do not initially want to be there

will “come around” with time. However, this has never ac-

tually been studied. If the point of compulsory treatment

is to help people make steps toward recovery, then this is

exactly the kind of research that needs to be conducted.

We need to figure out the best ways to support and in-

crease people’s mo-

tivation and their

capacity for deci-

sion-making.

Of course it is preferable (and likely more effective) if

we can help someone early on, before their problems get

really bad. But it is not at all clear that the people who

are being diverted from the legal system to addiction

treatment are ones who are most in need, or the ones

who will end up being most in need down the road. If

we aren’t careful, there is ample opportunity for inequi-

ties to arise in terms of who is even offered the choice of

going to treatment. There is some evidence that this may

already be happening. A recent review of Canada’s Drug

Treatment Courts found that the majority of those divert-

ed from prison via the program are middle-aged white

men. This means women, youth, and indigenous peo-

ples—among the prime target groups of the program—are

not being served.

There is no doubt that some people mandated to treat-

ment have been helped. But it is far from a panacea. Even

with a variety of strategies in place to compel people into

programs, the most severely affected people are still fall-

ing through the cracks.

The bottom line is that no society will ever treat its

way out of addiction. Yes, addiction treatment can help

people. A continuum of services should be accessible

to everyone. At the same time, the impacts of poverty,

homelessness, colonialism, racism, and mental illness are

not solved by a short stint in a treatment program. Such

complex problems will require systemic policy changes

that extend far beyond what addiction services are able

to provide.

Dr. Karen Urbanoski is the Canada Research Chair

in Substance Use, Addictions and Health Services

Research, and a Scientist with the Centre for Addic-

tions Research of British Columbia (CARBC) and an

Assistant Professor in Public Health and Social Policy

at the University of Victoria. Her research focuses on

the development and course of substance use prob-

lems and addiction, and the roles played by health

and social service systems in recovery.

This post originally appeared on CARBC’s Matters

of Substance blog at oac.uvic.ca/carbc



THE FIRST TIME I ATTENDED A yoga class was at the

end of a year spent struggling with an addiction. I

had resolved to exercise as part of my commitment

to a healthier lifestyle. Yoga had been recommended to

me as a gentle way to transition back into my body.

When I arrived at the studio the teacher greeted me

with a warm smile. I told her I was new to the practice and

that I was looking for something to help improve my flexi-

bility. She explained to me that the style she was teaching,

Yin Yoga, could be challenging at first. She advised that I

take lots of props to help support myself during the class.

With the gentle ring of a chime the class started. We

were guided through a short prayer and a moment of si-

lence as we were asked to create an intention for our prac-

tice. The teacher then directed us into the first pose which

I thought seemed simple enough. We were instructed

to notice our breath and any sensations present in our

bodies. “Great”, I thought to myself, “This is easy”. Then the

room went quiet. We were to hold that first pose for sev-

eral minutes.

It was agonizing to just be there, not moving, not doing

anything. There was nothing to distract me from myself.

My mind raced with worries and judgement while my

restless body ached. After what seemed like an eternity

the teacher gently reminded us to notice our breath and

to guide our attention back to the present moment. That

was all we had to do. Breath and stay present. Sounds easy

right? Not really.

The class continued at this snail-like place while I wres-

tled internally with my own mind. I didn’t enjoy my first

By Julia Breese

the VALUE of INNOCENCE


We offer private therapeutic yoga sessions to soothe your nervous system, reduce cravings and bring a greater sense of ease and comfort into your life.

Call 778-265-3916 for more information

GARUDA

YOGA

www.garudayoga.ca • 778.265.3916 • [email protected]

TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WITH YOGA

yoga session at all but deep inside I knew there was an

important lesson here for me. My previous life pattern

had been to avoid or push away things that made me un-

comfortable. I had been a master at escaping, whether

that had been in the form of physically running away or

by taking some substance. Now I was being asked to stay,

even if staying was uncomfortable or scary. I returned to

these classes over and over again. As the classes became

easier for me my life also greatly improved. I stopped run-

ning away from myself. I became aware of my tendency to

constantly look for distraction or approval from others and

instead allowed myself to feel satisfaction from within. In

return, I started experiencing life with more authenticity

and humour than I ever had before. I started taking things

lightly.

