I've been there.
I know what it's like.
I can help.
When I say I’ve been there, I mean it.
I've done the all-nighters, sometimes several days in a row. I was often the last one up. I've experienced blackouts, trauma, job losses, financial difficulties, brushes with the law, and I hurt many people. I hid, justified, and lied about my problematic drinking and cocaine use. I lived a double life with cover ups, irritability, anger, sadness, and depression.
I've been through an alcohol detox facility twice, in-patient drug rehab twice. I’ve attended hundreds of support groups and many counselling and therapy sessions to get to where I am today.
I am a different person now and I love what I do! For the past 15 years I have worked in various capacities in the field of substance use, addiction and mental health.
Don't let my brief bio scare you if that doesn't align with your experience or where you're currently at! I work with a range of clients from low-to-moderate consumers of alcohol and other substances to full blown dependancy and addiction and everything in between.
Ways We Can Help
Services include: drug and alcohol counsellor, mental health counsellor, psychological assessments, registered psychiatric nurse, online addiction treatment, virtual rehab, alcohol coach, pornography coach, gaming coach, sober coach, transportation and case management. We are experienced in helping clients learn how to stop drinking alcohol, stop smoking weed or consuming cocaine, opiates and prescription medication. Some of the best private addiction treatment available on Vancouver Island British Columbia — also accessible online to anyone in Canada or around the world.
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Online Recovery Coaching
Quit Weed | Stop Drinking
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Interventions in Canada
Not Like On TV
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Family Therapy And Support
CRAFT Model of Addiction
Online Addiction Treatment
Home Based Recovery provides affordable intensive alcohol and drug virtual treatment services. Accessed from anywhere in the world.
Connect When You’re Ready
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed when you’re struggling with substance use concerns. We’ll help make sense of what’s going on and walk you through your options. You’ll get confidential and judgement-free answers to your questions — with no pressure to make any decisions. Let's have a conversation.
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1.250.896.8494
Phone/Text
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Coach@MichaelWalsh.com
Send an Email
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Send message
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Find Lasting Change and Recovery With a Substance Use & Addiction Coach
Michael Walsh is one of Canada's leading Substance Use & Addiction Experts.
- Michael has worked in the field of mental health, substance use, and addictions for 15 years in non-profit, public and private health services.
- Michael co-created and is the Executive Director of Home Based Recovery Canada. HBR is an online addiction treatment program that combines Recovery Coaching or therapy with psycho-educational and skills-building content created by a multi-disciplinary team that include psychologists, psychiatrists, recovery coaches, counsellors, therapists, and addiction medicine physicians.
- Michael has curated a strong and diverse team of some of the best Recovery Coaches, Therapists and Counsellors, and Sober Companions in Canada.
- Michael and his team works with clients in a variety of cities in Canada including but not limited to Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, Burnaby, Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Halifax. We also work with American clients in a variety of cities including but not limited to Portland, Seattle, and Los Angeles. We work with clients in India, Switzerland, London UK, Germany, France, Australia and several other countries and cities around the world.
- Services are provided online, to clients across Canada, the USA, Europe and any country in the world. Some services available in-person depending on the city — just ask.
- To learn more about how we’re impacting the lives of our clients and their loved ones, visit our testimonials page.
If you're looking for alcohol treatment, outpatient treatment for alcoholism, online drug and alcohol counselling, alcohol rehab programs, support before or after alcohol detox, psychologist services, family therapy, family counselling, or any type of mental health counselling in Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver, across Vancouver Island and British Columbia or any city in Canada — we can help.
Is Recovery Coaching Right For You?
As Recovery Coaches, we support you in achieving your goals, whether that involves cutting back, maintaining abstinence, or seeking formal treatment. Whether working with an individual client one-on-one or as part of a clinical team — we'd love to support you.
