In the 1st Step Showcase, you’ll find stories of resilience and recovery from past 1st Step participants, as well as artwork and poetry.
Share your story
Are you or your family member currently involved with the 1st Step program? Have you graduated from 1st Step? We would love to hear from you. By sharing your own recovery story or just a few words of advice, you can help other people who are just starting along the path to improved health.
Please call Garry at (519) 576-2333, ext. 4530 and we’ll work out the details. Thank you!
Recovery stories
- “There is a light at the end of the tunnel”: Mark’s Story
- “I am living proof”: Christine’s Story
- “Don’t be afraid to ask for help”: Ryan’s Story
- “I have stopped looking for other things to define me”: Paul’s Story
- “You are not alone”: A Parent’s Story
- “You only have one life”: Jon’s Story
Artwork
Poetry
The Gentle Whisper
By Happy Face
With half a brain and a full mind
I still thought of you
While sinking in a textured sea
You were true
Like dust burning soft holes through my eyes
Abracadabra poof
A forced-laugh face, relaxed my attitude
Myself, I prefer a jolted replay
In it lies the truth
I never thought I could believe in a systematic scream inside mood
Me. I talk about him too much
To the doctors of sales spoof
Slowly in partial fragments become unglued
Consider it with your last food
Prisons always sell doom
I have control, I’m in my room
I don’t re-toil over my work, why pause and loom?
Extreme Self Esteem
By Happy Face
yeah it’s me
living awkwardly, almost worldly with aqua coloured wordies
yeah it’s me
worries, high stories, and no Maury to talk me to glory
how am I supposed to live penthouse
when I’m sleeping in the lobby
how am I supposed to get rent out
when even I’m tired of being sorry
sirens see that and don’t want to party
it seems their misrepresentation needs work, they’re not me
feeling blue isn’t worth talking