Life Unscripted - Stories of Mental Health and Addiction

Mental health crises rarely start as an “emergency” and that’s exactly why people need clear options before things hit the breaking point. Kristen Diel, Clinical Director of Operations at Canadian Mental Health Association Niagara, talks about what supports  CMHA offers, from no charge same day counselling to the Mobile Crisis Rapid  Response Team, which pairs a police officer and a social worker to respond to emergency calls.

A two-and-a-half-year wait for youth mental health care can turn a manageable struggle into a crisis. Angela Simo Brown, President & CEO,  of Capitalize for Kids, talks about a different way to tackle the problem: not just raising money, but bringing pro bono business and technology expertise into child and youth mental health agencies to remove bottlenecks, reduce paperwork, and help clinicians spend more time with kids and families.For more information go to: https://capitalizeforkids.org/

Cassidy McKinnon shares what it looks like to transition from male to female in your 50s. Cassidy talks about how she slowly made the transition to ensure her wife, and especially her little girl, were OK. How the depression she'd been living since she was a teenager suddenly lifted once she began hormones. Cassidy's message to others thinking of or in the process of tranisitioning: Don't rush and be patient with yourself and others.

Former Ontario member of parliament Lisa McLeod has always talked openly about her depression and living with bipolar 1 disorder. She now shares regularly on Substack in Diary of a Bipolar Wandering Woman.  In this episode Janice and Lisa have an open conversation about what it's like to live with bipolar 1 and some ideas on how to bring calm into sometimes chaotic days.

What if the most dangerous sports hits aren’t the ones you see on highlight reels?  U.S. bobsled Olympian William Person was on the team for 9 years and he experienced G-forces, track vibration, and micro-concussions that left him with dementia-like symptons from a chronic brain injury - Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Person uses a hyperbaric oxygen chamber - HBOT- to help with symptons, a treatment pioneered by football great Joe Namath.  CTE is also a common injury for the military exposed to bombs and the G force from fighter jets. Person talks about CTE and his campaign to raise money for a HBOT centre that would be available to any person with CTE.https://www.gofundme.com/f/cte-recovery-for-athletes-and-military

The Consumption and Treatment Services location in Niagara may have to close because a school is opening close to the site. Evidence shows that consumption sites save lives, including 1,500 in Niagara since it opening in 2018. Recent provincial policy has mandated that a CTE can't be near a school even if it is already in the location. It also can't relocate so the Niagara CTE will have to close it's doors.https://positivelivingniagara.com/streetworks/consumption-treatment-services/

Recovery feels different when someone who has walked the same road shows you where the ground is solid. We sit down with peer supporter Chantel Bellingham to unpack how lived experience can cut through shame and build trust fast.Chantel has been on the show to share her journey with addiction and how her experience is now her superpower.

Parents and children can be confused, hurt and hopeless when a loved one  seems to put their subtance use and addiction ahead of their loved ones. Amber Hollingsworth is a therapist who helps families understand the grip addiction can have and tools to help themselves.  Lately, Amber has focused on her YouTube channel Put the Shovel Down, which is full of helpful videos.Put the Shovel DownHope for Families 

 The Working Mind is an evidence-based program developed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada teaching employees and managers about mental health, reducing stigma, and building workplace resilience. Participants learn to recognize mental health changes, have open conversations, and develop coping and stress-management skills, creating supportive and psychologically safe workplaces. This course is available in manager and employee versions.Janice is a facilitator, providing courses of The Working Mind. You can find more information at Janicearnoldi.com

Sean Bennett served for more than 25 years in the Canadian Armed Forces and 35 years as a firefighter. For him, the worst of his post traumatic stress disdorder are horrible nightmares - often reliving some of the worst of his calls as a firefighter, which include 23 children.Sean and his partner Graham Bettes, a police officer for 32 years, run a non-profit program in Niagara called Valhalla Project Niagara. It's a completely free program for veterans and first responders who come together for 5 days at a camp in a safe and serene natural environment where they can share and learn about PTSD, mental health and suicide.The Vallhala Project is completely free and relies on donations.  Learn more on how to support the veterans and first responders who keep us safe at: https://www.valhallaprojectniagara.org/

Imagine both parents dying within a month of each other. The grief is overwhelming. That's what happened to mental health advocate Jennifer McCready in 2024. Jennifer has lived with depression most of her life. This was the biggest challenge she'd faced. For more than a decade Jennifer has empowered women with self-love, self-acceptance, and self-confidence through her Lady Luck photograpy. Now Jennifer is putting her experience into a project that connects people with nature to help with their mental health.

