I once jumped feet-first off a 30 foot cliff into the Shuswap Lake in BC. The moment I hit the water, I sank - deeper and deeper until panic surged and I kicked hard to surface, desperate for air. That's what life can feel like when you're trying to support someone who you love through mental illness or addiction - while still meeting deadlines, managing family dynamics, and keeping your work performance from slipping. Your mind is split, your energy drains fast, and burnout

“ She pulled me out of the ditch, brushed me off and put me on the road to recovery” “ I knew I had the kind of therapy I needed but I never knew I had it in me to give up drugs, alcohol, cigarettes all in the same year by using her therapy.” Meeting this individual in 2013 was the time he received help from the Alex Pathways to Housing Mental Health Programs. Testimonial from an individual who was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Knowing he was a new client, I introduced myself