Our Collective Journey

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Medicine Hat, AB
Our Collective Journey

Podcast- From Darkness to Life (Available on ALL major platforms)

MISSION STATEMENT:

We enable optimal mental well-being for functioning, at-risk Albertans using customized, evidence-based resiliency and personalized recovery coaching developed and delivered by those with lived experience.

11/12/2025

You’ve heard about our incredible keynote speakers, but do you know what SARRCON really is?

SARRCon is where recovery, resilience, and community come together. This two-day event brings professionals, peers, and community leaders together to explore how we can build Resilient Recovery Communities across Southern Alberta.

Why attend?
SARRCon offers a unique blend of professional development, networking, and personal growth. Attendees gain practical tools for supporting recovery-oriented systems of care, connect with others passionate about wellness and collaboration, and reignite their sense of purpose.

What’s the focus?
This year’s theme, Building Resilient Recovery Communities, centers on shared learning and collaboration. We’ll explore the connection between recovery, nature, and resilience, highlighting how grounding ourselves in community and the natural world strengthens our collective wellbeing. The conference also amplifies lived experience, sharing real stories of recovery, hope, and leadership from right here in Southern Alberta.

Keynote Speakers

Dr. Jody Carrington — exploring connection, belonging, and resilience.

Jill Drader — presenting Knowings: Where Logic and Intuition Meet, integrating creativity and self-awareness in leadership and recovery.

Workshop Experience
This year, instead of multiple breakout sessions, attendees will take part in an immersive two-hour workshop with Jill Drader. Participants will explore how intuition and self-awareness support resilience, gain practical tools for leadership and purpose alignment, and engage in creative exercises designed to turn personal insights into professional and community action.

Community Connection
SARRCon 2026 will also feature space for networking, collaboration, and resource sharing. Expect art displays, wellness moments, and grounding practices that make the event both engaging and human-centered.

Join us in March 2026 to connect, learn, and lead the way toward a stronger, more resilient recovery community in Southern Alberta.

Registration opens TOMORROW at 2 PM. Get your tickets while they last!

11/11/2025

Keynote Speaker Announcement #2!

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Jody Carrington will be joining us as a keynote speaker at SARRCon, happening March 19 & 20 in Medicine Hat, Alberta!

Dr. Carrington is known across Canada for her powerful, heartfelt, and hilarious insights on connection, resilience, and the power of relationships. Her message is one you won’t want to miss.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, November 12 and trust us, they’ll go fast.

Stay tuned for more updates and get ready for an unforgettable experience at !

11/08/2025

We are so excited to announce the first of our two keynote speakers for SARRCon, Jill Drader.

Jill is known for her dynamic and engaging speaking style, and she has delivered keynote speeches and workshops to audiences of all sizes across North America. She has also worked with a diverse range of clients, including corporations, non-profits, and individuals.

With over two decades of experience in the personal development industry, Jill has become a trusted advisor and spiritual director to countless individuals and organizations seeking to transform their lives and achieve their goals.

Jill’s keynote, Recovery Rooted in Nature and Resilience, we will find renewed purpose, personal growth, and practical tools for daily life.

SARRCon will take place March 19 and 20, 2026. Tickets for SARRCon go on sale Wednesday, November 12. Keep watching the page to find out who our next keynote speaker is!

11/05/2025

Mark your calendars, because do we ever had an incredible lineup for our 2026 SARRCon!

Save the date for March 19 and 20, 2026 for an inspiring two day event featuring vendors, incredible speakers, and a keynote guests you won’t believe.

Stay tuned for details because this is one event you won’t want to miss!

Keep an eye on our page over the coming days, and be sure to head back here on Wednesday, November 12 when early-bird tickets go on sale!

10/31/2025

It’s the end of an era today as we bid goodbye (for now) to our Co-Founder and Podcast Host, Ryan Oscar.

In Part 2 of Beyond the Brink, Ryan shares his harrowing experience of reaching rock bottom, struggling with substance abuse, and a failed su***de.

A pivotal intervention from his uncle and a dedicated counselor helped him find the path to recovery.

Throughout this episode, Ryan reflects on his time in treatment, the importance of honesty, open-mindedness, and accountability, and how these principles have transformed his life.

Now a coordinator of the addictions counseling program at Medicine Hat College, Ryan is committed to helping others overcome their struggles and find hope.

You do not want to miss this inspiring story, and our farewell (for now) with Ryan.

Catch this Episode and Part 1 at the link in the comments.

10/29/2025

As our fdtlpodcast wraps up Season 5, we’re celebrating the power of storytelling, healing, and connection AND kicking off an incredible new chapter.

In the final episode of Season 5, OCJ Founder, Ryan, opens up about his own journey through trauma, addiction, and recovery and how those experiences led to the creation of Our Collective Journey. It’s raw, real, and full of hope.

Now, as Ryan passes the mic to Craig “Poncho” Parker, the From Darkness to Life podcast begins a new season with familiar heart and renewed energy.

Poncho, who helped launch the podcast back in the early days, is returning as host and ready to bring more powerful conversations that remind us we’re never alone.

“When people share who they are and face their demons, they feel lighter and it inspires others to realize they’re not alone.”- Poncho

Season 6 is full of real stories from real people- the kind that make you feel seen, understood, and hopeful. Because no matter where you are on your journey, there’s light ahead.

Listen to the Season 5 finale which is Part 1 featuring our Founder Ryan Kelly, now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Part 2 of Ryan’s incredible story will launch Season 6 this Thursday.

Let’s keep walking this journey together. Join us in welcoming back Craig “Poncho” Parker!

10/28/2025

We’d love for you to join us at Our Collective Journey’s AGM tomorrow at 4:30 PM!

Come see what we’ve accomplished together, and where we’re headed next.

Join the meeting here:

https://bit.ly/4nrl1Bi

Meeting ID: 244 733 326 753 0
Passcode: z8BV9qN6

10/19/2025

It’s a very special episode of From Darkness to Life this week. You know him, you love him. It’s Ryan.

In this gripping episode of , Ryan takes the hot seat to share his harrowing journey from the depths of addiction and a near-fatal su***de attempt to his inspiring recovery and new mission in life.

He recounts the pivotal moments that led him to substance abuse, the devastating loss of his father, and the intense struggle for control. This raw and powerful story illustrates the catastrophic impact of addiction and the redemptive power of honesty, intervention, and professional help.

This episode marks the return of From Darkness to Life after a hiatus and the hand-off of the show from former host Ryan to our new host, Poncho Parker.

Stay tuned later this week where we will get to know our new host, Poncho, a little bit more!

10/15/2025

An Invitation to All Communities and Organizations:

If your sports team, school, corporate group, or community organization is ready to open the conversation about mental health, resilience, and healing, we invite you to bring Sideways to you.

This story has the power to unite, to heal, and to inspire change in boardrooms, locker rooms, and communities everywhere.

Let’s all embrace our duty of care — for each other and for ourselves — and move forward in a whole new way.
Healing is possible. Change is happening. And it’s time for all of us to be part of it.

10/09/2025

There’s no single “right way” to recover. 💙

For some, it’s treatment. For others, it’s peer support. For many, it’s a combination of community, connection, and compassion. At OCJ, we honour every pathway, because what matters most is that people find what works for them.

💬 Share this to remind someone: recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Address

#1/660 2nd Street SE
Medicine Hat, AB
T1A0C9

Telephone

+14038001191

Website

http://www.ourcollectivejourney.ca/, https://linktr.ee/ourcollectivejourney, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc

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