Shirley Wantland began her career in the pharmaceutical sector, where she worked for nine years doing what she believed to be the right thing – encouraging people to recover. Only when she shifted her professional focus toward mental wellness and the mental healthcare crisis did she realize that the drug crisis was perpetuated mainly by the pharmaceutical industry. There was a potential to change that and make a genuine difference in people’s lives, which made Wantland feel genuinely authentic and meaningful.
As the co-founder and principal of Recovery Consultants, Wantland has made it her mission to spread the power of positivity and change life through love and compassion. She believes that individuals and their families are already suffering enough trauma and pain to be stigmatized into something entirely negative when dealing with substance abuse and addiction. We need people in this sphere willing to let go of their biases for the greater good.
Coming from a refugee background was tough; a new country, language, and traditions were too much for the young child. After years of counseling, coaching, plant medicine, and soul searching, Wantland recognized she needed to accept her differences rather than be ashamed of them. It has influenced the evolution of Recovery Consultants. Rather than criticizing those who do not fit into neatly defined boxes, the professionals at Recovery Consultants assist people in creating their own. Helping people discover what they want for themselves, rather than being told what they “should” be doing, makes a massive difference in the healing process.
As a mental health counselor, Wantland believes that our society can play a significant role in drug addiction rehabilitation. She shares the following three strategies that any community can adopt to support and address the root cause of this problem.
Compassion and empathy
It’s easy to pass judgment on those suffering from addiction and mental illness, feeling it’s a moral failure rather than an effect of the same painful human experience. Wantland believes that it’s only through compassion and empathy that we can establish a bridge to understanding.
Destigmatize addiction and mental health
People are far more likely to get treatment if they feel comfortable and are not at risk of being shamed, judged, or rejected. Therefore, Wantland suggests that we need more therapists and institutions with an unbiased approach.
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Furthermore, she believes we need more skilled therapists, counselors, and coaches to hold a suitable space for people to recover and heal. Shirley Wantland’s rehabilitation philosophy is based on “less fear, more love.” She thinks that by assisting families and individuals in aligning with love, we can create a space for genuine recovery and healing. Her mission is to help as many individuals and families as possible by navigating their recovery and healing through compassion, love, and empathy and devise solutions that work.
