Recovery on Demand

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Recovery on Demand

David, Canadian Certified Addictions Counsellor providing counselling, interventions, and the Rise Recovery Outpatient Program

Hi, I’m David — Founder of Envision Freedom Recovery Services (EFRS). We’re a growing team dedicated to supporting the concerns of substance use across Atlantic Canada. I’m a Canadian Certified Addiction Counsellor with over seven years of experience working with individuals, families, and organizations. Our team brings together diverse backgrounds in the field to offer well-rounded, practical sup

port. At EFRS, we provide program development and consultation to substance use facilities throughout New Brunswick. This includes program design, professional learning, and ongoing professional oversight. We also offer individual addiction counselling and co-supervise Rise Recovery, an affordable and specialized recovery program offered through the Gabrielle Cormier Counselling Centre. Additionally, we support families impacted by a loved one’s risky substance use through family consultation and intervention coaching. My counselling approach is trauma-informed, client-centred, psycho educational, and grounded in elements of evidence-based practice. I specialize in psycho stimulant recovery and am familiar with medication-assisted and replacement therapies. My professional experience spans Housing First programs, substance use facilities, community outreach, and counselling centre. Whether sitting with one person in crisis or helping shape the structures that support many, we remain grounded in the same vision: to see people recover, families mend, and hope made real again.

04/19/2026

A thoughtful (and at times challenging) read, gifted by a friend.

Much of it wasn’t new, but what stood out was how difficult it is to consistently live these ideas. It’s one thing to understand them, and another to hold onto them when life keeps coming at you without much pause.

For the past two years, I’ve been intentionally working with the green, yellow, red zone framework. And if I’m honest, I feel like I’ve only just reached the starting line of applying it well, especially as seasons shift and new pressures come with them.

If you’re a leader, a manager, a counsellor, or simply human, I’d recommend this read.

04/14/2026

Everyone meet Julie. She will be joining the Gabrielle Cormier Counselling Centre team as one of our Rise Recovery Program Counsellors in May.

If you’d like to get in touch with Julie, feel free to message gabrielle@gabriellecormiercounselling.com.

Here’s more about Julie:

“I am a counselling student passionate about helping others and am currently completing my Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology through Yorkville University.
With over 9 years of experience in recruitment, corporate culture, and HR, I have built my career around one core belief: that people thrive when they feel truly seen and heard. Whether supporting someone through a career pivot, leading a fitness class, or running my own project, a personal journey rooted in the belief that small, intentional moments of joy can be genuinely transformative, I have always been drawn to the human side of growth and connection. That same belief is what brings me to counselling.
I am particularly interested in working with leaders and professionals navigating burnout, career transitions, or the relentless pressure of high-achieving environments. I am also interested in working with adults working through anxiety, perfectionism, and relationship patterns that may be holding them back. If any of that sounds familiar, I would love to connect.
I bring an authentic, warm, and non-judgmental presence to the therapy room. My goal is for you to feel comfortable enough to show up as you truly are. Together, we can explore what is getting in the way, build on what is already working, and move toward a life that feels more aligned and sustainable for you.
I am drawn to approaches that are both practical and deeply personal, ones that honor your whole story while giving you real tools to move forward.”

Areas of Interest: Burnout, Life & Career Transitions, Leadership Stress, Anxiety, Perfectionism, Relationship Issues, Self-Esteem
Treatment Approach: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT), Person-Centered

04/06/2026

If exercise could be prescribed like medication, it might be one of the closest things we have to a miracle.

I take every chance I get to explain the benefits to my clients.

First. It’s free. It’s accessible. And for most of us, it’s always within reach.

Move your body and you’re not just working on fitness—you’re improving brain function, increasing blood flow to the brain, supporting memory and learning, reducing anxiety and depression, and releasing endorphins that lift your mood. You’re strengthening your heart, lowering blood pressure, improving blood sugar control, boosting energy, and getting deeper, more restorative sleep. You’re building stronger muscles and bones, improving mobility, supporting your immune system, and even reducing the risk of chronic disease and cognitive decline.

Over time, it changes how you feel in your own skin—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Few things check as many boxes as consistently as exercise does.

It’s simple. It’s powerful. And it’s available to almost everyone.

Sometimes the most effective things aren’t the most complicated—they’re the ones we can choose, again and again, each day.

03/21/2026

I once heard someone share a line from a doctor that has stayed with me:

“If only I could prescribe someone a home.”

Giving someone a safe home to recover could be one of the most thoughtful, and most evidence-based first steps our province could take.

With housing in place, the paths forward become far more possible, especially for those leaving addiction when real, evidence-based treatment services are also in place.

Good news below.

CTV News:

New Brunswick announced it will build more than 1,200 new homes with the federal government through an agreement under the Build Canada Homes program.

“This agreement marks the single-largest investment in affordable housing in New Brunswick’s history,” said David Hickey, minister responsible for the New Brunswick Housing Corporation.

The cost-matching agreement between the federal and provincial governments will bring approximately $150 million in federal funding to the project, said a news release.

Both levels of government worked to identify projects for funding under the agreement and gave priority to projects that can begin construction within 12 months, said the release.

The federal government says half of all homes will serve lower-income Canadians. A minimum of 160 homes will provide supportive and transitional housing, and 30 per cent will be in smaller and rural centres.

03/15/2026

A spontaneous trip to Saint John today led to something I never get tired of — hearing more stories of hope from people in recovery.

At one point I looked at my watch and caught myself thinking about how fast life moves. Time has a way of slipping by before we realize it. It made me pause and think about how important our time really is, and how meaningful it can be when we choose to use it well.

