the archway Celebrating 20 years of hope & recovery | spring 2019 newsletter
in this issue 2
the forward Meet our Clinical Director The Strength of Adeara's Clinical Team
4
a spotlight on Our Fantastic Clinical Team
6
tales of hope Jocelan's Story Sign up for our e-Newsletter
7
8
Our Fantastic Clinical Team - continued Upcoming Events Milestones It's Time! Leap of Faith Support the Clinical Team Jump
the forward
Meet our Clinical Director Kate is our Clinical Director and has been working at Adeara for two and a half years. She has a Master of Counselling Degree through Yorkville University and is a Registered Therapist through the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. She has over twenty years of experience working in the areas of addictions, mental health, and domestic violence. Before joining Adeara, Kate worked for a well-known private treatment centre in British Columbia. She then took on the role of Domestic Violence Court Manager in 2 | the forward
Red Deer where she worked closely with the RCMP and Crown Prosecutors. She later moved to Edmonton to be closer to her son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren, who—as she will happily tell you— are the joys of her life. Kate has always had a deep passion for helping women heal from the effects of trauma, addictions, and mental health issues. When asked why she loves working at Adeara, she replied, “I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to work in a Christian environment and watch women change their lives through healing and forgiveness in Christ.”
The Strength of Adeara's Clinical Team The Clinical Team at Adeara is comprised of an amazing group of qualified professionals with a passion for seeing women who are affected by addiction, mental health issues, and trauma learn to live healthy, abundant lives in recovery.
Since mental health symptoms mimic those of addiction, it is not until the woman is stabilized (around the six-month mark) when we become more aware of these mental health issues and begin to treat accordingly.
We work from a bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective, which means we provide clinical treatment that encompasses every aspect of a woman’s life (i.e., physical, psychological, relationships, and her spiritual well-being). Our therapists/ counsellors provide individual therapy sessions where residents find a safe place to work through the life issues that led them down a pathway to addiction and trauma.
Effectively treating addiction, trauma, and mental health issues requires qualified professionals with both experience and educational knowledge. The Clinical Team at Adeara is composed of qualified therapists who can effectively deal with the many facets associated with addiction, mental health, and trauma.
In group therapy, women can share their feelings and experiences in a safe, confidential environment facilitated by two registered therapists. Both group therapy and individual sessions allow the women an opportunity to face trauma, shame, feelings of unworthiness, and unhealthy thoughts and behaviours. The therapists/counsellors also teach core programming classes, such as Staying Sober, Staying Sober Support Group, Addiction and the Brain, Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT), and Boundaries. Research in the area of substance use, trauma, and mental health in women finds that as many as twothirds of women with substance use disorders may also have a concurrent mental health problem, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, a personality disorder such as borderline personality or bipolar, or an eating disorder. Research also shows that a large proportion of women with an addiction have been victims of domestic violence, incest, rape, sexual assault, and childhood physical or sexual abuse. Sadly, the stigma associated with women’s substance abuse can cause women to experience an immense amount of shame and guilt. These feelings often become barriers that prevent women from seeking help. At Adeara, the majority of our residents not only have addictions, but they also live with trauma and mental health issues. Many of our women have process/ behaviour addictions, including gambling, disordered eating, sex & relationship addiction, compulsive shopping/buying, hoarding, and several others.
We know that the best outcomes for recovery happen through long-term counselling and programming. We see clear and significant increases in healthy thinking, behaviours, and coping strategies from the women after they have been in treatment between one year and eighteen months. The dedicated professionals on our Clinical Team are not only qualified therapists/counsellors, but they are also committed Christian women who love serving in the area of Christian counselling. •
Helping clients find healing and forgiveness through prayerful therapeutic programming, counselling, and day-to-day support is one of the greatest assets we have at Adeara.
•
Helping women develop the spiritual component of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual perspective into their lives is one of the most exciting parts of our clinical work.
•
The dramatic changes through forgiveness and healing that occur in many of our women’s lives as they develop a relationship with God are such a blessing to watch.