Our relationship is built on open and honest exploration, and is beneficial to people at all stages of recovery whether:
- You are sober curious, want to cut down, take a break or quit drinking
- You want to learn how to quit smoking weed
- You are working with an addictions counsellor and want to add a Recovery Coach
- You want to get back on track after a slip or relapse and want to build an addiction recovery plan
- You want to explore alternatives to Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs
- You have stopped many times, but can’t seem to stay stopped
- You want to prioritize recovery, but life is busy and it’s hard to find time
- You want to explore the reasons why you drink or consume other substances in the first place
- You recently completed an in-patient or out-patient program or just got out of detox
- You don’t feel things are bad enough for alcohol inpatient rehab or intensive outpatient addiction treatment, but you want to change
- You are not sure if you have a problem with drugs and/or alcohol in the first place
- You are exploring online and virtual addiction treatment options
You’re in the right spot, and we’d love to help.
Together, we'll help you explore your relationship to alcohol and work toward cutting back, taking a break, or quitting alcohol altogether.
Looking to Help a Loved One?
The addiction of a loved one brings up many difficult questions and scenarios that may leave you feeling like you’re stuck on a never-ending emotional rollercoaster.
My other service, run by me and my team of passionate recovery professionals, offers support specifically for family members who want help to conduct an alcohol, alcoholism or drug intervention in Victoria BC or Vancouver BC. Or if an Intervention feels like too much we offer Family Coaching & Consulting using the CRAFT Model of Addiction and Family Systems Therapy.
Through Interventions.ca, we provide invitational drug and alcohol interventions and family counseling sessions. These services are geared specifically at those with a loved one who is struggling with alcoholism or substance use concerns.
“We can not believe the change in our son — ‘we have our son back with his full potential’.”
D.H.
Powerful Addiction Resources
Sober Coaching FAQs
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What is Sober Coaching?
- Recovery Coaching and Sober Coaching are used interchangeably. Most people are referring to the same type of work when using these terms.
- Recovery Coaching is an emerging niche paraprofessional occupation that provides support in the field of substance use and addiction services in Canada.
- A Sober Coach (aka Recovery Coach) is a professionally trained accountability partner that works to help you explore and improve your relationship to drugs or alcohol. With a sober coach you dive into the reasons why you drink or use substances in the first place, and establish healthier ways to meet your needs on your journey to sobriety.
- The goal is not to only help you stop drinking or using, but to help you anchor into your bigger aspirations and dreams so you can live your best life. The easy part is reducing consumption or stopping altogether. The hard part is recreating your life around this particular behavioural change.
- A Recovery Coach plays many roles, including champion, guide, mentor, truth teller, and advocate.
- A Sober Coach helps you see:
- What’s possible for you
- What’s keeping you stuck, and
- How to move forward with a game-changing plan
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How do I choose a Recovery Coach?
- Sober Coaching is an emerging resource in Canada. It is imperative you are working with someone:
- With integrity
- A good reputation, and
- Who has your best interest in mind
- We believe that the most effective Recovery Coaches (Sober Coaches) have lived experience. Everyone on our team has some kind of history of substance use and successful recovery, achieved through a variety of approaches.
- At a minimum, accredited and/or Certified Recovery Coach training from a recognized company is essential. Your Sober Coach should also have current professional liability insurance.
- Your Recovery Coach should have a broad understanding and be open-minded to the various pathways to change and recovery in order to provide an individualised approach.
- Recovery Coaches who have work experience in various mental health and addiction facilities are a great benefit. These Coaches bring knowledge on how to navigate the various treatment systems and can link clients to trusted medical and clinical professionals as needed.
- Testimonials speak volumes about the work a Recovery Coach is doing.
- Sober Coaching is an emerging resource in Canada. It is imperative you are working with someone:
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How are Sober Coaches different from a sponsor or mentor?
- Sponsors are volunteers with lived addiction recovery experience who assist others within a 12 Step Recovery program.
- Sober Coaches are well-trained professionals who specialize in helping you improve your relationship to drugs or alcohol, no matter which program or pathway of recovery you choose to explore.
- Sponsors use 12-Step philosophy, and tell the sponsee what to do in order to stay sober.
- Sober Coaches are experts in many pathways of recovery. A Sober Coach helps you figure out which pathways and support systems will work best for you.
- In this way, Sober Coaches honour your evolving preferences and needs throughout the recovery process.