Therapeutic Community Recovery Method

This training course will provide you with a certificate in the Therapeutic Community Recovery Method recognized by the Canadian Federation of Therapeutic Communities Association. 

In 2007, the Nanaimo Region John Howard Society developed and implemented Guthrie Therapeutic Community at the Nanaimo Correctional Centre. The Guthrie Therapeutic Community is a minimum, four-month residential substance abuse treatment program that started by housing up to 30 adult males. Now in 2013, Guthrie has 65 residents in the program making this the fastest growing treatment program in the province.

Recognizing the need and the success of our Therapeutic Community Recover Method, in 2011 we opened the Vancouver Island Therapeutic Community. In 2012, Guthrie program received a Premier’s Award for Innovation and Excellence. In the past few years, Nanaimo Region John Howard Society has been contacted by numerous other organizations to share our successful model which prompted us to develop this training program.

Our objective is to train individuals from diverse backgrounds to become leaders and key agents of change in the treatment of addiction.

If you are a drug and alcohol practitioner, policy maker, or an organizational leader interested in learning further as to how you can develop a therapeutic community in your area, this course is for you!

Nanaimo John Howard Society is a member of the Canadian Federation of the Therapeutic Communities Association. A consortium of treatment centres and drug and alcohol service organizations, provide an array of integrated services for those with substance use and mental health disorders. Nanaimo Region John Howard Society has developed a comprehensive model of the “community as method” approach based on world-wide best practices and direct experience developing and implementing an award winning Therapeutic Community.

What you will learn?

• Understanding what a Therapeutic Community is and what makes it effective
• Learning the tools of treatment and how to adapt them to any population
• Create a Therapeutic Community environment as a practice model
• Understanding the power of treatment groups and their impact to the change process
• Recognizing the importance of culture and healing
• Understanding community as change agent

Through experiential learning this course teaches the basic components and concepts of the Therapeutic Community Recovery Method. With the use of written materials, role play, and group exercises, instructors lead training participants through the experience of the Therapeutic Community environment, stimulating a thorough understanding of its’ practice, and with the skills to immediately apply the Therapeutic Community model to your existing practice or create a Therapeutic Community in your area.

Our Instructors:

Dana Young

Dana has been working in the corrections field for 25 years with the Nanaimo Region John Howard Society and working with addiction issues with multi-barriered individuals. Dana has facilitated many training programs delivered to a broad audience from clients to policy makers and delivered train the trainers programs. Dana has been a presenter at the BC Medical Healthcare Conference as an expert in Therapeutic Communities. Dana received training in 2006 to become certified as a Therapeutic Community practitioner. Dana remains current in her field by accessing relevant training in addictions certification.

France Tellier

France has worked in the Social Services field for over 30 years focusing primarily on program development and research. France has developed award winning forensics programs and is a co-developer of the award winning Therapeutic Community model in place since 2007.

Our guiding philosophy is to:

• Promote and uphold the highest ethical and professional standards of addiction treatment
• Comply with national and international standards of the Therapeutic Community model

This training course will provide you with a certificate in the Therapeutic Community Recovery Method recognized by the Canadian Federation of Therapeutic Communities Association.