David and Louise’s 35 year addiction recovery story

Talk Recovery Radio

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David Pavlus and Louise Cooksey

35 Years of breaking the chains of addiction.

The successes of Last Door Adult Program, Youth Program and Family Program are being celebrated on May 25th 2019 at the Anvil Centre during Last Door’s Living Legacy Celebration.

What is your legacy in helping Canadians overcome addiction?

David Pavlus and Louise Cooksey, the founders of Last Door Recovery Society will be on Talk Recovery Radio this Thursday for a full hour of their story, how Last Door came to be, we will also talk about:

The Social Model Program for addiction recovery
12 Step Philosophies
How recovery from addiction actually possible
Personal Recovery

Last Door Recovery Society has been around for 35 years, founders of Last Door are on the show today Louise Cooksey and David Pavlus. 35 years ago David and Louise got clean and when David got clean and in recovery from addiction someone told him if you volunteer it will help you stay clean, and that is where his story started.

David talks about when he started to Volunteer at Last Door he went to have a coffee a meal and a conversation about recovery. David wanted to build a sense of community and togetherness because when he got clean he felt lonely. Louise touches on the 12-step fellowship they were a part of and still are a part of it was not very big when they cleaned up, it was very small, David chose a homegroup that was everyday, so he had a commitment of going to a meeting everyday. His homegroup was on the top floor of the Carnegie Centre David says that was a pivotal decision on him staying clean in early from recovery.

Lousie talks about the differences from 35 years ago at Last Door and the recovery community to today and she mentions that people are getting clean sooner and the recovery community is bigger. Today there is more awareness to stopping addiction at a younger age and it is encouraged to clean up sooner in life rather than having to spend 10 years in jail to qualify to be a member of the recovery community.

David and Louise talk about being 6 months clean and wanting to go see what the 12-step fellowship is like in California so off they went with 6 months clean, 300 dollars and a virago. When they got down there and went to meetings they were so inspired of the size of the recovery community there.

David explains Last Door as 35 years of seeing families get back together, seeing people get educated, jobs trips around the world, getting married having kids and all of it is defeating the odds of overcoming addiction. He also touches on what a “rock bottom” looks like, some people say a rock bottom has to be something in particular David says a bottom is when you have had enough to addiction and feel you need to find recovery.

Last Door is a non-profit charity, which was as Louise explains it an offshoot of Turning Point Recovery, at one point Turning Point didn’t think the expansion suited them so David decided he wanted to take over Last Door because he thought it could be something special. Louise explains it as a lot of work but at the end of the day it all paid off, in 1989 Last Door became a Society. When Last Door became a non-profit they had a parole officer, a chiropractor, a couple people in recovery and a secretary. David talks about how he likes to break it down simple, a coffee and a conversation with some good food is healing from addiction, talking to people who are in recovery and not connected to your problems is healing from addiction, helping the next person coming in the door right after you is healing from addiction.

David mentioned that one of the best things his daughter every said to him is, “I’m glad you do recovery” and his son telling him he is a good Dad means something to him now as he is in recovery. David says how he would like to live with some simplicity, dignity, integrity and morality. He wants life to be fun and full of helping people recover from addiction.

On the 25^th of May 2019 Last Door is going to celebrate 35 years of breaking the chains of addiction and have their Gala Dinner at the Anvil Centre.

For more information about Last Door Recovery Society please call 1-888-525-9771

Archive of all shows can be found here www.TalkRecoveryRadio.com

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Talk Recovery airs live every Thursday at noon on 100.5 FM, Vancouver Coop Radio. The Last Door produces this weekly radio show discussing the many pathways to addiction recovery. To end stigma we must continue to talk about recovery. Talk Recovery is in its 7th Season, Hundreds of guests, thousands of listeners, thank you. Show ideas? Email community@lastdoor.org