The Program

Our addiction recovery program at Freedom’s Door Kelowna is built around two phases.

The 90 Day program

One of the most bewildering problems that many people face when they start looking at the devastation of what addiction has caused in their lives is that they have little idea about how things have ended up so bad or how they could have ever let this go on for so long.

They don’t remember seeing it coming and at a certain point they felt powerless to stop it.

The teachings that we involve our clients in throughout the period of the 90 day program are extensive and, I feel, quite comprehensive. The program helps them understand that there are reasons that made them susceptible to the lure of some form of addiction.

These reasons could be biological in nature, psychological, social, or spiritual, or a combination of any or all of these factors.

With the use of a twelve step program, each client is guided toward an inventory of what personal causes have made them vulnerable to finding that substance use (drugs, alcohol) or even behavioral addiction (gambling sex, gaming) has provided relief to major pain/trauma in their life and this relief feels so overwhelming that their brains are trained to believe that they will always provide this relief. This is the first lie of addiction.

Also, they are taught to recognize that much of their behavioral and emotional growth got curtailed as they learned to use addiction as their primary coping skill. Sometimes this has happened as early as 11 or twelve years old. They will need to learn new coping skills.

The bulk of the 90 day program teaches them that there are biological, psychological, social, spiritual solutions. They can regain behavioral growth in areas where they have stopped developing. They can get reconnected with their lives, with people, with community. They can learn new and more effective coping skills.

Our curriculum teaching modules leads them into a structured program of rediscovering themselves and remaking themselves. The beginning modules ask them to explore: How we got here, what happened? What changes occurred in them? What have they lost?

The next modules talk of change, what is it, what needs to change, how is it accomplished.

Next, it is the makeup of addiction, the neurological causes, what damage does it cause: biologically, physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually? What causes our cravings, our obsessions? How actually does addiction work, the stages, and the development.

We explore recovery. What are the tools? What are the resources? What is the motivation and how do we maintain it?

We have a major section on cognition and cognitive therapy, identifying and handling irrational thoughts, thinking patterns, and limiting beliefs. We practice cognitive therapy. We discuss Rational Emotive Behavior therapy and how our reaction to our beliefs shapes our world. We instruct in the power of managing our emotions, rather than, what many people with addictions have learned, allowing our emotions to manage us.

Our next modules talk of how to actually affect change. Our beliefs, our principles, how do they guide us? Limiting beliefs, behaviors, assuming personal responsibility, self-discipline, denial, habits, values are all avenues of change that are discussed here.

Relapse and Relapse Prevention are one of the most integral portions of the program. What are living plans to prevent relapse, what are written plans? What are triggers, what kinds of triggers are there, where do obsessive thoughts come from, how powerful are they, how do we stop or disrupt them? What are the phases of relapse, warning signs, what are your own personal cycles of relapse? How do you manage or disrupt these cycles?

We talk in group of spirituality because the worst outcomes of addiction are total loss of hope, loss of worth, of value, of purpose.

Then we get into specific life skills and new coping methods. Here are but a few. Time management, effective communication, boundaries, self-esteem, conflict resolution, goal setting, social support, stress management, problem solving, decision making, handling guilt/shame, handling insecurity, overcoming fears, handling fear of success, handling pride, overcoming perfectionism, developing patience, instant gratification vs. delayed gratification, anger management, grief and loss, nutrition, physical exercise, money management, personal relationships, personal hygiene, sexual health.

Most importantly, we ensure our men know that there is no way in the world to be able to become proficient in all these areas in just 90 days, especially after maybe thirty or forty years of destructive living but, if they just begin, if they just remain vigilant, if they just commit to themselves to work one day at a time, every day, from here on in, they can regain what has been lost, the best version of themselves.

The analogy is that becoming themselves again will feel like the hardest battle of their lives but really the easiest thing that they can possibly be is just be themselves!

Next Steps Program

Next Steps is a person-centered, strength based and collaborative program that transitions participants into further education, employment and permanent housing opportunities.

The Next Steps Program has been developed to support and assist the client to move forward in their recovery life with support, compassion and accountability. 60 days into the 90 Day recovery program we meet with the client to do a personal assessment and a housing assessment. We have been able to partner with many of our community resources and put clients into different services within our community and beyond from OUC College to UBCO, Employment Classes, special needs support and social housing. We work to find the best potential supports for each client as they meet regularly with their Next Steps Counselor.

We work with our clients in the Next Steps Program for 6 – 18 months after they complete their 90 Day Program. Once they transition into independent living we offer Community Care as well, meeting with them as needed while they are making this important transition.

COMMUNITY CARE LIVE IN PROGRAM

Community Care Live in Program is a person-centered, strength based and collaborative program that supports our residents as they move into more independent living.

