Scott Gallagher - Speaker, Trainer, Writer , Coach & Consultant.

Testimonials

Treatment & Mental Health For Addiction and Mental Health Professionals...

You are a powerful speaker and your presentation was extremely educational. The information you gave us was so honest, direct and was quite an eye-opener for all of us. You are a great mentor for anyone struggling with addiction.

Frances Abela-Dimech

Manager, Mood and Anxiety Program

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Your presentation was a real eye-opener to my students in terms of what addicts really go through, and the types of addictions that are out there. We tend to look for the alcoholics and crack addicts and can forget about the sex, cutting, and video game addicts etc. Your presentation was especially valuable given the fact that they just finished their formal training and are about to be going on their first placements. Text books are one thing but real people are a whole different story.

Daren White

Program Co-ordinator, Addictions Counseling Program

CTS College, Barrie, Ontario

You were so great! Your raw honesty was just so refreshing. I don´t want to say your talk was life changing because that would sound over the top; but the truth is, it was for me. In all my years, I have never encountered anyone who had the degree of addiction problems that you have had to struggle with. To hear you be so honest about your past was just so touching. And I loved what you shared about making amends. I think we all carry anxieties and baggage about things we could have done differently, and your section on making amends, I felt could become a tool - not only in my work in the anxiety clinic, but for me personally. As a matter of fact, even though I don´t have any addiction problems, I was so inspired by what happened to you, that I decided to make an amends list for myself. I´m really quite enthusiastic about what you are doing. I would come and hear you again, anytime!

Jane Marson
Social Worker, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Prior to my role at CAMH, I have had extensive experience working with heroin addicts and other recovery patients. I was involved in psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy and detoxification; but most of the time we were not successful – the patients kept relapsing. They’d come back from treatment and relapse over and over. I really got from you how important it is for the patient not to blame their family, their financial situation, or any circumstance, including themselves, as an excuse for why they can’t recover from addiction. I really like what you shared with us how important it is for the addict to resolve issues they have in their past before they can go forward - and to do that by making amends to the people they harmed or were dishonest with. I believe addicted people need to see you so that they can see your energy and see that because you were like them and became successful, then they could be successful to.

Leila Shakiba
Registered Nurse, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Your story is powerful, and your presence is strong. It was interesting hearing what you found works and what doesn´t. Your experience personally confirmed my clinical observation that the social consciousness, or purpose of the 12 step movement has gone from a life changing program, to a social club.

I agree that the original intention of the 12 step movement has shifted and is not as effective as it once was. Your willingness to look at yourself and follow the program as it was originally designed shows that you are someone who is willing to move outside of your comfort zone.

You not only talked about going back and making restitution, but you drew the connection of the importance of making amends - that so long as there are events in the past that the addict feels guilty or bad about, they are not in integrity, which may be a major cause in relapse. I also appreciated the way you distinguished the type of drinkers/abusers whom harm reduction methods could work, from those whom required total abstinence and why.

Gordon Pfeffer
Social Worker, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health