There can be immense pressure to drink during the December Holiday Season. Work, friends and family are having parties and alcohol is synonymous with celebrating. It can be particulary difficult for people who are in early recovery.Janice Rutgers, Executive Director of Community Addiction Services of Niagara, shares practical, non-judgmental tips on making the holidays healthier for everyone.

Chantel Bellingham was born 3 months early, weighed just over 3 pounds and addicted to methadone and possibly other opiates. She was adopted by a wonderful family but it’s not a surprise that addiction reared it’s ugly head when she was in college.Chantel is with me today to talk about using substances and how she is using her experience to help others.  She is now a peer support worker at Community Addiction Services of Niagara and will be back on the show in January to talk about the importance peer support and how she is using her experiences and to help people who are battling mental illness and substance use issues. Community Addiction Services of Niagara

More than 5,000 people have called the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline in 2025.  The hotline is run by the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking and is there for people who are being trafficked, including sex and labour, or knows someone who is being exploited.  The number to call is 1-833-900-1010 and help is available 24/7.  The Centre's Ashley Franssen-Tingly talks about what it means to be trafficked and how to reach out for help.https://www.canadianhumantraffickinghotline.cahttps://www.canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca

For more than two decades Ted Mouradian, president of the 2% factor, has helped hundreds of businesses create long-term, sustainable behavioral change using his infallible Law of Cooperative Action.Ted has written five books and his latest book Yep, Sh!t Happens uses the power of story to take the reader on a journey with Cooper that changes the way Cooper sees the world.

 Ian Fee had his first sip of beer when he was still in a stroller. His parents liked to party and as he got older so did he. Ian's memoir Wild Ride to Sobriety: Transformation from Drunken Oblivion to Profound Clarity takes us on the road from the culture of drinking with co-workers and clients, two lost marriages and how he got sober and stays sober.  Buy Ian's book on Amazon

The first "wind phone" was an unconnected telephone booth installed in the back yard by Japan artist Itaru Sasaki in 2010 to help him process the grief of losing his cousin who he had spoken to every day. After the devastating 2011 tsunami, hundreds of people came to his house asking to use the wind phone so he moved it to a public place. The unconnected telephone booth became a space for people to speak with deceased loved ones and has since inspired hundreds of replicas worldwide. There are many wind phones in Canada and you can find locations at https://www.mywindphone.com.Joy Friesen describes the impact on grief.Go to https://hospiceniagara.ca wind phone locations in Niagara.

Rapid Transformational Therapy® (RTT®) is a form of therapy that combines hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and neuroscience principles. RTT® was developed and launched by hypnotherapist/psychotherapist Marisa Peer in 1985. It is based on a detailed  3-session approach beginning with hynoptherapy. Diane Konkin trained with Marisa Peer and is on the show today to talk about RTT® and her practice Advanced Mind Health.https://www.advancedmindhealth.ca

This is Part Two of my interview with Leonard Buschel, author of High: From Cannabis to Clarity. Leonard got sober in 1994 and in this interview we talk about his 30 years helping people recover from addiction and the Addiction Recovery eBulletin. In the previous interview, Leonard about talks about his decision to be a successful drug dealer when he was only 17. Leonard's book chronicles some riotous stories of his days as a drug dealer to the stars and as a daily user of cannabis and cocaine, and finally his trip to the Betty Ford Center to get sober.Leonard's Addiction Recovery eBulliten can be found on his website addictionrecoveryebulletin.org. Sign up to receive his ebulletin.High: From Cannabis to Clarity is available on Amazon 

Leonard Buschel was 17 when he decided he wanted to be a sucessful drug dealer and became the drug dealer to the stars for more than 30 years. He was also an addict who smoked cannabis from morning, noon to night and spent most nights using cocaine.  In 1994, Leonard stopped using drugs and for the past 3 decades he has worked helping people recover from addiction. His book High: From Cannabis to Clarity is an amazing chronicle of his life as a dealer, who turned his own experience with addiction to be a recovery counsellor helping others.Leonard also founded the Addiction Recovery eBulletin which aggregates news, interviews and blogs about addiction and recovery.  You can subscribe at https://addictionrecoveryebilletin.orgYou can buy High: From Cannabis to Clarity on Amazon.