Perhaps the most beauti-

ful thing about yoga as part

of my recovery process was that

I didn’t need to think about all the pain-

ful things that had led me into addiction.

I could heal without processing everything.

Yes, uncomfortable emotions bubbled to the surface but

I was instructed not to attach too much meaning or im-

portance to them. All I was asked to do was to relax and

feel my breath. As my thoughts and feelings came and

went and I started to see the up and down rhythms that

we all go through in life for what they are, temporary and

fleeting. It was very liberating.

Often when we are in recovery there is a lot of focus on

the problems that led us into substance abuse. Obviously

there can be great wisdom in learning from our mistakes.

But sometimes the best results in healing come when we

allow ourselves to pause, let go of blame, and fully expe-

rience what is present in the moment rather than spend

time worrying about fixing ourselves or finding solutions

for the inevitable challenges we all face in life. Yoga taught

me the value of innocence.

Julia Breese is a Yoga Therapist living in

the Victoria area. She specializes in teach-

ing yoga to those recovering from men-

tal health issues, addiction and trauma.

Learn more at www.garudayoga.ca


ADDICTION IMPACTS EVERY ASPECT OF life; the workplace in particular represents a unique source of “uber-stress” for most people experi-

encing addiction. For a lot of us, the workplace can be a competitive, demanding and unforgiving environment. On the positive side, it represents an outlet for creativity, a significant source of personal identity and justification of being, the source of revenue to maintain our status and standard of living. The workplace is often tolerant of – and in many cases

even promotes – the mantra of work hard, play hard as an almost twisted life balance; a perverted yin and a yang. This attitude can set up an onslaught of binge drinking/

using. When this progresses and spirals out of control, for those with the disease of addiction, it can be like trying to turn down the volume on the stereo when the volume con-trol is broken. There can be plenty of judgement heaped on these individuals, and they are often perceived as being weak and somehow morally deficient. Behind this danger-ous attitude is a distinct misunderstanding of the medical-ly supported disease model of addiction.Although addiction was recognized as a disease in the

1950s, many people continue to cling onto the miscon-ception or stigma that this disease is relegated to certain socioeconomic levels and does not affect “good families,” that somehow people in higher income brackets are “im-

YOUR EMPLOYEE FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

A PLACE WHERE YOUR SECRETS SEE LIGHT

Wayne Steer and Stacey Petersen


mune.” The plain truth is that no one is immune to this disease.We interviewed five different professionals in recovery

who had successfully completed Fresh Start’s 12-16 week program were interviewed to get their take on what it’s like to be in active addiction in a “professional environ-ment.” Their professions included CA/comptroller, law-yer, MBA/systems analyst, wealth management specialist and a petroleum engineer.All five of these professionals share things in common:

they are well educated and come from two-parent homes where at least one parent has a university education, sta-ble job, home, car and family. According to many of the societal yardsticks, they grew up as members of “good families.”For most of the people we

spoke to, their use was con-fined to social settings at first, but soon became more frequent as time passed and was prac-ticed with or without company to reduce stress and cope with mounting pressures at work. As their usage increased, there

was also a corresponding and escalating fear of being “found out,” which led to a perceived need for them to hide their hab-it and isolate more. This cycle continued in a manner akin to a human tornado, where the employee experienced an ac-celerating downward spiral of isolation, loneliness, despair, and increasing use leading towards an inevitable crash.Jack, the CA/comptroller, said he decided to give his

company’s Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP) a call and “test them” on an issue that was important but not threatening to deal with before approaching them about his addiction. He was apprehensive and skeptical about the process at first, but once he had set the wheels in motion he was amazed at their professionalism, timeliness in addressing his issue, level of knowledge and access to expert resources and - most of all - the degree of respect and confidentiality they offered.For the vast majority of those interviewed, their crash

came hard; their experiences ranged from being fired on

the spot, to being escorted out of the office with all their belongings through the gauntlet of coworkers to getting “The Call” at home. None of these experiences were easy and all could have had happier endings — or happier middles. Because of his positive experience with his company’s

