By Andrea Nicholl
The Thorpe Recovery Centre wants people in the throws of crisis and addiction to know they have a place to go for help.
Thorpe’s outpatient service clinic hides a wealth of knowledge, support and information behind its small doors located in downtown Lloydminster.
Outpatient clinic manager and counsellor Daryl Arneson said while outpatient services have been available since 1982, the clinic and its services often go unnoticed.
“We’re on the very front lines of addiction,” said Arneson. “Like most communities in North America, our society has drug and alcohol issues and I don’t think Lloydminster is any better or worse.
“It’s very important,” he said of the outpatient services. “When you’re isolated and struggling with an addiction issue, if you don’t know where to go it’s dangerous stuff.”
The clinic offers a variety of services, including youth (12 to 17 years old) and adult counselling, employee assistant referrals, community prevention, drug testing, aftercare, an SGI screening program for those charged with impaired driving in Saskatchewan, walk-ins and Information Group sessions.
The Information Group sessions are held every Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. and offer a resource for those with addiction and to family and friends who have concerns for someone with addiction. The five series information sessions focus on the nature of addictions, the psychological/physical affects, the affects of addiction on family/relationships, treatment and recovery and addiction and anger. The information sessions do require a referral.
“For friends and family members, the first thing that they need to do is get as much knowledge, information and education as they can about an addiction,” said Arneson. “It’s valuable just to be around people that are going through the same things and to get that support.”
The outpatient clinic is open to the public and focusses primarily on chemical addictions, though referrals and assessments will be made to other agencies after the assessment is completed when necessary.
“It’s not just drugs and alcohol, we take a look at all areas in a person’s life. Even if you don’t have a drug or alcohol problem today, if there’s stress or issues in other areas of life you’re certainly at risk for moving in the direction of drugs and alcohol.
“It usually takes at least a couple of appointments to make a connection with the person, to gather information and determine whether there is a problem; are they they misusing, are the abusing, are they addicted?” said Arneson, adding the process can be sped up in times of crisis or extreme need.
“If you ignore a drug or alcohol issue, or pretend it is not there, it’s just going to prolong the agony,” he said.
“The sooner a person can muster up the courage and make that step out the better it is for them; they can save themselves a lot of pain and heartache.”
The clinic is open 8 a.m. until noon, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.
For more information call (780) 872-0505 or visit 5012C 48 Street.
Photo Caption: TRC board chair, Stan Parke and Craig Featherstone, TRC executive director, share the plans for the new TRC - a 72 bed detoxification and treatment facility, being constructed west of Blackfoot. - File Photo