Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 19/01) - Karen Brown was living in Calgary in 1993, but she not doing what she wanted.

That all changed when she saw an ad in a paper for drug and alcohol instructors to work in the North.

Karen Brown is a drug and alcohol counsellor at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre in Yellowknife. Originally from Alberta, Brown, 35, has two daughters, 15 and 13. - Jennifer McPhee/NNSL photo

She felt she had nothing to lose and headed to Fort Smith on a greyhound bus where she took a Northern communities drug and alcohol counsellor course at Aurora College. Brown worked at Northern Addictions Services in Dettah for almost six years, and now works at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre.

Can you tell me a little bit about your background?

I had quite a colourful life growing up. I was involved in what most teenagers experiment with or get in trouble with. I was very defiant at home. You know, looking to be my own person and defying all rules and laws in the home, not being very co-operative or productive with my life.

But I've always wanted to be a helper in some way. Even through my troubled times, all my friends would confide in me.

My mother struggled with addictions for many years in her life and found a way to get sober. I think a lot of my decision to come into this field had to do with her, as well as to understand myself a little bit more and my family.

Were you addicted yourself?

There was a period in my life where I had a lot of difficulty with drugs and alcohol. I made some decisions in my life that definitely had some consequences. I dropped out of school early. Thankfully, I went back. As a result of my drug use, I made decisions that were very unhealthy for me.

Could you tell me about your program at the Tree of Peace?

My program is a whole bunch of things thrown into a pot. I don't do any one particular thing. I offer myself to schools and other agencies in town. If there's a child who is having trouble with substance abuse, I may be asked to intervene. I do a lot of preventative work, I let kids know the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. We explore healthy options to getting involved in the drug and alcohol culture that's so very prevalent.

Does your background help you in your work?

Yeah, my background definitely helps. I understand where kids are emotionally and developmentally. In some ways, I have to put my own background aside, because everybody has different experiences, and I have to keep that in mind. For me to be effective I have to listen to their experiences.

Why do some kids become addicted?

The biggest thing I hear from the kids themselves is that they're bored. What I think that translates into is that they don't have self-confidence. They lack self-esteem. In some cases there is little or no direction. Or, there is too much direction. I'm talking about families where there are strict and rigid rules at home that kids rebel against.

At the paper, we are working on a youth supplement, interviewing young people from every community in Nunavut. Again and again, young people say they are bored. Do you feel this is sometimes a legitimate complaint?

I can't give you a black and white answer. Boredom sometimes just means boredom, but most times I find that it translates into other things. There's not a lot of activity, particularity in the smaller communities, geared towards youth. But my question is, where do you start to encourage them to take the initiative to build something and put something together for themselves? The opportunity is there. I guess the leadership and the ambition are lacking.

What are some effective ways to help kids with addiction problems?

Just be real with them. They don't need anybody telling them what they're doing wrong because they already know that. They need someone to listen and encourage their growth and they need to be validated.

Do parents generally know what their kids are doing?

For the most part, yes.

Do students respond more to you, because you aren't a teacher?

I'd like to believe so. But it takes time to remove the barrier.

Which drugs are kids taking?

It's mostly marijuana. But there's cocaine, heroin, and other hard core drugs, but they aren't as accessible. Kids don't seem to romanticize these drugs like they do with marijuana.

How do they romanticize marijuana?

They think it's cool or it makes them more creative.

Do you agree that marijuana has higher THC levels these days?

I believe that marijuana is more potent than it was in the 1960s and '70s.

Should parents be concerned about marijuana use or are kids just experimenting?

I think parents need to be concerned. Absolutely. But I caution parents not to lecture their children, but to inform them and speak to them on their level.

Do kids make appointments for themselves or do parents make them?

I have not encountered one parent making an appointment.

How many kids receive counselling at Tree of Peace?

I think the average is 24 each month.

Do you ever find your job depressing?

I can't say that I find it depressing. At first, I found it overwhelming. Not depressing, but very sad. I wasn't sure what my role would be in their lives. Frustrating is a good description. For the most part, I find my work very rewarding. I may have kids that other people have given up on. But I just see ray of light or a shimmer of hope and that gives me a warm feeling. To even see a kid come back for a second appointment means that something's going on.