Our Collective Journey

11/02/2026

SARRCon 2027 tickets are officially ON SALE!

On March 18 and 19, people from across southern Alberta, southwest Saskatchewan and beyond will come together in Medicine Hat for two days of honest conversations, practical learning and meaningful connection.

This is a regional conference, not just a Medicine Hat conference! SARRCon is about bringing communities together to strengthen how we understand, support and build recovery across our entire region.

Guided by this year’s theme, Strength in Community: Recovery Through Connection, SARRCon 2027 is for:

🔹 People with lived or living experience
🔹 Families, friends and supporters
🔹 Recovery, mental-health and social-service professionals
🔹 Educators, employers and community organizations
🔹 Anyone who wants to better understand recovery and the role we all play in it

Over two days, attendees will hear from inspiring keynote speakers, take part in important panel conversations, gain practical tools through an interactive workshop and learn from people bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to the table.

SARRCon will also feature a special live recording of the Season 7 finale of From Darkness to Life—an experience created specifically for those in the room.

Whether recovery is part of your personal life, your work or the community you serve, you will leave with new perspectives, stronger connections and practical ideas you can bring home.

Tickets are available now at the link in our comments or in our bio.

Come learn, connect, and be part of a stronger regional recovery community!

10/31/2026

Imagine walking into this and forgetting it’s Halloween… 😂

Just another day at the office with OCJ! Happy Halloween, everyone!

10/29/2026

At 15 years old, Sylvain Bourgon was homeless and still getting himself to school.

He grew up surrounded by poverty, violence and early drug use. He learned how to survive, but he also carried the belief that he wasn’t worthy of anything better.

In the newest episode of From Darkness to Life, Sylvain joins Poncho to talk about leaving home at 15, meeting his future wife Cindy and experiencing what a caring family could look like for the first time. He also shares how a teacher noticed he was struggling and stepped in to help.

Those moments mattered, but healing didn’t happen all at once. Sylvain talks honestly about grief, faith, therapy, the mistakes he has made and the old messages about his worth that can still return—even after building a family and career he once couldn’t imagine.

This is why we share stories of lived experience. They remind us that one person noticing, reaching out or offering support can change the direction of someone’s life.

They also remind anyone who is still struggling that their story isn’t over.

🎧 Listen to the newest episode of From Darkness to Life by searching for the podcast on your favourite platform or visiting www.ourcollectivejourney.ca/podcast

10/28/2026

TOMORROW: At 15 years old, Sylvain Bourgon packed everything he owned into a backpack, got on a bicycle and pedalled for eight hours toward what he hoped would be a better life.

He had grown up in witness protection, homeless shelters and the housing projects of Ottawa. Before turning 16, he had already overdosed twice.

Today, Sylvain is 54 years old, has been married to his wife Cindy for 33 years, and is a father of two and grandfather to Blair. He built an HVAC company from nothing, spent decades working in construction and real estate, and is the author of Solid Ground: A Blueprint for Building a Life.

But getting from there to here wasn’t a straight line.

Tomorrow on From Darkness to Life, Sylvain sits down with Poncho to talk about survival, mental health, identity and the slow work of rebuilding from the inside out. He shares the people and moments that helped change the direction of his life and why healing is still something he works at today.

Sylvain knows what it means to believe there may be nothing better ahead. He also knows what can happen when someone notices, reaches out and helps you begin to see yourself differently.

Meet Sylvain tomorrow on From Darkness to Life! Tune in at 1 PM when our new episode drops.

10/23/2026

Introducing: The Meaning in the Everyday

What makes an everyday activity meaningful? And why does it matter, particularly in recovery?

Recovery is often discussed in terms of what a person is working to stop, manage or overcome. But recovery is also about what a person is building!

It’s about finding purpose, reconnecting with interests, building relationships and creating a life that feels meaningful.

This is where meaningful daily activities come in.

A meaningful activity is something that brings enjoyment, a sense of purpose, connection, personal growth, or a feeling of accomplishment. It doesn’t have to be something big, and it looks different for everyone.

It could be going for a walk, cooking a meal, spending time with a friend, working in the garden, learning something new, or just making time to do something you enjoy.

For someone in recovery, these activities can help establish routines, rebuild confidence, rediscover interests and create opportunities for connection and belonging. Over time, they can become part of building a life that feels fulfilling and worth investing in.

And this isn’t just relevant to people in recovery. We ALL benefit from having things in our lives that give us a sense of purpose, bring us joy or connect us to the people and world around us.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be exploring The Meaning in the Everyday: what meaningful activities are, why they matter, how to find them, and how small, everyday moments can contribute to our overall well-being and recovery.

Because meaning doesn’t have to come from doing something extraordinary, sometimes it starts with the little things that make life feel a little more like our own. 💜

Let’s start the conversation!

