Latest news with #addictionrecovery
CTV News
6 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
B.C. biker clubhouse to become centre for addiction, mental health recovery
A former clubhouse for biker gangs on Vancouver Island is being transformed into a wellness centre. A building in Langford, B.C., once occupied by biker gangs is being transformed into a wellness centre for people recovering from addiction and mental illness. The building was previously used by the Savages Motorcycle Club, and before that, the Devil's Army — both of which police say are tied to the Hells Angels. The clubhouse went on the market last year, after it was raided by police during a drug trafficking and organized crime investigation. About two weeks ago, the Construction Federation of BC (CFBC) bought the property for $1.1 million. '(We're) basically taking the building from notorious to glorious,' said CFBC executive director Abigail Fulton. CFBC is a charity dedicated to supporting people in the construction industry. It plans on turning the space into a wellness hub for tradespeople, called The Forge. 'The building becomes a refuge, a place of hope and wellness for the community,' Fulton said. CFBC needs to fundraise $500,000 to refurbish the building and expand its footprint, she said. It's anticipated renovations will be completed by next summer. 'It's been a couple of decades where the neighbors have been pretty disappointed about the things that were happening at this facility, and now we get to change that script,' said CFBC philanthropy director Mike Manhas. Once the centre opens, the plan is to offer peer support, clinical counsellors, recovery coaching, and a social club. The Forge's services will not include treatment beds or harm reduction services. 'People get sent to treatment, get released, go back into the community and large numbers relapse,' Manhas said. 'When you've gone through the harm reduction piece — (and) there are lots of people providing those services — our job is to provide that recovery piece that no one's providing.' Manhas will help run the centre's programs, alongside carpenter and CFBC industry relations manager Trevor Bodkin. Both men are in recovery. 'The idea being that we take workers like myself with lived experience not only on the tools … but we train them in actually how to use their lived experience of mental health and substance use challenges and recovery to support other workers,' Bodkin said. The Forge team is hosting a ground breaking ceremony next Thursday.
RNZ News
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
From Maroon 5 to therapist: Ryan Dusick shares his story
Ryan Dusick achieved the teenage dream, starting a band in his garage with his mate Adam Levine that reaches superstardom. But as Maroon 5's original drummer, Dusick crashed and burned just as Maroon 5 soared. After being forced out, he spent nearly a decade lost in depression and addiction. But Ryan Dusick found a way back, earning a master's in clinical psychology and becoming a licensed therapist. Now, he helps others rebuild when their dreams fall apart with a book and podcast called Harder to Breathe. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Sense of purpose': Flagler County jail inmates foster homeless kittens
Female inmates at the Flagler County jail are fostering homeless kittens in a new program designed to benefit both the carers and the felines. Launched in early July in collaboration with the Flagler Humane Society, the kitten initiative is part of the Flagler County Sheriff's Office's Successful Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Treatment Program, or SMART, at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility. The idea is to provide a "unique therapeutic experience aimed at long-term recovery for both the kitten and the inmates," according to the Sheriff's Office. "Addiction often creates isolation and self-centered patterns," Sheriff Rick Staly said. "Fostering kittens requires empathy, structure and consistency — qualities that support recovery and rehabilitation." An inmate and kitten bond in a foster initiative launched by the Flagler Sheriff's Office's Successful Mental Health and Addiction Recovery Treatment Program in collaboration with the Flagler Humane Society. The society provides kittens for the inmates to take on feeding and socializing. Playing such critical roles in the kittens' lives gives the inmates a "sense of purpose," responsibility, emotional support and a daily routine — all of which are "key components in effective addiction treatment," according to the Sheriff's Office. The partnership stemmed from a Sheriff's Office proposal for their drug rehabilitation participants to help the society by making blankets, society Executive Director Amy Carotenuto said. "We have so many blankets donated that I asked if they would consider the kitten foster program," she said. "We always have so many orphans that our staff and volunteers are constantly taking babies home and often staying up during the night bottle feeding. ... It's a tremendous help for us and the kittens are getting spoiled and loved — and our staff is getting to sleep." Inmates at Flagler County's Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility cuddle kittens as part of a new foster program launched with the Flagler Humane Society. For more information or to adopt a kitten, contact the society at 1 Shelter Drive, Palm Coast; (386) 445-1814; or info@ or go to bcravey@ (904) 359-4109 This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Inmates and homeless kittens build new lives together in Flagler jail
CBC
22-07-2025
- CBC
Podcast of 2 friends in Sudbury, Ont., shares their story of addiction and forgiveness
