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Recovery program reaches out to community

The new Healing Choices Recovery Group, organized by Ruth & Naomi's Mission, will run Tuesday evenings at Evergreen Hall, beginning Jan. 12.
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The new Healing Choices Recovery Group

Ruth and Naomi's (RAN) Mission are starting a new recovery program.

The Healing Choices Recovery Group will provide a safe and confidential place for adults to find support and recovery from any of life's hurts, habits, hang-ups and addictions.

"It's basically a safe place for the people within the community to gather and connect together in order to form supportive relationships with one another," said program manager Steve Rowley.

Open share support groups will be available for chemical dependency, codependency, mood disorders (depression, anxiety), anger issues, eating disorders, pornography or gambling addictions, or any other life-controlling issues.

"We thought it would be a good idea to take some of the issues that we deal with in our residential recovery centre and open them up to the public," Rowley said.

"Many people are leading quiet lives of desperation."

There are similar faith-based recovery support groups facilitated through local churches, but it can be difficult for people to admit their addictions or frailties to the church that they regularly attend.

"Having it at a neutral location - Evergreen Hall - might be more appealing to those who need help, so they don't have to worry about their security or confidentiality," RAN executive director Bill Raddatz explained.

The drop-in sessions will run weekly until June. The first half of each session will a include faith-based lesson of a particular recovery principle or step, with males and females in a combined group.

The second half of each session will break into gender and issue-specific open share support groups, facilitated by group leaders. According to Raddatz, the various "focus group" topics will be developed with some flexibility over the first few weeks, depending on the need.

If participants require additional help, RAN will act as a conduit to connect them with a suitable program.

The recovery group runs on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 in the Slesse Room at Evergreen Hall (9291 Corbould St), beginning Jan. 12.

To learn more about this program, contact Ruth and Naomi's Mission at 604-795-2322 or visit www.Facebook.com/RANhealingchoices.