Recovery Counselling
1119 View Street V8L2E5

If you need support, call us now at our toll free number 1.833.456.4566. We are available 24x7x365. You will not incur long distance charges for your call. We offer support to anyone concerned about suicide. Whether you are suffering from a loss, worried about someone who may be having suicidal thoughts, or having suicidal thoughts yourself, our highly trained responders are there to provide support. Talking about suicide can open the door for effective dialogue about the int...ense emotional pain and can enable someone to see what steps need to be taken to ensure safety, whether it's your own or the safety of someone you care about. Connecting with someone about your suicidal thoughts is life-saving. You do not have to cope with the feelings of hopelessness and the terrible psychological pain on your own. We are committed to providing you the best possible service at all times. Calls, Chats and Texts to the Canada Suicide Prevention Service’s crisis services may be monitored for training and quality assurance purposes. We take your privacy and security very seriously. For more information on Privacy and Security see our Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911

The New Year brings a chance at starting fresh, and with that a chance at leaving behind the behaviours and habits that have held you back. It is a great time to take stock of your life and see what is working for you and what needs changing. If you have the willingness to begin this process of leaving behind I can help.

This time of year is not all about tidings of comfort and joy for a lot of people The holidays do not automatically take away feelings of aloneness, sadness, frustration, anger, and fear. Being face to face with change is a harsh at this time of year. Remembering better times, people no longer with us, relationships past, and goals and ambitions not met. For many this is just a tough time. Loss and grief issues are triggered. Family dysfunction comes into much sharper focus and can quickly spin out of control. Addictive behaviors and acting out flare up more than other times of the year. Please try and be kind to yourself and others.

This looks really promising. Wonder how long before human trials https://www.cbc.ca//researchers-protein-body-lead-new-trea

https://www.wired.com//addiction-rehab-is-broken-can-tech/

The contents of Recovery in 10 minutes! (For free!!)

Taking a Facebook break. There is a contact link in my website recoverycounselling.com

I post this every year at this time... The holidays arent about tidings of comfort and joy for a lot of people The holidays do not automatically take away feelings of aloneness, sadness, frustration, anger, and fear. Being face to face with change is a harsh at this time of year. Remembering better times, people no longer here, relationships past, and goals and ambitions not met. For many this is just a tough time. Loss and grief issues are triggered. Family dysfunction co...mes into much sharper focus. Addictive behaviors and acting out flare up. Finally, please try and be kind to yourself and others. See more

Gratitude has been something that I have grown into over time in recovery. In the early years I just couldnt find much obvious stuff to be greatful about, there was too much shit flying around both internal and external. I just plain didnt understand people who talked about being grateful. Remember that this whole addiction process is self centred to the extreme and I felt like it certainly was all about me...I wasnt having a whole bunch of fun...why would I be grateful.... Over time as I did the work of finding myself, and mending the damage done to others to the best of my ability life got easier, and not surprisingly happier too. November 15th marks 22 years for me. I understand gratitude and it fits me comfortably now.

Please share your recovery success stories with those around you. Your success may be the motivational push that starts someone else down their own path.

Helping someone else move through a tough time in their lives, give up old habits and behaviors that no longer work, finding their inner strength. These are the things I care about. Im fortunate through a combination of my own life experiences and education to be able to do this work. My passion is in helping others achieve stable long term recovery and freedom from the ghosts of their past I bring compassion, humour, warmth, and respect for the people that I work with. Taking the first step toward getting help is often the most difficult. Lets take that first step together. Call or send me a note using the contact here or in my website.

