The Recovery Concierge was innovated out of necessity from gaps in accessing treatment and support services for Mental Health and Addictions. My big why for doing this work is this work chose me Addiction is a family system issue. I grew up in a dysfunctional family system with mental illness and addiction ripping through three generation accompanied by trauma, depression, abuse, neglect, fear and anxiety. I did not enter recovery until my early 30’s and it has taken me decades of learning to ‘undo’ my formative years and to transcend family dysfunction. It is my mission help support families and individuals who suffer with substance abuse /addiction and to transcend their stories as well. The process and pathway are complicated and the information is conflicting. People do not live in silo’s, so treating the individual with out the family members is not effective. We all are in relationship with each other and we can work through our challenges best, when everyone is committing to the process. When I personally navigated my own child through mental health treatment, we exhausted all traditional routes. It is my hope to be able to clear up the misinformation about treatment, and how to approach addiction. It is often confusing, overwhelming and lonely. I welcome all paths to recovery. Intolerance breeds judgment. We need to show respect, compassion and kindness which will allow our loved ones to hear that we still love them but it is their behavior we dislike. Newer evidence based best practices around how to treat Addiction such as CRAFT, SMART Recovery and Motivation Interviewing are emerging as way to make impact without further alienating your loved one away from you. Family members are often the forgotten ones and have unique needs and without a rule book. Community allows others to feel connected and supported while feeling less isolated, and by focusing on your own recovery process is when healing occurs. I have worked with countless families assisting in closing the divide that very often accompanies mental health and addiction issues. Graduate of the Addiction Care Worker Program at McMaster University, Ontario, SASSI certified for Clinical Interpretation for Addiction Screening & Assessments, Certified SMART Recovery Facilitator, Member of the Canada Centre for Substance Abuse
If there's one thing I've learned during my years as a mental health advocate, it's that true recovery begins after primary treatment. The 'one-size-fits-all" approach to addiction and chemical dependency treatment often misses the mark. Sustainable change is possible in recovery, and I help individuals and families achieve this change in order to bring about true fulfillment, peace and happiness.
