For some people, Christmas isn\u2019t always the \u2018Most Wonderful Time of the Year.\u2019 Alysse, 34, recalls the times she couldn\u2019t afford to put gifts under the tree. But poverty wasn\u2019t the only issue. Today, thanks to The Salvation Army\u2019s New Choices program in Hamilton, Ont., and hard work and commitment from Alysse, she is in recovery from substance use, studying to be a social work and is grateful that she won\u2019t have a Christmas without.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt eases a lot of pressure knowing I will have toys and books\u2014more than I can offer\u2014for my son to open on Christmas morning,\u201d says Alysse.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIt eases a lot of pressure knowing I will have toys and books\u2014more than I can offer\u2014for my son to open on Christmas morning.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
At a young age, the effects of her mother\u2019s substance-use disorder began to unfold on Alysse. Her self-worth was in jeopardy, and she turned to substances to cope with her emotions. She was 10 when she first smoked weed. By 14 she was addicted to hard drugs. For many years, she struggled with substance use.<\/p>\n
\u201cSubstance use prevented me from doing well in school and a whole lot more,\u201d says Alysse. \u201cI sold drugs\u2014lived with men who took advantage of me\u2013 stole from my family. Then my daughter was removed from my custody. I never wanted to use needles and hated how I felt. But I couldn\u2019t stop the desire to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cSubstance use prevented me from doing well in school and a whole lot more.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
In 2020, shortly after her son was born, Alysse was referred to The Salvation Army\u2019s New Choices program.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew Choices is a community-based program for pregnant and mothering women with children under the age of six who identifies having substance use concerns,\u201d says Kristin Baughan, program manager. \u201cMothers and their child(ren) attend program one day a week.\u00a0Services provided include addiction and parenting education, individual counselling, opportunities for women and children to play together and practical support.\u201d<\/p>\n
With help from her addiction counsellor and the professionals at New Choices, Alysse is in recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Salvation Army has everything to do with where I am today,\u201d she says. \u201cI am studying to be a social worker and want to help others like The Salvation Army helped me. And I can\u2019t say enough about my counsellor, Jill, who is always there with a listening ear and a word of encouragement.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe Salvation Army has everything to do with where I am today.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u201cBecause of New Choices, I can parent my son sober and healthy. I\u2019ve put the tools they taught me to good use, and I am a better mom because of the program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, along with other mothers and children from New Choices, Alysse is looking forward to their upcoming Christmas luncheon.<\/p>\n
\u201cI heard we are having a party,\u201d she says. \u201cHopefully, Santa will be there.\u201d<\/p>\n
By Linda Leigh<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For some people, Christmas isn\u2019t always the \u2018Most Wonderful Time of the Year.\u2019 Alysse, 34, recalls the times she couldn\u2019t afford to put gifts under the tree. But poverty wasn\u2019t the only issue. Today, thanks to The Salvation Army\u2019s New Choices program in Hamilton, Ont., and hard work and commitment from Alysse, she is in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9894,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1014],"tags":[],"location":[],"class_list":["post-9893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hope-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
When Christmas Is not a Happy Time - Salvation Army Atlantic<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/salvationarmy.ca\/atlantic\/2022\/12\/when-christmas-is-not-a-happy-time\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When Christmas Is not a Happy Time - Salvation Army Atlantic\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For some people, Christmas isn\u2019t always the \u2018Most Wonderful Time of the Year.\u2019 Alysse, 34, recalls the times she couldn\u2019t afford to put gifts under the tree. But poverty wasn\u2019t the only issue. 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