EFAP program, Jack built up the courage to make the one call that he had been leading up to and dreading —the “Big One.” After 14 years of struggle, he called his EFAP program to finally get help.Jack says it was the best thing he ever did; he told us the

level and quality of service, compassion and confidential-ity he received from the EFAP program was a welcomed surprise. They helped him find a recovery program at Fresh Start which began his process for long-term recov-

ery. Today, Jack is a highly re-sponsible professional working as a CA/comptroller in a very demanding environment; he will be celebrating five years of sobriety before Canada Day.While all five have had differ-

ent paths to their recovery, all are experiencing a much better quality of life through their re-covery collectively living with 20 years of continuous recovery experience.From a practical standpoint,

some of the best advice we’ve heard as staff members at Fresh Start is that “If you’re strug-gling with alcohol or drugs and

your company has an EFAP program, CALL THEM; they are there to help you stop the madness. They will help you find the right program so you can heal and make life better for you and all around you.” No one is immune to the disease of addiction and if you

are struggling, please use the resources available to you to find the help that is available to you through your EFAP program; it just might save your life.

Wayne Steer and Stacey Petersen are part of the team at the Fresh Start Recovery Centre, a national award-winning organ-ization located in Calgary, Alberta that provides housing, treat-ment and support for people affected by addiction. Fresh Start helps people from a wide variety of backgrounds and vocations.


FROM OUR HUMBLE BEGINNINGS IN 1971 as a sim-

ple halfway house to today’s state-of-the-art cam-

puses having served in excess of 25,000 men and

4,000 women and children, Kinghaven Peardonville

House Society prides itself on being one of the most suc-

cessful, progressive and innovative treatment centres in

Canada.

It all started in 1970, when a small group of men living

in the Abbotsford/Matsqui area of the Fraser Valley rec-

ognized the need for a residential facility devoted to men

suffering from chronic alcoholism. This group, made up

of business people, the medical professionals and mem-

bers of the Alcoholics Anonymous community, knew

many of these men would sober up for short periods of

time but would soon return to heavy, addictive drinking.

The problem, they felt, was that the men were never giv-

en a sufficient period of time in which to address their

alcoholism, drinking patterns and issues created by their

excessive drinking such as job loss, marital stress and

breakdown, and impaired-driving charges. The goal of

45 YEARS OF RECOVERYTHE STORY OF KINGHAVEN PEARDONVILLE HOUSE SOCIETY

Milt Walker


this group was to establish a residential facility, based

on the 12-Steps and Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous,

that would allow adult men who self-identified as alco-

holics a safe place to address the myriad of challenges

their addiction created. Thus the MSA Halfway House

Society was established and 32-bed Kinghaven Halfway

House opened on May 11th, 1971 on the site of the former

Bethel Bible College.

A number of changes have occurred over the years

and many additional services have been added to the

organization’s repertoire of resources. For example, a ma-

jor building project was undertaken in 1981 due to the

increasing demand for services, including the need for

treatment related to marijuana and other drugs. King-

haven expanded to 52 beds, adding a new residential

building, a counselling office and a large kitchen/dining

hall, thus evolving from a halfway house to a full-service,

intensive residential treatment facility with the abili-

ty to serve and meet the recovery needs of adult men

suffering from alcoholism and/or addiction to any other

mood-altering substances. More staff was added and a

more intense, therapeutic program developed in order

to address the increasingly complex issues clients were

now presenting with.

In 1987, the board of director’s recognized that services

for women with addiction issues were seriously lacking.

The board purchased and renovated the former Peardon-

ville House Elementary School property, and the 18-bed

Peardonville House Treatment Centre, a residential ser-

vice for adult women, was opened, with the organization

changing its name to Valley Recovery Support Associa-

tion. While this program enjoyed overwhelming success,

it also identified a serious lack of services for women who

had young children and were unable to afford childcare.

The then-Ministry of Health Services asked Peardonville

House to pilot a “Moms and Kids” program, the first of

its kind in Canada, that allowed women to bring their

under-school-age children to residential treatment to

share in the recovery process. What makes this program

so unique is the fact that while Mom is in treatment; her

children are cared for in a fully licensed, on-site child-

care centre. The program was so successful that the fa-

cility’s older buildings were no longer meeting the or-

ganization’s expanding needs and the society launched


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to serve and meet the recovery needs of adult men.