Community Care Live in Program is our 3rd stage housing in our continuum of care moving our clients into the community. At Freedom’s Door we have 3 stages of Program:

  • 1st Stage is our 90-day program
  • 2nd Stage Next Steps Program
  • 3rd Stage Community Care Live in program

A client has to complete the 90 day program and the Next Steps Program before they move into our Community Care Live in Program. The timing between the Next Steps Program and Community Care is made on an individual basis depending on the individual progress of the client along with a team review. When they move into this program they must be in full time employment or full time education. Residents are allowed to have family stay over such as their children with the approval of their Freedom’s Door Case Worker.

TOOL LOAN PROGRAM (TLP)

The Tool Loaner Program (TLP) is made possible by a generous donation from individuals in our community.  The spirit of this program is to assist Next Step clients who are ready to go back to work, but do not have the funds to purchase tools or personal protective equipment (PPE) to meet the minimum requirements of stepping onto a job site, to be able to do so.

Tools are provided on a short-term basis until the client can afford to purchase their own. The PPE for the most part will be donated to the client as it is personal in nature.

Client Expectations

The client is responsible for the safekeeping of tools issued to him; to care for them and to keep them maintained and returned in good condition once he has purchased his own.

The $100 deposit will be returned upon the tools coming back meeting these expectations.

EDUCATION FOR WORK PROGRAM

Our Education for work Program is a new program launching this spring 2021 as part of our Next Steps Program. 

Over the last few years, we have been looking at ways we can help our clients get back in the workplace and help them overcome the barriers that have been in their way.  We received a donation from our community towards this program and we can now help our clients get their first aid certificates and food safe as well.  We can also help with books for college. 

If you would like to donate to this program or need more details please contact the office at Freedom’s Door or click here DONATE to find several options on how you can donate.  Please indicate that your donation is for the Education for Work Program.

Health Care Program

Our Health Care Program provides another avenue for our clients to begin rebuilding their lives through support in Health Care for dental and optical expenses.

Many of our clients come into our recovery program with health and dental concerns due to poor nutrition, neglect caused by substance abuse and living on the street.  We have witnessed clients with gum infections, missing and abscessed teeth, and general poor dental hygiene.

For those clients receiving income or disability assistance, the B.C. Ministry only provides basic dental coverage up to $1,000 over two calendar years.  This funding only covers a portion of the dental needs of our clients.  Clients can apply to the Gospel Mission for dental assistance, but the waitlist is often four to five months and usually only includes emergency dental extractions.

Freedom’s offers a new Healthcare Loan Program where clients needing healthcare assistance, either for dental or vision costs, could receive funding and repay this loan in installment payments. Eligibility is determined through a screening interview process whereby they are assessed based on their need, ability to repay the loan, and attitude towards that repayment.  The loan is available only after the client has been 60 days in program and only for costs that not included in their health coverage.

We offer a pooled Healthcare fund account that can be accessed with proof of expense.  For example, if a client needed $1,000 for partial dentures, they then provide us with an estimate from the health care provider.  The client then signs an agreement acknowledging they owe Freedom’s Door $1,000 and agree to repaying the loan in monthly installments.

For smaller cost expenses, such as an eye exam that cost $80.00, the client would agree to repay that amount within a reasonable timeframe.  We realize that not all smaller expenses may be repaid, given the history of clients in recovery. However, our hope and desire is that clients assume ownership of this program, fully repay their loan and the Healthcare pool of funds will be continually replenished for other clients to access.

It is our desire at Freedom’s Door to provide another avenue for our clients’ recovery and building their self-esteem and attaining gainful employment.

The Clothing Cave

We are excited to announce a new program here at Freedom’s Door called the CLOTHING CAVE. This program fits well with the vision and mission of the Door which is to provide help and support to transition men working toward sober living back to the community and everyday life.

As our men prepare for a job interview, re-entering the workforce, have a court appointment, start school, looking to their 90-day graduation or have some other event that they want to face with increased confidence, they can now request a referral for an appointment at the CLOTHING CAVE where they will be outfitted in dressy casual professional attire. It could be a pair of pants and dress shirt, add a tie and/or a blazer, or maybe a 2-piece suit.

How we see ourselves and how the world sees us can help build our confidence and our own self-respect.  The Clothing Cave is funded through donations with volunteers to help with clothing selections and alterations.  

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Over the past few years, we have partnered with the YMCA in their Job shadow and Jump Start programs where participants develop resume skills, job training, self exploration, networking. The YMCA provides paid training with more partnerships to come.

KCR (Kelowna Community Resources) has also partnered with us through their PEERS and Jobs for All programs helping participants get ready for work. They provide one on one support with a vocational counsellor and skills training for people with diverse abilities working towards obtaining suitable and sustainable employment.

We are continually exploring opportunities to partner with agencies and programs in our community.



``Freedom's Door teaches you how to live life on life's terms``.

Jesse, Resident



If you, or someone you know, are struggling with an addiction you are not alone.

We’re here to help and would love to talk to you today about the Freedom’s Door recovery program.