Social Sharing Warning: This story includes details of intimate partner violence. Two friends from Sudbury, Ont., hope their new video podcast can show people that it's possible to come full circle from the lows of active addiction. Aptly titled Full Circle, Jamie-Lee Thibert and Melissa MacMillan talk about their unlikely friendship, with all of its ups and downs. The pair met in 2011 when Thibert was visiting her mom and heard some screaming from another apartment in the building. MacMillan said she was addicted to opioids at the time and in an abusive relationship. "There was a domestic situation between my partner and I. He hurt me pretty badly," she said. "He hit me in the head with a dresser drawer and knocked me unconscious. I was coming in and out of it. I had kind of made my way to the bathroom and started screaming." When she heard the screams, Thibert called 911. Police and paramedics arrived and brought MacMillan to the hospital. I went right from labour delivery into the mental institution. - Melissa MacMillan A few days later, after she had been discharged from the hospital, MacMillan thanked Thibert for saving her life. "Not too long after that, I guess we had become pregnant, both of us at the same time, and ended up bonding over that," Thibert said. At that time, MacMillan said, she was homeless and addicted to intravenous drugs. "So I was doing any kind of opiate pills that I could get my hands on and doing sex work in order to fuel my addiction." The bumpy road after adoption After her son Kai was born eight years ago, she said, child protection services intervened right away. "I went right from labour delivery into the mental institution," MacMillan said. Although she was a single mother with three of her own children at the time, Thibert started the process to adopt Kai. "In April of 2018, Melissa signed over full custody to me," she said. MacMillan didn't become sober until 2021. "There was that moment in the podcast where I said, like, 'Sometimes I wish you would have died in a ditch somewhere,'" Thibert said. "And that sounds cruel to say, but it would have made things so much easier because I was so terrified that she was going to come back and take my son." Thibert said the years before MacMillan's recovery were difficult. "Even though she made the decision initially, she started accusing me of stealing her baby," she said. "And she was making posts about me on social media and TikToks about me, saying really not so nice things. It took a while for her to get to the point that she is at and it's definitely a lot better now." MacMillan also has three older daughters she had to give up when she was homeless and addicted to opioids. But today, she has relationships with her children and is grateful to the people, including Thibert, who took over their care. "If I didn't have these amazing people around me who protected my children from me and from my addiction, my girls would not be as well rounded as they are today," she said. "They all struggle. It's probably not easy being a kid in 2025. But considering their history, considering what they went through, there are very well-rounded kids." MacMillan said there are households across Canada with similar stories, and hopes she can help address the stigma that addicted mothers face. "I try to tell people, that like, the person you were when you made those choices is not the person you are now in recovery and you can't live the rest of your life with this guilt," she said. "And if other people have opinions as to what you did in the deepest, darkest, most debilitating mental health crisis a human can go through, if they wanna judge you because of that, most of the time it's a projection."
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ben Cousins shows off some VERY rare photos of him with his kids on a wild Aussie holiday
Ben Cousins might find himself fielding AFL contract offers from battlers like St Kilda if he is not careful, after his latest Instagram post showed the former West Coast star looking shredded while taking a break with his children. Cousins' battles with addiction have been well documented since they became public in 2007 after a series of off-field incidents, including arrests and suspensions. He was suspended from the AFL in 2007 and returned in 2009 to play two seasons with Richmond before retiring. Cousins faced numerous legal issues between 2010 and 2019, including drug possession, breaching restraining orders, and stalking, which led to multiple jail sentences. He was last jailed in 2019 but had all outstanding charges cleared by the end of that year. Since then, Cousins' fight against drug addiction has seen him make a comeback that has completely turned his life around. While the 47-year-old tends to keep his private life out of the spotlight these days, he recently shared happy snaps from a visit to the north of Western Australia on holiday with his young family. Cousins travelled to Kimberley Sands Resort in Broome with his two children Angelique, 11, and Bobby, 13, from his previous relationship with their mother Maya. Cousins was also joined on a cruise by a host of other A-list Australian celebrities, including radio presenter Fifi Box, former host of The Project Carrie Bickmore, and former West Coast Eagles teammate Chris Judd and his wife Bec Judd. 'Holidays up North… even better than I remembered,' he posted. 'Great stay Kimberley Sands Resort, already planning a trip back.' While many footy fans remember the sad and alarming images of an emaciated and bearded Cousins during his addiction battle, he looked a picture of health on his family holiday. With a ripped physique that would put many current players to shame, he engaged in a series of wholesome activities with his children including fishing, swimming, and a helicopter ride across the WA terrain. Cousins has previously been busy with his media duties and appearance on Dancing With The Stars. Normally a very private person, Cousins was happy to pose and smile for photos on his journey with his son and daughter 'Benny, you're a f***ing legend brother,' one commented. 'Every single person in Australia is happy to see you up and about my brother. You are a true inspiration and a true Aussie. 'Congratulations on the new life and enjoy every second.' 'So proud of you Ben, every time I see your smiling face it is just lit up with joy,' another posted. 'Love seeing you happy and love listening to you every morning on the radio - this is what we always dreamed of for you. Looks like an awesome trip.' Since turning his life around, Ben Cousins has taken significant steps to rebuild both his career and reputation. He returned to football in a community role with the West Coast Eagles, helping promote youth development and engagement. Later, he began coaching the Perth Demons' under-19 colts team, contributing to the next generation of local players. Cousins has also re-entered the media, taking on roles as a football analyst and more recently as a co-host on a Perth breakfast radio show.