PEARDONVILLEA fl agship residential treatment facility for adult women who want

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a fundraising campaign to replace

the existing facility with new, larger

buildings. The target was reached

in 1998, and on June 28th 2002 the

new Peardonville House was opened

to serve the needs of 20 adult wom-

en and eight children. This program

is now considered by many to be the

flagship of residential treatment for

women in the province.

In 2007, the Fraser Health Author-

ity recognized the need for less in-

tensive programming for men and

women presenting with both men-

tal health and addiction issues. This

resulted in the development of the

Stabilization and Transitional Living

Residence (STLR) programs being

added to both the Kinghaven and

Peardonville sites. These six-bed res-

idences (Valley House at Kinghaven

and Mollie’s Place at Peardonville

House) offer longer-term program

stays to allow clients to stabilize be-

fore to transitioning to more full-time

housing. With the addition of these

two programs, Kinghaven Peardon-

ville House Society now had the re-

sources to serve 92 men, women and

children at any one time.

The ever-innovative and progres-

sive board and staff began to recog-

nize that a serious gap in long-term

treatment services was very evident,

in that there were very few plac-

es for clients to transition to once

treatment was complete. Plans were

made to add a second-stage housing

building to the Kinghaven site and

to replace two of the existing build-

ings that had served their purpose

well for 43 years. This was to become

the George Schmidt Centre, a sec-

ond-stage housing complex for men.

It was completed in 2013 at a cost of

$6.5 million; the following year, the

former administration building and

a residence were replaced by a $3.5

million state-of-the-art facility that

houses 62 residents. This brought the

combined compliment of clients “in

residence” at any one time to 133.

New facilities demanded new and

more creative programming. As a re-

sult, and thanks to a $1 million grant

from the BC Ministry of Health, the

five-week Employment Readiness

Program was initiated. Designed to

accommodate those clients wish-

ing to improve their employability

following treatment, this program is

now an integral part of our 70-day

Intensive Treatment Model. Reinte-

gration into the community as pro-


ductive, employable citizens should be the goal of those

enrolled in this part of our program. Some of the topics

addressed in the program include literacy and comput-

er skills training, job-search strategies, relapse prevention

and working with First Nations elders and people from

the BC Centre for Disabilities.

Looking back on the past 45 years that Kinghaven Pear-

donville House Society has been operating, it’s amazing

to see what a group of people who recognized a need in

the community were able to accomplish.

Milt Walker first arrived at Kinghaven in 1983 as a res-

ident seeking treatment for his alcoholism. After com-

pleting the initial thirty-five day program, he was asked

to stay on as a volunteer answering the phones at the

front desk. In 1984, Milt gained full-time employment as

the cook of the facility. Milt then returned to college and

acquired a Substance Abuse Certificate and became a

counselor.

After being appointed as the Deputy Executive Direc-

tor, he became the Executive Director in 2000 and he

continues to hold that position today.

Sooke Therapeutic Yoga Society offers free

Health & Wellness programs to assist those

dealing with cancer, trauma issues, addic-

tions, etc., as well as offering yoga for kids

and teens. The Society also offers prenatal

yoga and noon-time yoga by donation. To

attend these sessions or learn more please

call 250.642.9642

Sooke Therapeutic Yoga Society

250.642.9642www.sookeyoga.com


DISCOVERY YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES (Discovery) is an Island Health program de-signed to assist youth and/or their families re-

duce the harms associated with substance use. The ser-vices are free and available to anyone in the community who is negatively impacted by substance use, whether their own or someone else’s. “We work with youth ages 13 to 19 but these ages have

