Episodes
-
Alex's Story
In today's episode, Blake has the honour of speaking with Alex, a celebrated Hip Hop artist, mural artist, storyteller and educator. Alex touches upon his family's generational trauma and battles with addiction. Alex's story is one of healing, discovering his culture and tradition, and learning...
-
Leeroy's Story
In today's episode, Blake sits down with Leeroy, a renowned singer-songwriter who shares his challenges with addiction and navigating those waters in the music industry. Leeroy talks about the challenges that he had to work through once sober and the work he continues to do 17 years later.
-
Nic's Story
In today's episode, Blake sits down with Nic, who shares how he and his brother fell from a life of adolescent partying into a life of addiction. Nic shares how a brief period of homelessness gave him the desire to make a change once and for all. Nic also speaks to his role in the field as a...
-
Stephanie's Story
In today's episode, Blake sits down with Stephanie who tells her story of resilience as she faced and overcame her challenges with mental health and addiction in her youth. Stephanie sheds light on how hard it can be to be facing such profound challenges at such a young age.
-
Barb's Story
In today's episode, Blake sits down with Barb who shares her unique recovery experience. Barb is an example of how addiction can take hold of anyone at any stage of life and how individual one's road to recovery can be.
-
Jeff's Story
In today's episode, Blake sits down with Jeff who shares his story of overcoming his battle with addiction and mental health, and how near death experiences drove him towards a life of recovery and gratitude.
-
Derek's Story
In today's podcast, Blake sits down with Derek, a participant in this year's Recovery Campaign and a team member of the Umbrella Society. Derek talks about how he overcame his will to use and the challenges he had to change his way of thinking surrounding his substance use.
-
Kevin's Story
In today's episode, Blake sits down with Kevin who shares a story of overcoming adversity and a family history of addiction to find a rewarding life in recovery. Kevin's story is an incredibly inspiring example of forgiveness, acceptance and how someone can find unique ways to maintain their...
-
Darryl's Story
In the season 3 opener, Blake sits down with Darryl, a member of this year's Recovery Campaign. Darryl shares his story of how addiction took hold of himself and his wife and threatened the survival of their family. In his courageous recovery journey, Darryl speaks to the importance of continuing...
-
Steven's Story
In today's episode, and our Season Finale, we speak with Steven as he tells his story of his alcohol and drug addiction growing up in the streets of Glasgow as well as his recovery journey which found him in Victoria, working in the field of addiction as a drug and alcohol counsellor.
-
Amy's Story
In today's episode we sit down with Amy, another strong woman and mother in recovery. Amy shares a challenging and heart wrenching story of recovery and the work put in to stop the family cycle of addiction.
-
Stefanie's Story
In today's episode, we sit down with Stefanie who has a personal recovery journey full of resiliency and self actualization. Stefanie shares insights on the current state of our community as her desire to give back and help those in addiction has seen her support a wide spectrum of individuals.
-
Alysha's Story
In this episode, Blake sits down with Alysha as she shares her struggles with alcohol and her conviction to enter recovery for the well being of her son. Alysha touches upon the hereditary aspect of addiction and her effort to break the cycle.
-
Scott's Story
Today, Blake talks to Scott, a Foundation House alumni who experienced a unique and challenging recovery journey. Scott dives into the interventions and supports which helped him achieve his goals in recovery.
-
Bill's Story and Intensive Journaling
In this episode, Blake sits down with Bill, the enigmatic facilitator of the Intensive Journaling program offered at Umbrella. Bill shares the profound impact that the Intensive Journaling process had on him and how he has adapted the program to meet the needs of individuals struggling with...
-
Kristin's Story
In today's episode, the last episode of 2023, Blake sits down with Kristin, a member of our board and a member of this year's recovery campaign. Kristin shares her story along with some thoughts on substance use in the trades and systemic changes that need to happen to better support those...
-
Eileen's Story
In this episode, Blake speaks with Eileen as she shares her story about growing up with addiction in her family and how it shaped her substance use challenges. Eileen's story is one of resiliency, self-discovery and transformation.
-
Dawn's Story
In today's episode, Blake sits down with Dawn, the co-founder of She Recovers Foundation, a nonprofit grassroots movement helping women seeking recovery from substance use disorders, mental health challenges and other life challenges. Dawn shares her inspiring personal story of recovery and how...
-
Doctor Doug
In today's podcast, Blake speaks with Dr. Doug McGhee, and Addictions Doctor who is a vital piece to the Addictions Medicine Consult Service at both Royal Jubilee and Victoria General Hospital . Doug looks back on his years building a street youth clinic in Victoria, the inception of AMCS and how...
-
Stephanie's Story
In today's episode, we chat with Stephanie who tells us about her journey of entering recovery and facing her substance use challenges at the young age of 19. Stephanie speaks to the power of connection and the importance of having fun in recovery.
-
Lance's Story
In today's episode, we talk to Lance and hear how one can discover recovery after over 30 years of substance misuse. Lance's unique and powerful story reminds us to never give up hope on someone's ability to recover from a life of addiction.
-
Conor's Story
In this first episode of the season 2, we talk with Conor, one of the members of this year's Recovery Campaign. Conor speaks about his personal recovery journey as well as his work in the field.
-
Meaghan's Story
In the season finale of Comfortably UnNumb, Blake invites Meaghan onto the program to speak to her success in achieving over 15 years of recovery. Meaghan's story involves years of not truly coming to terms with her addiction until the challenges with her substance use became insurmountable. The...
-
Trevor's Story
In today's episode, Blake speaks with Trevor Botkin, the gregarious Executive Director of Hero Works Victoria as Trevor tells his inspiring story of recovery. Trevor is one who knows first hand how hard it is to reach out for help when working in the trades where personal problems aren't…
more -
Brianna's Story
Today's podcast features Brianna, a member of our amazing admin team as she sheds light on a debilitating condition she suffers from called Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) which in essence is an aggressive allergy to build up of THC in the system. Despite the profound health impacts of…
more -
Emmett & Zack's Story
In this week's podcast, we dive into the subject of process or behavioural addictions with Emmett and Zack, the cofacilitators of Umbrella's Behavioural Addictions Support Group. Emmett and Zack use a combination of lived experience and post secondary expertise to tackle not only process…
more -
Rebecca's Story
In this episode, Blake speaks with Rebecca, a strong role model for women in recovery. She works as part of our hospital program on the Addiction Medical Consult Service, she is the cofacilitator of Umbrella's own Women's Group, and represents Umbrella as a voice of recovery at community events....
-
James' Story
Episode 5 features our third and final instalment of our series highlighting Foundation House, our 2nd stage recovery house for men. Today we're talking to James, our current senior resident at Foundation House. James' story is one of redemption as he navigated multiple relapses and setbacks in…
more -
Matt's Story
Join Blake as he sits down with Matt to discuss his unique recovery story and success found through Umbrella Society's Foundation House. This is the second instalment of a 3 part series celebrating Foundation House through the success stories of residents and alumni.
-
Erik's Story
This latest podcast is the first of three in a series showcasing Foundation House, Umbrella Society's 2nd stage recovery house for men. We explore the merits of this program through the stories of three individuals who have found long term recovery through their experience at the house. In this...
-
Brae's Story
Brae has genuine star quality. When she speaks, people listen. Brae is a strong advocate for recovery as well as LGBTQIA2+ and a top notch hair stylist. Brae shares her story of recovery through the lens of transition, growth and advocacy. Brae’s story is one of resilience and perseverance as she...
-
Evan's Story
Blake sits down with Evan James as he shares his story of addiction, recovery and living a new life