My next thought came quickly.

Out of everything I could be doing with my life, I’m grateful I get to work in this space.

As a counsellor, I’ve heard many recovery stories over the years. But the truth is, they never get old. Each one lands with the same weight and humanity as if it were the first time I’ve heard it.

Because every story carries something powerful.

And the hope in those stories never loses its ability to inspire.

Grateful for the people who trust others enough to share their journey. Their stories remind all of us that change is possible.

03/14/2026

Hearing someone share their story of recovery from addiction never gets old.

Today, I along with some friends supported the Village of Hope NB, and attended their annual Maple Sryup Festival.

There are many paths that make Recovery possible. What a joy it is when you see a new found hope in someone’s eyes.

03/10/2026

Today I’m grateful for the first truly warm and sunny day we’ve had in Fredericton.

Most people think about what days like this mean for things like running, walking, or finally getting outside again after a long winter. And those things really are a gift.

But today I found myself thinking about something else.

For several individuals in our community who are currently living rough, a day like this means something very simple — they can finally be warm.

They don’t need to wear two or three layers just to make it through the day.

They don’t need to spend every moment thinking about how to stay out of the wind or where they might warm up next.

For a little while, they can just sit in the sun and breathe.

Sometimes the smallest shifts in weather change the entire experience of someone’s day.

It’s a quiet reminder for me to remain grateful for things that are easy to overlook — like the heat in my home.

Outside of this warm day, I’m also grateful to be involved with an organization that works hard on all the cold days to help house New Brunswickers in need.

The challenge of affordable housing will still be there tomorrow. But today I’m thankful for the sunshine and for the small reminder it brought.

03/06/2026

It’s been great to join the team at Village of Hope Canada this year to deliver several trainings that help build competency in the 12 functions of addiction counselling.

As much as I love to speak, I love the learning I too take away from each teaching.

An additional feature was the “Safe to Try Interventions,” some drawn from our Rise Recovery Program at the Gabrielle Cormier Counselling Centre.

02/20/2026

Only slipped once today on my walk as I thought about how people deserve more than what is popular.

They deserve what is proven and genuinely evidence-based.

Just because an approach is common, well-liked, or long-standing in recovery settings does not mean it produces strong outcomes.

When many of us entered this field, we were trained in certain models. Those models shaped how we think, how we speak, and how we help. They became part of our professional identity. It’s natural for helpers to stay loyal to what first made sense to us.

But familiar does not automatically mean effective. We need to keep a pulse on what the needs of today look like. When someone’s stability, health, or life is at risk, we owe them more than tradition.

At the same time, the phrase evidence-based is being stretched thin. Reflecting on my own journey, I’ve realized it seems to be attached to almost everything. The door for its usage has been opened wider and wider. The term is repeated so often that it can start to function more like marketing than methodology.

Evidence-based practice is not a label. And admittedly, I’ve been guilty of using the term too lightly myself.

It requires ongoing measurement, critical thinking, and the integration of research, clinical skill, and the lived experience of the person in front of us. It means being willing to adjust when outcomes are not there. It means asking, “Is this actually helping?”

It’s especially important today because the landscape of addiction has changed significantly.

The drug supply is more dangerous than it used to be. More people are carrying deep, unresolved trauma. Few universities require professionals to take addiction courses as apart of their university training. Housing is unstable for many, and often doesn’t exist. The cost of living adds stress that didn’t exist at the same level years ago. All of this affects recovery. So even approaches that were once considered “best practice” by certain organizations or groups may need to be strengthened or adjusted today.

We also have to remember that people are not all the same. A teenager struggling with va**ng or cannabis is different from a middle-aged professional hiding alcohol use. Someone living without stable housing faces different barriers than someone with strong family support. Culture, community, and life experience all shape how treatment lands. And ultimately, each person is unique.

Evidence should guide us, and it doesn’t have to be deployed mechanically. It can be thoughtful. It can be human.

Familiar feels safe. Popular sounds convincing. But proven and truly evidence-based — that’s where lives have a greater chance at recovery.

📷 MaritimesMaven

01/25/2026

I stole this thought from a new psychiatrist friend of mine, and have been letting it sink in deeper every day this week.

“What a privilege it is to be tired from the work you dreamed of doing, challenged by the opportunities you mustered the courage to chase, and full of the purpose you always hoped to find.”

I’m so grateful for the teams, individuals, and organizations that show up for Canada and make Recovery possible for those in addiction.

With a fresh year ahead, I cannot wait for the stories of hope that are to come.

Photo cred: Sadie Dunnett

01/12/2026

Five things that stood out last year and reinforced my love for recovery:

1. Nearly every day, someone sought me out just to share good news.

2. Witnessing numerous families share of their regained hope at rehab graduations.

3. Seeing over 100 individuals secure housing and receive integrated support.

4. Helping a number of substance use centres develop their program.

5. Having 20 networking & learning lunches with inspiring, mission-driven professionals.

A small glimpse into a long list of gratitudes that will keep my passion hot as I walk into this new year.

12/29/2025

Leaving you with one last update before year-end. Meet Zoe! She is a wonderful counseling therapist and friend to Recovery on Demand.

Zoe will support our projects with substance use facilities in New Brunswick, whether it be care model development, professional learning, or consultation.

Along with Zoe, we are glad to have four clinicians and other support professionals in our circle to do this wonderful work.

We cannot wait to be part of the recovery journeys that are to come in 2026.

Appreciate you! Thank you for reading.

Address

Fredericton, NB
E2E

Website

https://www.gabriellecormiercounselling.com/

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