Climate change anxiety is a growing mental health issue. In Canada, massive fires across the country leading to evacuations and homes burning to the ground are leaving people with a sense of dread.Laurie Sarkadi is a journalist and author who lives off the grid outside of Yellowknife in the North West Territories. Her memoir - Voice in the Wild – in part chronicles her deep connection to nature and watching the deterioration of the animals, land and water from the devastating effect of climate change. Most recently she wrote an article for Canadian Geographic magazine about her personal experience with climate anxiety and isolating herself following the 2023 summer of massive fires.  Laurie is with me today to talk about what is becoming an increasingly common mental health issue.Read Laurie’s article The Great Turning in Canadian Geographic: https://canadiangeographic.ca/articles/the-great-turning/Find out more about Laurie Sarkadi and her memoir – Voice in the Wild - at https://www.lauriesarkadi.com/

If you’ve been downtown in St. Catharines recently you may have seen some people wearing bright yellow tee shirts. They are peer support workers, all who have been homeless, and are out every day connecting with and supporting people who are living on the street now.  More and municipalites across Ontario have successful versions of Welcoming Streets.Welcoming Streets is a one year pilot project funded Niagara Region. The teams work with people but are also there for businesses who need help – whether it’s to de-escalate an incident happening at the time or to give them some information.  Maddie McNeil is the the Positive Living Niagara team team leader.----------------------Positive Living Niagara - https://positivelivingniagara.comReach Niagara Mobile Health - https://reachniagara.com/programs/welcoming-streets/

The Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre in Niarara has released the new Kids First Project for schools. Kids from kindergarten to grade 12 learn about safe and unsafe touching, secrets and recognizing potentially dangerous online behaviour.Brian Bratt is the Centre's executive director.

Therapist Julie Christiansen is an expert on anger. One of her most recent books is titled Rise in Rage.  Julie talks about how Canadians are experiencing more bouts of anger and even rage, in part because of the helplessness and the threat to our security we feel from tariffs imposed by the U.S. She is also the keynote speaker at this year's Wellness for All event on May 8th to raise money for Canadian Mental Health Association, Niagara.

Experience shows that peer support is extremely successful. I’m going to start off with a new pilot program in St. Catharines called Welcoming Streets. It’s a partnership between Reach Niagara and Positive Living Niagara (POS), supported by Niagara Region and St. Catharines. Talia storm leads the Streetworks Program at POS and will co-direct the new porgram.I’ll also chat with Quest Community Health Centre executive director Nancy Garner about the Niagara HELPS program that puts peer Navigators in niagara Hospitals.

We know that gender violence against women and femicides in Canada continue to grow. But an alarming 1/4 of adolescent girls who are dating boys are experiencing an abusive relationship. Nicole Regehr, executive director at Gillian's Place, talks about the increase in the number of girls, mostly in high school, who facing gender abuse. Gillian's Place is a shelter in Niagara for survivors of abuse and violence. If you need help reach out. All communication is confidential.  https://gilliansplace.com

Erin Clayton from Pathstone Mental Health for kids talks about how kids who are already at risk face greater threats from social media.

CASON - Community Addiction Services of Niagara - provides comprehensive alcohol, drug and gambling addiction treatment for individuals and their families.Executive Director Janice Rutger talks about the challenges people and families face and the programs CASON offers.https://cason.ca/

In 2023, 22.9% of people across Canada lived in households that struggled to afford the food they need.  That's 8.7 million people and a devastating 2.1 million children. The new numbers for 2024 from Feed Ontario shows an increase of 30%.Community Care St. Catharines Thorold Executive Director Betty Lou Souter talks are the increasingly desperate need for food.Feed OntarioCommunity Care St. Catharines Thorold

Sammy Bazely was on the show last week to talk about suicide and the overwhelming feeling that the world, and especially her young daughter, would be a better place without her.Sammy talked about the time leading up to her suicide attempt and the unexpected family intervention that saved her.In Part Two, Sammy talks about what life is like now, how she keeps the suicidal thoughts away, and her thoughts on where we need to go as a society to accept and help more people from dying by suicide.Interviews are also available on the podcast Life Unscripted - Stories of Mental Health and Addiction.

