The Lotus of Growth symbolizes your journey and personal growth at Karis. The lotus has five petals, each petal represents an area of life which, if nurtured blossoms into a beautiful flower. Each individual’s lotus will vary based on their own experiences and their own personal recovery journey.
Participants already come into the Karis with strengths from which to build their recovery capital foundation and grow their Lotus. Karis alongside the participant helps to build on these strengths in Karis’ pursuit to support the growth of the participant’s Lotus.
Ultimately, this is your lotus, and it will grow and blossom as you go through your journey.
A representation of the recovery capital that you will build while at Karis and as you transition into more independent living upon completion of your journey at Karis. The lotus utilizes a bio-psycho-social spiritual framework to provide a holistic view of your full self, not solely centered on your past experience of addiction but of your present experience of recovery (held up by the values of support and paying it forward) as well as lays the foundation for your future journey.
Note: Spiritual in this case, does not necessarily mean a belief in God (although it can), but rather a sense of connection to something greater than you – Gabor Maté
Paying it Forward
Our founders believe in our ability as human beings to serve as channels, utilizing our gifts to pour into others. They believe it is important that we never wait until we have “enough,” before we pay it forward. This perspective fosters a community-based approach to recovery and support among residents through involvement and respect for one another. The act of paying it forward is built on a foundation of key principles such as shared responsibility, empathetic understanding, mutual respect and integrity (with benefits such as increased self-esteem, positive feelings of accomplishment as well as an increase in your own ability to cope with challenges). Peer Support is based on a relationship between individuals who have a shared lived experience in common where support is grounded in values of hope, empowerment, recovery and authenticity. Participants are able to set an example by modeling behavior that provides encouragement to newer Karis residents.
Moreover, Karis views volunteering as a recovery practice, in our semi-independent program through our collaboration with community partners, we are able to offer participants the opportunity to give back while simultaneously exploring avenues for positive connections.
Independent Living
In collaboration with their supports (e.g., Key worker, counsellors, etc.) the participant will work through their personal service plan which includes a Recovery Capital assessment, relapse prevention plan, self-assessment tool and many others. A main objective of Karis is to prepare participants to integrate into independent living with the appropriate skills and a solid foundation of Recovery Capital. It is very easy to exist in the “safety of Karis” and making the transition to the “outside world,” can be overwhelming therefore, it is imperative that each participant has the tools they need to thrive outside the “safety of Karis”. Karis’ goal is to ensure that the individual is equipped with the tools they have to put into practice the lessons learnt and transition into the community (independent living) from a place of confidence and not of fear. The skills learnt while at Karis offer you the appropriate foundation to make the experience a bit smoother.
The “Self”
Recovery is more than the physical act of stopping the use of alcohol or drugs. Living a sober lifestyle means creating a safe environment where you are able to truly thrive, fostering a culture of recovery where the self is the center, and your identity is created outside an addiction to drugs/alcohol. The creation of a culture of recovery includes breaking old habits, developing a social network that supports ongoing sobriety and developing healthy coping mechanisms to tackle stress and deal with habits of trauma. Practicing self-sufficiency, the individual is able to take back control of their life. In addition, lessons in emotional stability allow the individual to adapt to day-to-day life and stressors without reverting back to old patterns of thinking and behaving. This petal integrates all the other petals; they come together to boost your confidence in your sobriety and your ability to live a recovery-centered lifestyle. Overall, the individual is able to live a truly holistic experience.
Goals
Outside your history of addictive behaviors, Karis’ goal is to provide a safe and secure environment that promotes the opportunity for participants to make choices and have experiences that may have not been available to them in their active addiction. You are no longer living in active addiction and now have the opportunity to lead a healthy independent life. This is where your goals come into place. Karis has a few foundational goals e.g. securing appropriate housing and other tenants of independent living. Nevertheless, similar to all other petals, this petal is determined predominantly by the participant and their vision for their life. Recovery is a journey; Karis believes in the process. Referencing the medicine wheel, an Indigenous symbol of health and healing, Karis encourages participants to set SMART goals, not as markers of success or failure but rather as representations of their commitment to leading a healthy lifestyle through the achievement of goals.
Supports
The participant is encouraged to ask the question: What do I need? What kind of support do I want?
Creating a healthy social network promotes a greater sense of well-being in the participant and empowers their recovery journey by fostering a healthy lifestyle. As the individual transitions into more independent living, this social network provides them with the support they need to work through issues that may arise; while encouraging them to fall back on the skills they learnt while at Karis. The social network is a source of positive reinforcement for your recovery.