Liam Sorrenti

“Spring of 2018, I boarded a small plane to Prince George, B.C. at 630am with my aunt, uncle, their two close friends, and my typical daily hangover. I was invited to be a facilitator and support coach at a 4-day retreat that was hosted by my aunt and uncle’s friend who had spent the last few years learning and working alongside remote Indigenous nations in northern BC and had created a recurring wellness retreat.

I was invited to come support in this work as I had just graduated a master’s in counselling degree and had worked in the therapeutic support field for close to 12 years. On paper, and in presentation, I usually resembled a competent, professional, knowledgeable, and put-together worker in my field. In reality, I was relentless in my pursuit to self-destruct, to end, which felt completely driven by something that was not me. 

On the plane ride, I learned this man who I had been enlisted to help, had changed his life career to supporting Indigenous communities and had been in recovery from drugs (including alcohol) for over 40 years. I was 32, and this idea, concept, prospect of “recovery” or being able to live life outside of my own chaos with heart, health, and happiness had never resonated with me until that day. During the retreat that I arrived as “helper” I was immersed into a space which felt like I had been welcomed home. Surrounded with people, stranger to me, but alike, who held parts of my own story, I identified my chaos for the first time in my life and said… “I’m an addict, and I need help.” 

Relief. The ugly, raw, unspeakable, and hidden parts of my life no longer needed to be stifled and numbed through using substance. For me Recovery is a path to finding something lost, restoring or strengthening well-being in a way that works for the individual. May 30th 2018, the day I boarded that plane was the first day of my recovery and I have been clean and sober since. I am recovering, one day at a time.”