Talking about substance use with your teen is never easy. Between normal adolescent experimentation, peer pressure, academic stress and social media influences, parents often wonder when they should be concerned about substance use. Substance use among young people can’t be characterized simply in terms of what’s “normal” as opposed to what’s “problematic”. There are a… Read more »
We are sharing the testimony of the mother of an adolescent who participated in the adolescent and young adult program in Saint-Malachie. Here, she writes a message of gratitude to Chantal, counsellor of our family support services. “Hi Chantal, I’m taking a moment tonight to write to you — a suspended moment between memory… Read more »
Testimonial of parent at a family support group – Cassidy Lake Note: They have chosen not to have their names attached Our son, 19 at the time, was struggling with addiction, which we were not aware of. We thought it was just weekend drinking with friends, but it was more than that. He was… Read more »
On October 26, Portage celebrated the success of 222 graduates during its annual Recognition Ceremony—an event filled with emotion and pride. For the first time, the ceremony was held at the Sylvain-Lelièvre Hall at Cégep de Limoilou, bringing together graduates from the adult program in Québec, the adolescent and young adults program in Saint-Malachie, and… Read more »
On September 28, families of our residents came together for a warm and meaningful day at Portage Saint-Malachie. The day began with a delicious meal prepared by our chef Maryse Breton, followed by activities that reflect daily life at Portage — from household tasks to a friendly volleyball match between parents and residents. The energy… Read more »
After our son overdosed, we knew he needed help — and fast — only we had no idea how to get it. We felt like we were flailing and spiraling all at the same time, so we did what most lost people do: we took to Google. Turns out, we’ve never been so thankful for… Read more »
My life before Portage was chaos. I wasn’t living, I was surviving. I experienced perinatal bereavement, but never really faced up to it. Then my father passed away and I completely lost my footing. And so began my descent into hell. What followed was an interminable succession of stupid, ill-considered decisions that destroyed everyone I… Read more »
Portage helped my son gain a better understanding of who he is. It gave him back his pride and his sense of value. It helped him find new ways of dealing with his issues and challenges. By the time he entered Portage last April, I was exhausted, but for the first time in a very… Read more »
After months of turmoil, our family challenge started on November 23, 2020 Covid certainly didn’t make things easy. We discovered Portage by means of a videoconference that walked us through a virtual tour of the premises, the admission process was conducted outside, and we bid farewell to our daughter in the parking lot, hoping she… Read more »
Illicit drug use among youth can stem from various factors including social pressure, curiosity, anxiety, depression or a desire to experience strong sensations. Despite these common motivations for drug use, parents don’t always recognize the early signs of substance use in their children. These signs can go undetected for many reasons, including a lack of… Read more »