What is one everyday activity that brings meaning to your life? It could be something you do for enjoyment, to connect with others, to learn or simply to take care of yourself.

Share it in the comments! Your idea might inspire someone else to discover something meaningful in their own life.

10/22/2026

Yesterday, OCJ’s Business Manager, Carla, joined teams of volunteers across Medicine Hat to take part in the Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, an important initiative that helps our community better understand homelessness.

What exactly is a PIT Count, and why does it matter?

A Point-in-Time Count is a coordinated effort to estimate how many people in a community are experiencing homelessness on a particular night. Across Canada, communities participate in these counts using a consistent approach to help build a clearer picture of homelessness, both locally and nationally.

Volunteers work alongside community organizations and service providers to gather information about people experiencing homelessness. This can include people staying in emergency shelters or transitional housing, those sleeping outdoors, and people experiencing homelessness while accessing other systems, such as health care or correctional services. Periodic surveys also help communities better understand people’s experiences and the circumstances that contribute to housing instability.

Why is this important?

Because we cannot effectively respond to a problem we don’t fully understand.

PIT Counts help communities:

• Understand the scale and changing nature of homelessness.
• Identify gaps in housing, services and supports.
• Make informed decisions about where resources are needed.
• Develop more effective strategies to prevent and end homelessness.
• Build a stronger understanding of the experiences of people in our community.

It is important to recognize that a PIT Count is a snapshot in time. It cannot capture everyone experiencing homelessness, particularly those whose circumstances may not be visible. However, when combined with other community data and lived experience, it provides valuable information to help guide a response.

At OCJ, we understand that recovery doesn’t happen in isolation. Housing stability, connection, access to support and a sense of belonging can all play an important role in a person’s journey.

We’re grateful to the volunteers, organizations and community members who contributed their time and effort to this important initiative in Medicine Hat!

10/20/2026

This is your sign! We have just ONE SPOT LEFT for this incredible pilot program beginning October 22. Learn practical tools for supporting your loved one and yourself when dealing with addiction.

Introducing The Family Collective.

When someone you love is struggling with addiction, it can be hard to know what to do, how to help, or where to turn for support. The Family Collective was created specifically for the people walking alongside them.

Our Collective Journey, in partnership with Medicine Hat Family Service, is launching a new 8-week facilitated program for families and loved ones impacted by addiction.

The Family Collective is more than a support group. It follows a structured, class-style format with guided modules, worksheets and facilitated conversations designed to give participants practical tools they can use in their own lives.

Over the eight weeks, we’ll explore supporting a loved one without enabling, navigating relapse, setting healthy boundaries, taking care of yourself, and finding helpful resources and community.

Most importantly, this program focuses entirely on YOU — the families and loved ones who are so often focused on helping someone else.

Starting: October 22, 2026
When: Bi-weekly Thursdays, 6:30–7:30 PM
Where: Medicine Hat Public Library
Who: Facilitated by Our Collective Journey and Medicine Hat Family Service

Registration is required.

When someone you love is struggling, you deserve support too. We are here to do just that. 💜

10/15/2026

What happens when you’re so busy keeping everyone else okay that you realize you’re not okay yourself?

Alison Claypool knows that feeling. As the partner of a first responder struggling with PTSD, she was holding her family together and protecting her children while her own needs kept falling to the bottom of the list.

In our newest episode of From Darkness to Life, Alison sits down with Poncho to talk about how hard it was to admit she was struggling, the point where she nearly walked away, and how they began finding their way forward.

It’s a conversation that will hit home for anyone who has felt guilty for needing more while someone they love is struggling. Your happiness matters, too.

🎧 The episode is out now. Search “From Darkness to Life” on your favourite podcast platform or listen at www.ourcollectivejourney.com/podcast.

10/14/2026

TOMORROW on From Darkness to Life is our next guest, Alison Claypool.

Born and raised in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Alison moved to Medicine Hat in 2018 and works as an Educational Assistant with Prairie Rose School Division in Redcliff.

Alison and her husband, Ty, married in 2021. Together, they have a blended family of five children. Their two oldest are married, and they’re proud grandparents to a grandson.

Family time means everything to Alison, and time with her girlfriends is sacred. She loves being in the mountains, getting away with her family a few times a year, and camping in the summer. Her outlook is simple: enjoy every moment.

As the partner of a first responder living with PTSD, Alison also knows how much families can carry behind the scenes. Her story includes finding her own voice and recognizing that her needs matter, too.

Get to know Alison when her episode of From Darkness to Life drops TOMORROW!

You can find From Darkness to Life on your favourite podcast streaming app of choice, or by visiting our website at https://www.ourcollectivejourney.ca/podcast

10/12/2026

Are you in recovery? Drop one piece of advice for anyone currently struggling with their sobriety. 👇