ABOUT US
Where did Recovery start?
Recovery was created in 1937 by Dr. Abraham Low, a Neuropsychiatrist and University of Illinois Professor of Psychiatry in Chicago. It is a self-help mental health program based on Cognitive Therapy. For more details on how Recovery works, see the Method tab.
People who practice the living skills detailed in the Recovery Method learn to change their thoughts and behaviours and changes in attitudes and beliefs follow. This helps them to generally live normal lives.
Dr. Low has written several books on his teachings over the years since he started which can be reviewed and purchased in the Books tab.
Dr. Low’s teaching are Managed by Recovery International in Chicago and have 3 International Affiliates: Canada, Ireland and Puerto Rico.
Recovery Canada
Recovery Canada is a Registered Charity (# 84984 2927 RR0001) in Canada and affiliated with Recovery International in the United States. Recovery Canada runs weekly meetings in Canada.
Recovery Canada is a volunteer led organization with no paid staff.
Recovery Canada is led by a President and Board of Directors who are all volunteer Peer Leaders and, like everyone who attends Recovery Meetings, suffer from mental illness.
Recovery Canada’s Funding comes 100% from free-will donations collected at meetings and yearly Membership fees. You do not have to be a member to attend meetings but we encourage people who attend meetings to join as the funds help support the meetings held in Canada.
Most of the expenses of Recovery Canada are to support and run Recovery Meetings across Canada. See the Find a Meeting tab for list of meetings in Canada. There is no cost to attend a meeting - there is a free-will collection at each meeting where the suggested donation is $5 but only if you can afford to give. If you cannot afford to give, there is no cost to our meetings. If you attend regularly we do suggest you purchase some of our books.
Recovery does work but it takes a lot effort as it requires the re-training of yourself to deal with your mental illness. We did not ask for this illness but we have it so it requires us to train ourselves to deal with it through the Recovery Method.