Thank you for continuing to invest in Adeara and in the amazing women and children who come to us for help. Thank you for partnering with us as we see lives changed and families restored. May God richly bless you! Kate Wyse, MC, CCC Clinical Director the forward | 3
a spotlight on...
Our Fantastic Clinical Team It takes courage and a strong spirit to break the cycle of addiction, trauma, and abuse, and it takes passionate and dedicated counsellors to walk our women through to recovery. Meet the Clinical Team that propels us to be the centre of excellence in addiction recovery that we are. Natasha Varma - Registered Psychologist Natasha is a Registered Psychologist who has a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology from the University of Victoria. She was a Provisional Psychologist when she first started at Adeara as an Addictions Counsellor in October 2017. Through the course of her time with us, she continued to pursue her education and training, working hard to reach her dreams. We are happy to report that Natasha has recently completed all of the requirements from the College of Alberta Psychologists and is now a Registered Psychologist. Congratulations, Natasha! We are so proud of you!
4 | spotlight
Natasha spends her days working with clients individually, facilitating group therapy, and teaching classes every week. Her passion is working in the area of trauma, and she has specialized training in EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization Restructuring). When asked why she does what she does, Natasha answered, “I am passionate about working with women and helping them come to know the love and freedom that God has for them. I also enjoy working together with other women who share the same passion and have the same heart as me.” Kyla Turner - Addictions Counsellor Before coming to Adeara, Kyla worked in Alberta Health Service’s addictions field, and in the at-risk field for seven years. She received an Honours Psychology Degree with distinction from MacEwan University in April 2018. In her degree, she completed a thesis that examines the mindsets of mental illnesses. She went on to create a
brief intervention to demonstrate that by believing mental illness can improve, it often does. She also established a Technology Addiction Measure, which is currently being utilized by Alberta Health Services. Kyla came to Adeara with a love for working with vulnerable people. Adeara appealed to her, as it is not only a faith-based organization, but it is also dedicated to providing effective addiction treatment in a long-term way. As an Addictions Counsellor, Kyla works with a regular set of clients in a one-on-one counselling role. She also teaches several courses, her favourite class being ‘Addiction and the Brain’ as she has a passion to understand mental health and addiction in relation to the functioning of our brains.
“My passion for this field is rooted in the clients themselves. Addiction forces people to face their past and their pain, which I genuinely believe is one of the hardest things someone can do. The clients inspire me with their willingness to crawl through the trenches in life, and I am honoured to crawl beside them in their battle.”
Megan Andersen - Clinical Coordinator Megan first began working at Adeara in 2016 as a Life Skills Support Worker. Then, after completing her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, she moved to the role of Office Administrator. During her time as Office Administrator, Megan assisted on everything from intake to fundraising to our accreditation process. With Megan’s expertise, Adeara not only passed the accreditation process with flying colours, but we also received four years of accreditation. This is the longest period of time an organization can receive before needing to reapply. In 2018, Megan transitioned into her new position as Clinical Coordinator. She oversees client’s daily schedules, medications, manages outcomes and assessments, accreditation, intake administration, and maintains electronic client files. She has also developed a partnership with Safeway Pharmacy to help our clients better understand their medication, and to facilitate doctors and pharmacists working together to ensure our clients are receiving ‘best practice’ care. [continued on page 7} spotlight | 5
"Drug Court may have sent me here, but Adeara saved my life." – Jocelan
tales of hope
Jocelan's Story Jocelan recently shared this testimony on the occassion of her water baptism. What a beautiful story of a changed life. Congratulations, Jocelan! _____________________ Growing up, I knew about God, but I didn’t really know Him. I remember going to church with my Grandmother and praying as a little girl, but as I grew older, things changed, and I became increasingly angry. After losing my Grandma, I turned my back on God and felt an emptiness, a void, that could not be filled. I felt so alone and desperately sought to find relief. I moved from one thing to the next, making bad choice after bad choice which spiralled out of control until I lost everything. I found myself in bondage and couldn’t find a way out. Realizing how much devastation I’d caused and how broken I was, I cried out for help.
