PEP Society offers a unique service in the field of Addictions and Recovery, addressing a need in an underserved community; not those with living addictions, but their loved ones—the family and friends who often bear the overlooked impact of an individual’s struggle with addiction.
When a Family Support Worker, a Probation Officer, and a mother whose son was using methamphetamine founded PEP Society in 2004, they recognized a felt need and sought to address it. There were many fine organizations available to individuals living with addiction—AHS’s many resources, Our House Addiction Recovery Centre, and Area 78 Alcoholics Anonymous to name only a few—all of which offered support and guidance on managing addiction. But few organizations existed to offer the same to parents, siblings, spouses, grandparents, or friends. Addiction is an illness that spreads from an individual through the closest people to them. Both need support, resources, and professionally facilitated coping strategies. That’s where Family Recovery comes in.
Family Recovery groups offer professionally-facilitated resources and education regarding addictions and recovery while fostering a supportive place for family, friends, and caregivers. It is a place where people can find empathy from others who have experienced similar things, and be reminded that while their experiences may be unique, they are not unheard of; in fact, their experiences are much more common than they may realize, and that realization is a vital component of the Family Recovery process. PEP Society advocates and participates in the community to ensure that stigma, an obstacle that can stand in the way of holistic recovery, can be overcome.
Family Recovery means changing the way we understand addiction and increasing awareness of the ripple effects that travel far beyond the individuals living with it.
If someone you know is struggling with addiction, there is help for you too. Learn more about us at PEPSociety.ca.
“Our focus will steadfastly remain on prioritizing family wellness, advocating for their right to recovery, and ensuring that families are never again seen as mere adjuncts in the recovery narrative but as central figures in our quest for holistic health and healing.”
-Lerena Greig, Executive Director of PEP Society