I published this a couple of years ago but worth the read. The Definition of Addiction The DSM, (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) (DSM-IV) says that addiction, or dependence, is present in an individual who demonstrates any combination of four or more of the following symptoms:... Preoccupation with use of the chemical between periods of use. Using more of the chemical than had been anticipated. The development of tolerance to the chemical in question. A characteristic withdrawal syndrome from the chemical. Use of the chemical to avoid or control withdrawal symptoms. Repeated efforts to cut back or stop the drug use. Intoxication at inappropriate times (such as at work), or when withdrawal interferes with daily functioning (such as when hangover makes person too sick to go to work). A reduction in social, occupational or recreational activities in favor of further substance use. Continued substance use in spite of the individual having suffered social, emotional, or physical problems related to drug use. Typically, tolerance is prominent and a withdrawal syndrome frequently occurs when substance use is interrupted. The life of the addict may be dominated by substance use to the virtual exclusion of all other activities and responsibilities. The term addiction also conveys the sense that such substance use has a detrimental effect on society, as well as on the individual; when applied to the use of alcohol, it is equivalent to alcoholism. Addiction is a term of long-standing and variable usage. It is regarded by many as a discrete disease entity, a debilitating disorder rooted in the pharmacological effects of the drug, which is remorselessly progressive. The Definition of Substance Abuse Some people arent addicted to drugs or alcohol, but abuse them. The American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV) definition of substance abuse is at least one of the following four criteria. Continued use despite social or interpersonal problems. Repeated use resulting in failure to fulfill obligations at work, school, or home. Repeated use resulting in physically hazardous situations. Use resulting in legal problems. Here is a quote from Terry Kellogg that I really like that hits the nail on the head in my opinion. Addiction is a pathological,recurring relationship with any mood-altering event, experience, person or thing that causes major life problems. The addiction isnt because of the substance,experience,person or thing.It is the relationship with the substance that goes awry.There is nothing wrong with banana cream pie, sex or alcohol,the relationship with these is what becomes pathological.

In a session with a client this morning what was coming up was dealing with the process of growing older. Things that hurt that never did before. It takes longer to do things. Not feeling as attractive to my partner ( and the insecurity that comes along with that). Who is that old person in the mirror (and the blow to the self esteem that comes with that). The hit of reality that comes with looking at the latter part of ones life and dealing with the prospects of old age and illness and infirmity. What we found that was able to cut through all of that and bring things into perspective in the now was What are you grateful for today. Make a list.

https://suicideprevention.ca/wspd-events/

There is no shame in saying I need help, I cant do this by myself. In fact it takes great strength to make the admission that you need help. At this point recovery can begin. Recovery is best done as a team sport. We need someone else to:... -Point the way - Look into our blind spots - Be truly honest with - Call us out on our bullshit, both with ourselves and others - To listen and be truly supportive - Measure our progress -Be there when things get tough For more information check out www.recoverycounselling.com

August is historically a quiet month,I have appointment times available.

Sorry to read about the cancellation of Recovery Day Victoria. Such a great opportunity for positive life affirming messages that are proof positive that recovery is possible.

Summer traffic has quieted down,I have times available and any referrals appreciated.

So it seems that my contact form at www.recoverycounselling.com somehow got broken in a Wordpress update in the recent past and was not working.I have no sure idea how long it was out. For anyone who was trying to contact me...apologies.

Individuals who are in recovery know what it means to them and how important it is in their lives. They need no formal definition. But for the general public and those who research, evaluate, and develop policies about addiction, recovery is a concept that can sometimes seem unclear. Essentially, recovery is a complex and dynamic process encompassing all the positive benefits to physical, mental and social health that can happen when people with an addiction to alcohol or ...drugs, or their family members, get the help they need. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) offers this definition: Recovery from alcohol and drug problems is a process of change through which an individual achieves abstinence and improved health, wellness and quality of life. Expanding on this definition, SAMHSA articulates twelve Guiding Principles of Recovery: There are many pathways to recovery. Recovery is self-directed and empowering. Recovery involves a personal recognition of the need for change and transformation. Recovery is holistic. Recovery has cultural dimensions. Recovery exists on a continuum of improved health and wellness. Recovery is supported by peers and allies. Recovery emerges from hope and gratitude. Recovery involves a process of healing and self-redefinition. Recovery involves addressing discrimination and transcending shame and stigma. Recovery involves (re)joining and (re)building a life in the community. Recovery is a reality. It can, will, and does happen. Taken from https://ncadd.org//recovery-definit/definition-of-recovery

A long read with some very real numbers. http://www.camh.ca//P/addictionmentalhealthstatistics.aspx