‘soft edges’ depending on the circumstances,” says Maia Sladde. “We’ll help older youth transition to adult servic-es, supporting them until they get the hang of it, and we also work with younger youth in need.”Sladde is an intake counsellor at the Nanaimo Discovery

office. Like all of the counsellors at Discovery, she loves her work and is passionate about supporting youth. “We provide drug and alcohol services for youth which might range from those who are curious and want to try it, those who have been suspended from school for substance use to youth who are daily users.”In addition to counselling and support, Discovery has

access to many services across the Island including sta-bilization and detox services and can connect youth and families depending on their goals. Counsellors make

assessments holistically by looking at the whole person – biological, psychological, social, spiritual—in order to understand, not only what their client needs, but what they want. “We work with youth to meet their goals,” says Slad-

de. “And that means gaining an understanding of their circumstances including their family, their history, past trauma, living situations in order to address what they want to achieve.”Discovery works with the youth’s team which might in-

clude their family, social workers or just the youth alone. There is a focus on family, and Discovery’s philosophy is to be open to whatever family means to them. Confiden-tiality is absolutely guaranteed and trust is the basis for relationships between counsellors and youth.Philosophically, Discovery counsellors approach their

work from a strength-based and relationship perspective. This approach builds on their client’s strengths while committing to strong, trusting relationships between counsellor and client.“We are always hopeful and offer strong validation for

our clients,” says Sladde. “We make sure that youth un-derstand that it’s not about blame, instead our approach

Susan Evans

HELPING YOUTH WITH SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES


is to be curious. ‘Where are you sitting in your skin right now that this makes sense? Maybe if I understood that, I could offer something that could help you.’ We work hard to make sure that youth are comfortable and feel able to share. It can take time until they feel safe and trust enough to do that.”Up to one-third of the case load at Discovery is parents.

Sometimes their son or daughter isn’t interested in get-ting involved but parents can access the services and by helping themselves, they can often help their youth.“Parents are their son or daughter’s greatest resource,”

says Sladde. “So even working just with parents can help their youth, and often that same youth will participate later.”Some parents need help understanding what is going on

for their youth. Learning about adolescent development – what is normal and natural for teens – can help them look for a new approach. “This is a service to support what parents are already

doing and our job is to come alongside them, but we are not here to ‘fix’ their child, says Sladde. “For parents, we can offer some perspective and perhaps insight into how to do things differently. We let them know they are not alone, that it’s OK to talk about it and be supported and heard.”In addition to counselling, Discovery offers a number of

resources for parents including groups, workshops and a program called Recognizing Resilience: for parents and caregivers of teens using substances.“There is a spectrum of substance use from experimen-

tation to dependence,” says Sladde. “Even if they get into

trouble, youth are so resilient they can turn it around quickly, with support.”What turns them around? “I would say that when a youth is feeling supported

and not judged, when they are able to practise their inde-pendence in how they get better instead of just being told what to do, there is a lot of power in that,” says Sladde. “When they are made a part of their own plan they can do amazing things.”At Discovery, counsellors work with clients at their

pace. They move as fast or as slow as the client wants and will meet them where they are comfortable, which might be away from the office in a coffee shop or mall. “We are a harm reduction service and can engage with

youth regardless of where they are at with their substance use,” says Sladde. “Their goal might not be to get clean, it might be to reduce their usage, to get back on track, to use less, or not use certain substances. It might be to get a job or somewhere to live. We support their overall well-ness, which might include help with housing or getting them to a doctor. We are here to provide support but only when they want to take it.”Discovery Youth and Family Services has offices across

Vancouver Island (see sidebar following). Youth or fam-ily don’t need a referral, just call the nearest location for more information and to connect with someone.“Problems love silence,” says Sladde. “The best way to

get to a better place is to start talking about it.”Article reprinted with permission from Island Health maga-

zine.

DISCOVERY YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES Victoria/South Island

530 Fraser Street, 2nd Floor

Tel: 250-519-5313

Cowichan Valley Area

103 - 360 Duncan Street

Tel: 250-737-2029

Ladysmith

1111 – 4th Avenue

Tel: 250-739-5790

Nanaimo

206 – 96 Cavan Street

Tel: 250-739-5790

Parksville/Qualicum

494 Bay Avenue,

Tel: 250-947-8215

West Coast

272 Main Street

Ucluelet, BC Tel: 250-266-1565

Mt Waddington

7305 Market Street

Port Hardy, BC V0N 2P0

Tel: 250-902-6063

For more information on Island

Health’s Youth and Substance Use

program, visit www.viha.ca.

stigma spring 2016

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