Barbara Latkowski
Caledonia Courier
“Your Recovery Journey”, is a mental health program currently being offered in Fort St. James for anyone recovering from mental health issues and/or addictions.
The 10 free interactive weekly sessions offer participants the skills, knowledge and support they need in their road to recovery and also how to build new life skills.
“This is a much needed service,” said Kim Slorstad, one of the program facilitators. “When people get out of the hospital, they don’t know where to turn and what services are available to them.”
Slorstad, who represents the BC Schizophrenic Society, is facilitating the program with Greg Kovacs, one of the founders of Healthy Minds Peer Support in Fort St. James.
“It’s all about making people aware,” Kovacs said. “The Journey to Recovery Program will help them work with their service councillors more effectively and will help make their therapy better.”
Session topics include: a definition of recovery, quality of life, self-management, medication as a recovery tool, and moving forward: personal action planning.
Kovacs began the Healthy Minds Peer Support Program to help people avoid feelings of isolation and to offer them a place to socialize.
“I really believe in the power of peer support. People dealing with mental health issues or addiction are often isolated. So for us, it was all about socialization. That was the motive,” Kovacs said.
And the motive remains the same at the Your Recovery Journey Program which will also offer participants the support they need along with valuable advice for those currently in recovery.
“I hope that this can help people feel empowered so that they can then take an active role in their recovery,” Kovacs said.
The program began on Oct. 12 and will be held every Wednesday after for 10 weeks at 7:00 p.m. at the Stuart Lake Hospital Conference Room. All are invited.
For more information, contact Kim at: (250) 996-2233 or Greg at: (250) 996-8827.