So, chances are that you are reading this because some part of your life, or someone you knows is out of control. Thanks for taking the first step. Its a brave thing youve just done. It gets easier from here on with some help. People come to counselling for a number of reasons -- To offload their thoughts and issues, to solve a specific issue, to improve their current circumstances, to cope better with life, to explore their inner selves, to cope with anxious thoughts and f...eelings, to gain greater self awareness, to improve their relationships with others, and to move forward if they are feeling stuck. Talking openly in a safe environment can help you begin to piece together the parts of you that are most important and it can allow you to become more self aware. Added awareness can often lead to us wanting to make positive changes and sometimes, the very smallest of change can have great effects. . For more see my website http://www.recoverycounselling.com

Here is a quote from Terry Kellogg that I really like that hits the nail on the head in my opinion "Addiction is a pathological,recurring relationship with any mood-altering event, experience, person or thing that causes major life problems. The addiction isnt because of the substance,experience,person or thing.It is the relationship with the substance that goes awry. There is nothing wrong with banana cream pie, sex or alcohol,the relationship with these is what becomes pathological.

Why Counselling? Are you facing circumstances that are causing stress, anxiety, or frustration? Are you challenged by family issues such as marriage, parenting or financial pressures? Do you often find yourself feeling angry, sad, afraid, out of control, burned out, tired, or depressed?... Do you want to change the way you behave or think, but find it hard to follow through? Are you going through a difficult life transition, such as the death of a loved one, job loss or a serious illness? Do you find it hard to overcome past hurts or painful memories? Have you experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as abuse, violence or other injury? Are you addicted to something that you cant seem to quit no matter how hard you try? Are you generally dissatisfied with your life but cant figure out why? If you answered "YES" to any of the above questions, counselling may be an opportunity for you to overcome barriers that are keeping you from being the person you want to be. For More info see my website http://www.recoverycounselling.com

I was visiting in a care home some time ago, and happened to be there in the late afternoon. At 4:00 pm the residents come down or are brought down to the Lounge for Happy Hour drinks before dinner. One old fellow in a wheelchair was there spot on at four asking for his Scotch quite vocally. After the first request went un-answered, he got louder and more insistent. By the third request he was getting belligerent and abusive shortly thereafter he was trying to get out of h...is wheelchair to go fetch it for himself. Does he have a drinking problem? Possibly. Is he an alcoholic? I couldnt say really. Solely based on his behaviour however, I would not want to be the staff member who one day might have to tell him that he couldnt have his drink.

On November 15th, 1995 , I walked into an AA meeting in a church basement in Victoria BC. By the time I got there I was convinced beyond any doubt that I had a drinking problem. The problem was, there was never enough to drink, and that once I started drinking I didnt seem to know how to stop. I dont remember much about that night, but I do remember the guy that sat beside me asked me if it was my first time there, I said yes, he said, You look like shit. He was right. I k...new that I was in the right place, and with people who understood. Now, on November 15th, 2015 twenty years of continuous sobriety has gone by. Many times along the way I have heard myself say, this is the toughest thing I have ever done. Then, having done whatever the toughest thing was at the time, the reward was equally commensurate. I learned I sucked at a lot of things, relationships with other people in particular. Alcoholism is a very self-centered disease. I was a prick, to put it bluntly. Life didnt get any easier, in fact it got a lot worse, the coping mechanisms that I had used for years suddenly werent available any more. I had to learn how to live without drinking to prop myself up. I also learned that I had to try and clean up some of the emotional carnage I had inflicted on those around me. My family in particular bore the brunt of it. What changed slowly over time was my outlook and attitude. I didnt want to be that guy anymore. I have to come to like myself after all this time. It sounds clich, but I like the guy in the mirror now. As part of lifes new plan for me, I went back to University and learned to channel my skills and experience to help others who are now where I was then, with empathy and understanding. Life got better. Period.