Sammy Bazely is a young woman who is telling her story of struggling with suicide in the hopes that other people can recognize themselves in her story and reach out for help. Sammy is young, married, has a beautiful daughter and runs a successful business.  One day she was overcome by feelings that the world would be a better place without her.Today is Part One of Sammy’s story of suicide.  Listen for Part Two of Sammy's story when we talk about what she continues to do today to keep the suicidal thoughts away.

When Valery Brosseau was diagnosed with bipolar 2 and borderline personality disorder in her early 20s it didn’t take long for her to realize that talking openly about her illness was healing for her and helped reduce stigma so other people could be open themselves. Valery decided she want to devote her career to not only helping people who are living with mental illness but also working with businesses and other organizations to understand mental illness, how it affects their employees and how to create an open and stigma free workplace.In November, Valery is launching her new company – Validate Mental Health - where she is partnering with people with different experiences and approaches to mental wellness.

Young caregivers are an invisible and little known support for family members who need day to day help for basic needs. They provide personal care like grooming, helping with medication, getting dressed and feeding. But a growing number of children, as young as five and up to the age of 25, are taking on more responsibility for their siblings and parents because of situations like chronic illness, physical and intellectual disabilities, mental health and substance use.  It’s estimated that 1 and a quarter Canadians between the age of 15 and 25 are caring for a family member. They’re under a tremendous amount of stress and often don’t have an outlet.Young Caregivers is an organization dedicated to supporting these young people and their familiesChrissy Sadowski is Interim Executive Director.

There’s a special new dog in town!  His name is Zane and he’s a mental health facility support dog at Pathstone Mental Health. That sounds a bit formal and it’s easier to think of Zane as a cuddly assistant.Zane was specially trained by the Lion’s Foundation of Canada Dog Guides to assist children who are in therapy or for their mental health at professional agencies, like Pathstone.  He provides a non-judgmental and calming influence to reassure kids experiencing a stressful situation.I recently had the pleasure of meeting Zane with therapist Jennifer Forstinger. He’s a lovely standard poodle who knows exactly when to play and when he’s at work.

September is Suicide Awareness Month.Every year, approximately 4,500 people in Canada die by suicide, that equals 12 people dying by suicide every day. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in young people aged 15 to 24.More than 200 people in Canada attempt suicide each day.September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. Stacy Terry from the Distress Centre of Niagara is on the show today to talk about how to recognize of the signs a person is contemplating suicide, how to talk about it and resources available, including the new Canada wide 988 suicide crisis helpline

Ontario Health minister Silvia Jones made a surprise announcement at the Association of Municiplaties of Ontario's  annual conference in mid-August that no one expected – the closing of 10 supervised drug consumption sites across the province - 5 in Toronto and one in Hamilton, Guelph, Kitchener, Thunder Bay and Ottawa.  Supervised consumption sites are a big part of harm reduction strategies, offering place where people can use drugs in a safe environment.  While the St. Catharines site is staying open Talia Storm  from Positive Living Niagara’s Streetworks program says staff are reeling from the announcement….simply put, she’s says more people are going to die in the cities losing their sites.

P-a-R-X is an initiative of the BC Parks Foundation that started about 3 years ago with the idea of medical professionals – like doctors, nurse practioners, dentists and pharmacist - prescribing time in nature for their patients.  This unique idea was developed by health-care professionals who want to improve their patients’ health by connecting them to nature. Dr. Melissa Lem is a driving force behind PaRX.

