Stabilization offers help and hope for men in recovery

The Ottawa Mission offers a unique program to men in our community dealing with drug and alcohol addiction. The Stabilization program has 13 beds in a separate corner of our shelter for those who want to maintain abstinence, stabilize their lives, and develop a healthier lifestyle.

We see people from all walks of life come into this program. Doug is someone in Stabilization this month. At 61, he’s had lots of life experience, including a 35 year career with Canada’s Coast Guard. He also spent many summers out West on his grandfather’s farm and these days, enjoys helping one of his farmer friends south of Ottawa on the weekends. But alcohol was taking over his life. Doug lives alone and he says everything came to head a few weeks ago when he landed in the hospital and doctors told him his liver was in distress.

With the help of an addictions counsellor, Doug and others in Stabilization are offered support to develop a treatment plan that will help them reach their recovery goals. Doug will soon move into our LifeHouse residential treatment program next to The Ottawa Mission and work on long term sobriety. For now, he says he enjoys the group dynamics in Stabilization which allow him to meet others on a recovery journey and feel supported as well as support them.

Doug would like to thank people in the community who support The Ottawa Mission and its programs like Stabilization, which has given him the help to move forward with renewed hope and health.