Suicide and suicide prevention need to be talked about.This was written just a few weeks ago... I lost my nephew Mark to depression this past weekend. The shock of it came out of nowhere. This is a phone call that no one expects or can be prepared for in any way. He was a bright, young man, knew where he was going and had mapped out how he was going to get there. His career had been planned in his mind since he was a small boy, he knew that he wanted to be a soldier. He had... his life and his career stretching out in front of him, it was going according to his plan, and it was good This past weekend The Darkness got him, and now he is gone. Today his parents are doing what no parent should have to do, making plans to bury their child, though now a man. I wish I had been able to tell him youre not alone and you are loved, and this isnt the end, you can look back at all of this as just a speed bump in your life. I would also have told him I know The Darkness, I have felt it and heard it call my name too. As it turned out for me, it was just a speed bump on my lifes path. Life got better. See more

Recovery Counselling turns 5 this month. Im thankful for the people who have put their trust in me to help them.

My website has been rather static for a while now, so a change was in order. Have a look at the newest incarnation of my work site www.recoverycounselling.com My principal areas of practice are: addictions, anxiety and depression and loss and grief. I wanted to place more emphasis on these specific areas. I believe the new site layout serves that need. -John

1. Do you believe that real recovery is possible? 2.What would real recovery look like to you? 3. What are you wiling to do to get it?... John.

The Definition of Addiction The DSM, (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) (DSM-IV) says that addiction, or dependence, is present in an individual who demonstrates any combination of four or more of the following symptoms: Preoccupation with use of the chemical between periods of use. Using more of the chemical than had been anticipated.... The development of tolerance to the chemical in question. A characteristic withdrawal syndrome from the chemical. Use of the chemical to avoid or control withdrawal symptoms. Repeated efforts to cut back or stop the drug use. Intoxication at inappropriate times (such as at work), or when withdrawal interferes with daily functioning (such as when hangover makes person too sick to go to work). A reduction in social, occupational or recreational activities in favor of further substance use. Continued substance use in spite of the individual having suffered social, emotional, or physical problems related to drug use. Typically, tolerance is prominent and a withdrawal syndrome frequently occurs when substance use is interrupted. The life of the addict may be dominated by substance use to the virtual exclusion of all other activities and responsibilities. The term addiction also conveys the sense that such substance use has a detrimental effect on society, as well as on the individual; when applied to the use of alcohol, it is equivalent to alcoholism. Addiction is a term of long-standing and variable usage. It is regarded by many as a discrete disease entity, a debilitating disorder rooted in the pharmacological effects of the drug, which is remorselessly progressive. The Definition of Substance Abuse Some people arent addicted to drugs or alcohol, but abuse them. The American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV) definition of substance abuse is at least one of the following four criteria. Continued use despite social or interpersonal problems. Repeated use resulting in failure to fulfill obligations at work, school, or home. Repeated use resulting in physically hazardous situations. Use resulting in legal problems. Here is a quote from Terry Kellogg that I really like that hits the nail on the head in my opinion. Addiction is a pathological,recurring relationship with any mood-altering event, experience, person or thing that causes major life problems. The addiction isnt because of the substance,experience,person or thing.It is the relationship with the substance that goes awry.There is nothing wrong with banana cream pie, sex or alcohol,the relationship with these is what becomes pathological.

The holidays arent about tidings of comfort and joy for a lot of people The holidays do not automatically take away feelings of aloneness, sadness, frustration, anger, and fear. Being face to face with change is a harsh at this time of year. Remembering better times, people no longer here, relationships past, and goals and ambitions not met. For many this is just a tough time. Loss and grief issues are triggered. Family dysfunction comes into much sharper focus. Addictive behaviors and acting out flare up. Finally, try and be kind to yourself and others.

Nov 15,1995 odaat!

I just found this, and it sums things up beautifully. It is by Sally Brampton from her book on her struggle with depression..."Shoot the Damm Dog:A Memoir of Depression" "The best therapy seems to me to lie in being understood, or in sharing with another human being our most unmanageable emotions.The central idea is that we are all fragile, faulty and flawed in some way, that no single one of us is exempt from difficult feelings, is for me the most reassuring form of therapy, and the best and most precious communication of them all".