I can’t explain what happened next, other than it was a miracle because my life began to change dramatically. Instead of having to serve up to ten years in federal prison, I was accepted into Adeara Recovery Program and found myself surrounded by women with strong faith. That’s where I found Christ. I know now that the Lord Jesus was moving in my life even before I knew Him intimately. Today, I am walking with Jesus and am asking for His will for my life. I am mending broken relationships with my beautiful kids and my family, and I’m working to give back to my community and church. I am taking responsibility for my life. I have been reborn and am finding my identity in Christ— my past no longer defines me. This is my second chance, and I’m so grateful.
Have you tried our e-Newsletter yet? If you haven't yet done so, sign up for our e-Newsletter today. With your help, we can drastically reduce our printing and postage costs. Simply email shauna@adeara.ca and say, "Yes, I want your e-Newsletter."
6 | tales of hope
Jocelan, Adeara resident
Our Fantastic Clinical Team - continued from page 5 “I think most people would be shocked to discover what it takes to support one woman in one day of recovery— the level of commitment and the teamwork required behind the scenes is incredible! Each day is different from the last, bringing new challenges to work through. Our clients definitely keep us on our toes.” When asked why she is passionate about working at Adeara, Megan answered, “Our clients are the most courageous women I’ve ever met, and it is my privilege to walk alongside them in early recovery as God directs their path.” Thank you, Ladies We are so grateful for the contribution each of you make to the success of Adeara. Thank you for your dedication and excellence!
Upcoming Events
Milestones
Katherine – 2 years in recovery Melody – 18 months in recovery Monique – 18 months in recovery Nadine – 18 months in recovery Annecia – 6 months in recovery Jocelan – 6 months in recovery
Leap of Faith Friday, June 14, 2019, at the Westlock Airport Evening of Dreams Gala Friday, October 4, 2019
Donate to Adeara today so that our mission of helping women grow forward can be realized. Amount
Payment Information
$25
$50
$100
$250
$500
$1000
Other: $ _______
Recurrence Monthly
Cheque
Visa
Mastercard
Name on Card __________________________________________________ Card Number ___________________________________________________ Expiry Date ______ /_______ Signature ______________________________
One-time
Individual gifts will be acknowledged with an official tax receipt for income purposes. Charity Number 899611032RR0001
I hereby authorize Adeara to charge my credit card as specified above. Call us at 780-423-5516 during business hours to donate by phone, or donate online at adeara.ca.
7
It's time!
LEAP OF FAITH is on JUNE 14, 2019 | DONATE TODAY— adearaleapoffaith.org
Support our Clinical Team at Leap of Faith On Friday, June 14th, the 'Clinical Chicks' (Natasha, Kyla, and Megan) will be participating in the 6th Annual Leap of Faith skydiving event. Not only do they believe whole-heartedly in the mission and vision of Adeara Recovery Centre, but they are willing to jump out of an airplane to prove it. That's what we call putting faith into action!
Please give today to the 'Clinical Chicks' jump campaign. www.adearaleapoffaith.org/fundraiser/2096630
The goal of the Clinical Team is to raise $7,500, and our overall fundraising goal is to raise $125,000. All donations over $20 are tax deductible. THANK YOU for helping us empower healing in the lives of women and their families!
Scan & connect to our Social Media world!
Phone: 780-423-5516 | Fax: 780-429-1090 | office@adeara.ca | Follow us @adeararecovery
Donor Information
With an act of giving, you ensure that families can grow forward. Thank you. Individual gifts will be acknowledged with an official tax receipt for income purposes. Charity Number 899611032RR0001
Full Name________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________ City_____________________________________________________ Province_______________________ Postal Code________________ Telephone_______________________________________________ Email___________________________________________________ Yes, sign me up for the e-Newsletter! Box 68169, 162 Bonnie Doon Centre, Edmonton, Alberta T6C 4N6
8
