Recovery Coach Training in the Yukon News
by Jim Elliot, Editor,
Yukon News
When it comes to assisting those grappling with substance abuse, there’s strength in numbers. That’s why training conducted the week of July 15 that will help the Yukon’s roster of certified recovery coaches swell from two to more than 20 is so vital.
Gathered in a meeting room at the Yukon Inn to hear from British Columbia-based trainers Kevin Diakiw and Shelley Shadow were Yukoners from across the territory — some with their own personal history with addiction and all eager to help those still struggling.
The training, facilitated through the organization Still Here, was brought to the territory by Desiree Blackjack and Thay K’i Anint’i (Fly Like and Eagle) a Yukon-based organization aimed at offering a safe space and assistance for those at any stage of recovery or the healing journey. Bringing the training to the Yukon was one of nine community projects assisted this spring with funding from the territorial government’s Crime Prevention and Victim Services Trust.
“This is a new network for Yukon. Not only are we recovery coaches, but we can also be a network in helping each other in our communities to build aftercare,” Blackjack said to the room full of recovery coach trainees on July 19.
Blackjack explained that Thay K’i Anint’i has been active in six Yukon communities so far with upcoming work in Ross River planned. She described gatherings and workshops with a focus on tools for recovery and healing.
“I would have really loved to do recovery coaching but I was the only one. Now we have a room full, so it would be really nice if we were going to a community and we needed a recovery coach, if one of you guys were available, we could just call on you guys,” Blackjack said.
The coaches were offered opportunities for further training and mentorship on the way to a variety of certifications. Blackjack was enthusiastic about getting the group of newly-minted recovery coaches together for the training.
Diakiw and Shadow explained that the recovery coaches can act as an “extended warranty for treatment” by being among those greeting and supporting people returning from Outside treatment to their communities. It’s different from inpatient treatment or an addiction counsellor, offering additional guidance to a sober path that’s right for each individual.
With plenty of skills on board over the past week, a large part of the July 19 training session dealt with how the coaches can take care of themselves doing the difficult work of helping with recovery.
Among those who took the training were Brian Isaac and “Wylie” who also uses his Inuktitut name Ip̀luq.
Wylie, who has had his own troubles with addiction in the past, sees the value in the services he’s training to provide for those returning home from treatment. He said it offers an additional layer of support to those given by family and formal substance-use counselling.
“If I had these services, back three or four treatment centres ago, it would have had a better impact on my own sobriety because I would have had something to look forward to, to learn for the next week or the next couple weeks, and it would have like inspired me to remain on the sober path so I could attend such workshops,” he said.
Isaac, a Pelly Crossing resident, described the amount he learned over the week of training as “overwhelming.”
“I think that it's the right time that we all come together now, because the communities were so, so spread, apart and individualized, but I feel now that we're coming together and we know our people, we're first hand in our communities. I think this is going to be a real breakthrough for the people who really need help in our communities,” he said.
Isaac said he sees the importance of those who have had their own addiction issues helping those more recently seeking sobriety and of Indigenous people in the Yukon situating recovery within their own cultures.
“I learned a lot about how to be able to deal with people while they're coming out from their treatment centres, and what to be able to do when they want to get a plan to maintain their sobriety when they leave the treatment,” Wylie said. He described learning how to provide people with strategies on maintaining their sobriety and dealing with stress.
“I went to treatment before, and when they were trying to teach me a different culture, I kind of got really mixed up and frustrated, because I need to learn my culture first, my identity. And each person here has their identity,” he added.
At the July 19 session, Blackjack also informed the coaches in training about Thay K’i Anint’i and its weekly group programming gatherings and on the land cultural groups including gatherings for families.
She also discussed a “relay for hope” event aimed at raising awareness for those lost to addiction that is scheduled for Aug. 30.
At an associated healing retreat, Blackjack said it is expected that an update on the substance use state of emergency the territory faces will be provided by government officials.
Contact Jim Elliot at jim.elliot@yukon-news.com