Helani Davison After receiving successful treatment for alcohol and drug addiction in 1984, Davison up-graded her grade 9 education. At age 40, Davison received her certificate as Addiction Counsellor doing private counselling and facilitating groups for The Donwood Institute and Pedhabun Lodge, a native treatment centre in Toronto. Davison combined her personal experience of recovery with her formal education as a counsellor. She added to that her expertise as Public Relations and Media Consultant for major corporations such as CP Hotels, IBM, Searle Pharmaceuticals and Cash for Life Lottery. Davison decided to use her unique combination of experience and abilities to focus on raising public awareness and removing the stigma surrounding mental health issues and addiction that she herself endured.
Utilizing mainstream media, Davison created public awareness campaigns for numerous addiction treatment centres including The Donwood Institute, Bellwood Health Centre and The Hope Centre in Toronto, educating the public through the use of radio and TV talk shows and newspaper interviews. Davison often candidly referred to her own struggles. Corporations and schools were also approached in Toronto using presentation material regarding the understanding of addiction and available treatment options.
As a professional writer, Davison has been published in most major Canadian dailies, often researching and writing about mental illness, addiction and recovery as well as other social issues. Presently, Davison writes a regular column, Recovery Point for The Marketplace Magazine which deals with detailed and often personalized stories about addiction – everything from the schoolyard drug deal to global consumerism and the causes of the modern obesity epidemic.
Davison also applied her experience as a TV commercial producer to the task of producing video material on the subject of addiction including a TV commercial for The Jean Tweed Treatment Centre in Toronto, the first of it's kind, for women. Recently, Davison completed a video for public viewing for Edgewood Treatment Centre.
The video which can be viewed on u-tube describes an innovative program for children from alcohol and drug addicted families called Bounce Back.
Numerous public speaking engagements have included subjects on Drug and Alcohol Abuse and the relationship to AIDS/HIV as part of AIDS/HIV Awareness Week. A Salt Spring seminar, Why Are We Getting Fatter was designed and presented by Davison. Recently, Davison has conducted a series of lectures and group discussions on the topic of food addiction for Island FitLife in Victoria and Nanaimo.
The Canadian Mental Health Association hired Davison as a presenter as part of their Mental Health First Aid educational program. As well, Davison taught stone sculpting as a form of art therapy through CMHA art studio. She has also conducted creative writing courses both privately and through School District 64 (Gulf Islands.)
Davison has proven her commitment to education and the removal of stigma surrounding addiction and mental health issues through her work in the field as both a professional and volunteer for 28 years. She acts as a positive role model with her personal recovery which began by arresting multiple addictions in order to address the underlying causes of mental/emotional issues.
Davison continues to focus her recovery on a holistic approach to mental and physical health using on-going psycho-therapy, nutritional therapy, exercise, spiritual pursuits, meditation and mindfulness practice. Davison states, "My work as writer, artist and social advocate feeds my soul. By helping others, I help myself."
Currently, Davison is working on her autobiographical book, Daughter of Chaos which includes details not included in the performance. Davison plans to use Daughter of Chaos as a creative vehicle to reach those suffering from the effects of mental health challenges and addiction, their families and the general public.