"Sometimes in life you are lucky enough to meet people who blow your mind with their intelligence, kindness, inner beauty and general amazingness - and Annina is one of these people. You won't be disappointed!"

Danielle Woodcock (MSW, RSW)

 
According to the UN, 250 million people worldwide use illicit drugs. Afghanistan remains the center of opiate production, with the Taliban raking in up to $200 million dollars a year from sales profits (accounts for half of their total profits). Cannabis is the drug most often consumed globally - 183 million people are estimated to smoke up, with growing numbers in the Americas. 🌎
Checking in with past and current clients is something I habitually do. I'm not following a schedule, though, I simply email people on one of the many occasions I think of them to see how they've been. While sometimes new appointments result from these check-ins, which always makes me happy, my main reason for getting in touch is the fact that I actually care about those I work with. I want to model reliability, and that out of sight does not mean out of mind. I want to know how things are going, because I am invested in my clients' well-being. When I don't hear back, I always hope no news are good news. If we have talked, I am hoping that one day you will be in touch and will say that things are ok now. And I will smile and reply that I knew you could do it! 💗
Growth takes place when we are willing to admit there's a lot to learn - a little humility hasn't hurt anyone! (Quote via @b.oakman)
Drinking dads themselves don't directly contribute to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), but statistics show that they do so indirectly, as pregnant women who live with a partner who drinks drink more often than those who are supported in their abstinence by loved ones. FASD is brain damage that only happens to the baby when a pregnant woman drinks. It can be completely avoided if the mother abstains for the duration of pregnancy. Support your pregnant partner, friend, or family member in her sobriety during those nine months by not tempting her: FASD can't be cured and is a lifelong condition.
Did you know that poor women and women of colour are more frequently screened for substance use when assessing perinatal care in Canada than are middle-class and Caucasian women?
For the first time in history, girls between 15 and 19 years of age smoke more cigarettes than their male friends. Worldwide, according to @addiction_now, one in ten deaths is now tobacco-related.
Did you know that the fear of losing their children is the primary barrier to seeking help for substance use for women? 🤰🏼There is a critical need for spaces in women-only treatment programs that are accepting of pregnant women, mothers and their children.
Did you know that most women who use substances or battle an eating disorder do better in recovery when they are supported by female counsellors and workers? 👱‍♀️