We’ve reached the stage where people are starting to acknowledge cell phone addiction is real. The issue is critical to childrens mental health and their ability to learn. It also means our kids are not getting outside, playing in the dirt and rolling in the grass. Bienenstock playgrounds builds play areas using natural elements like trees, rocks and earth that connect kids to nature.  https://bienstockplaygounds.com 

The Ontario government has announced a new policy banning the use of cell phones in classrooms.  The question is what will this new policy achieve?  Erin Clayton, who is the Director of Quality Assurance, Research and Planning at Pathstone Mental Health, talks about the policy and the mental health impact on children of constant cell phone use. Pathstone has programs to help parents and their kids put their phone down. https://pathstonementalhealth.ca. 

Niagara Regional housing has put together a 10 poinr plan to reduce homelessness and, importantly, provide some space and programs for people living rough.  A temporary 24-hour a temporary shelter has opended where people have their own room, 3 meals a day and a large recreational area.The recommendations came from a committee that included people with lived experience with homelessness and/or substance use.  Marni Katzman is on the show to talk about the plan and the interest from municipalties across the province.

When people see someone who is homeless they probably think it could never happen to them. But at some point in time a person living rough and in a shelter did have a home. They may have had a family, friends and a good job. There are so many reasons why people end up living rough – job loss, mental health, trauma or substance use. In Marni Katzman’s case, she was addicted to alcohol, and despite a few stints in rehab she wasn’t able to stop drinking vodka. Finally, her family had to make the hard decision to show some tough love. Marni walked into a shelter wearing pink Uggs and pulling a designer suitcase.

Darcy Patrick is a Mental Health advocate, speaker, coach and author of 5 books about his journey from severe depression to wellness.  Two years ago he ended up in hospital in excruciating back pain.  Doctors still haven’t figured out what caused the serious erosion in two discs in his back and he still lives with debilitating pain. I met Darcy almost 10 years ago and he is one of the most determined people I know so I asked him to share how he’s using his mental health skills to help him live with constant pain. 

Schizophrenia is the least understood and the most stigmatized any mental illness.  Imagine how scary it can be for the person living with schizophrenia when every minute of the day voices in their head talking to them. When we hear someone yelling on the street, they're yelling at their voices. Signs and symptoms may vary, but usually involve delusions, hallucinations or disorganized speech, and reflect an impaired ability to function in daily routines.The stigma of is so strong that many people don’t want to talk about their illness, or aren't well enough, but Jesse Bigelow is on the show today to share his experiences.

Tara Mckendrick is Executive Director of Canadian mental health association Niagara.  Taratalks about CMHA Niagara crisis services and also help define what is a crisis. Like most communities Niagara has a homeless and addiction crisis but Tara says we can’t just look at solving the problem, we have to find out the story of how a person got to where they are.  It will help people think about possibilities and maybe find hope. Canadian Mental Health Association Niagiara: https://niagara.cmha.caCanadian Mental Health Association National: https://cmha.caIf you are having thoughts of suicide call or text 9-8-8 The Suicide Crisis Help Line 

9-8-8 is a new 3-digit suicide crisis help line is being rolled out across Canada. The line will connect people who are experiencing thoughts of suicide to their to their local suicide prevention lines and make it easier for areas that don’t currently have a line. 988 is for people who are in crisis but does not replace 911, which should still be called if someone is in danger or actively trying to harm themselves.The Center for  Addiction and Mental Health was tasked with creating the line and to work with local mental health organizations to help them set up the technology to implement it.Dr. Allison Crawford leads the 9-8-8 team.Learn more about 988 on the CAMH Website

No one likes to have cold feet and most of us take for granted that we can buy warm socks and be comfortable during the winter. But so many people who are homeless or struggling financially to keep food on the table aren’t able to buy basic necessities like socks. Kids are going to school without warm socks or sometimes no socks at all. SocksforChange.ca founder Sam Baio saw the need for warm socks and started Socksforchange.ca in Niagara, which is a volunteer run charity that donates thousands of warm wool socks to organizations and schools across Niagara. To buy socks or donate go to: socksforchange.ca

Feed Ontario has released it’s annual Hunger Report. Five million people visited foods banks across the province in the past year. One in 6 identified as having a job.  Sadly,  food bank visits have increased at the same time people’s ability to give has declined.  On the show today are Carolyn Stewart CEO of Feed Ontario and Christine Clark-Lafleur CEO of Port Cares and part of Feed Niagara.