Health & Lifestyle Medical & Dental Press Releases Calgary, Canada, norfolk county, ontario, Toronto November 16, 2025

New: Canada-Wide Assistance for Substance Misuse

Canadian Recovery Collective Launches Nationwide Virtual Counselling and Professional Training Platform

A New National Resource for Addiction, Substance Abuse, and Substance Misuse Support

The Canadian Recovery Collective has officially launched as a nationwide virtual counselling and professional training platform dedicated to addiction, substance abuse, and substance misuse recovery. The organization was founded by Ontario therapist Katie Schermerhorn, who also runs Refreshed Wellness in Caledonia, Ontario. With a founding team of four experienced therapists and professionals, the Collective aims to expand access to specialized addiction support across Canada.

Why the Collective Was Created

Katie Schermerhorn saw two major problems in Canada’s mental health landscape:

People struggling with substance use cannot access qualified addiction specialists quickly.
Therapists and helping professionals lack structured education on substance misuse, relapse patterns, trauma, and recovery oriented treatment.

The Canadian Recovery Collective was designed to cover both needs at once by offering direct support for clients and comprehensive training for professionals.

“We need more recovery focused spaces in Canada where people can talk openly about addiction without fear or shame,” said Schermerhorn. “Virtual counselling lets us reach people sooner, especially in communities where specialized help barely exists.”

Nationwide Virtual Counselling for Substance Use and Addiction

The Collective provides secure online counselling for individuals across Canada. The goal is to make high quality addiction support available even in areas with limited mental health services or long waitlists.

Core counselling themes include:

Substance abuse and substance misuse recovery
Trauma informed care
Harm reduction
Early recovery planning
Emotional regulation and nervous system stabilization
Relapse prevention strategies
Long term recovery maintenance

“Addiction is rarely about the substance. It is almost always tied to pain the person has not been able to address,” said Schermerhorn. “When clients understand their patterns, their triggers, and their nervous system, meaningful recovery becomes possible.”

Training and Education for Therapists and Professionals

Canadian Recovery Collective also offers training for therapists, counsellors, social workers, health coaches, and related professionals. The training blends live online workshops with on demand video modules that participants can work through at their own pace.

Professional training topics include:

Motivational interviewing for substance use
Understanding relapse cycles
Harm reduction models
Trauma integration approaches
Understanding substance trends
The neurobiology of addiction and substance misuse
Working with clients in early recovery
Supporting families affected by substance use

“When I first started in this field, I had to learn most of it through trial and error. That is not ideal for professionals or for clients,” Schermerhorn said. “Our training is practical and real. Professionals finish feeling prepared instead of overwhelmed.”

A Timely Launch for a Growing National Need

More Canadians are turning to virtual care for mental health support. Virtual counselling removes travel barriers, increases privacy, and provides access to specialized addiction care regardless of where a person lives.

Key benefits of the Collective’s virtual model:

Accessible anywhere in Canada
Eliminates long waitlist delays
Ideal for rural and remote communities
Flexible scheduling for people balancing work, recovery, or family
Private and comfortable for those hesitant to visit a physical clinic
Specialized addiction focused care instead of general counselling

Building a Stronger National Support Network

By pairing direct counselling with structured professional training, the Collective aims to strengthen the overall skill level of addiction clinicians across the country.

“Recovery should not depend on your postal code,” Schermerhorn said. “When we raise professional skill and increase access to real addiction specialists, we improve outcomes for entire communities.”

Moving Forward

Canadian Recovery Collective is now accepting new clients for virtual counselling and new participants for its professional training programs. The organization plans to expand its clinical team and release additional advanced training series throughout 2025 and much more to follow in 2026.

For more information or to book a session: