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 »
My story begins in France, where I was born and spent my childhood and early adolescence. After my parents divorced, my mother got custody of me, so I grew up with her, my brothers, my sisters and my stepfather. I only visited my father when I was on holiday. When I was 13, I decided… Read more »
I came to Portage as a teenager in 2011 at the west island program. I was lost and in desperate need of healing, my body and mind broken from the lifestyle I was living. When I pulled up to the building and was greeted by the staff and residents, I felt absolutely terrified. Terrified, but… Read more »
THERE ARE NO HOW-TO BOOKS FOR MOMS! For me, substance use is equivalent with loss of confidence, instability and confusion. As the mother of two young children, I looked to my parents to help me provide a healthy living environment for them. Because I was determined to take back my parental responsibilities, I made a… Read more »
From a very young age I was looking for a way out, I felt trapped, but I always remained hopeful that there would be a way out, I just needed to get older. For a long time, that was all that was on my mind so all I was trying to do was get by…. Read more »
I started using drugs and alcohol at the age of 13. I lost both my parents while I was still in my teens, prior to which I had experienced abuse and neglect from them. The relationship I had with my parents paved the way for accepting to be treated in a similar way in my… Read more »
Perseverance and Determination This is the story of the journey that saved my life: I had always enjoyed partying ever since I was in high school. I started using when I was about 17 years old. I gradually moved on to higher doses and stronger drugs. Over time, I became addicted to several substances and… Read more »
Portage gave me my voice back Growing up I was around drugs a lot. One of my brothers started using when I was 6 years old. He didn’t know how else to cope, I watched his lifestyle destroy him and my family. He got arrested when I was 12 and he now has a life… Read more »
The Mechanics of a Life This is my story: I discovered my passion for mechanics very early in life and in a rather unusual way as I started collecting and repairing dozens of old bicycles of every type when I was still just a child. At the same time, I was dealing with bullying at… Read more »
Can you describe the beginning of the program? How was your experience? I didn’t know what to expect. I had no idea what I signed up for! It was my first therapy: I didn’t even know what a therapeutic community was. At first, I felt like I didn’t belong and was reluctant to it. I… Read more »
