Hope, Purpose, and Policy: What Happens When Recovery Comes First

Dr Keith Dobson, Dr Bruce Dick, Brian Hamel

Panel 9 – Occupational Health Stream –Fostering Workplace Mental Health through trauma, stigma, and recovery perspectives

September 25th Day Three – Macleod Hall A & B South Building 11:00 am to 12:30 pm

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Hope, Purpose, and Policy: What Happens When Recovery Comes First

Brian Hamel

Session Description

At Recovery Coach Academy Canada (RCAC), we believe recovery is not defined by abstinence, but by connection, hope, purpose, and growth. Sobriety may be one part of a person’s journey, but recovery is a dynamic, evolving process rooted in wellness, belonging, and personal transformation.

Over the past year, RCAC has taken bold steps to bring that vision to life by professionalizing and elevating the recovery coach workforce across Alberta. As the only dedicated training body in the province focused exclusively on developing recovery coaches within a Recovery Oriented System of Care, RCAC is helping to redefine what it means to support recovery—not just clinically, but relationally, culturally, operationally, and through policy.

Our work supports individuals and systems in understanding the critical distinctions between sobriety and recovery, and how those differences must shape not only service delivery, but also the policies that govern access, inclusion, and accountability. Drawing from the lived experiences of our facilitators and learners, and the curriculum we’ve built across diverse communities, we show how systems that prioritize outcomes over connection can unintentionally create environments of pressure, fear, and shame—causing individuals to disengage at the exact moment they need support most.

This session will reflect on how RCAC has responded to these challenges through intentional growth, system alignment, and policy influence. Under the leadership of Executive Director Brian Hamel, RCAC has expanded its reach through virtual and in-person training, provincial contracts, and community partnerships, while deepening its work in ethics, supervision, credentialing, and systems-level advocacy.

Attendees will leave with insight into what recovery coaching looks like in action, what makes it distinct, and how it can influence policy as part of a broader shift toward Recovery Capital and person-centered care.

Bio


Brian Hamel serves as the Executive Director, lead facilitator, and curriculum creator at Recovery Coach Academy Canada (RCAC), where he combines lived experience, systems knowledge, and unapologetic passion to shape the future of recovery coaching across Alberta. Known for his loud presence, expressive delivery, and ability to speak truth with care, Brian brings energy and realness into every space he enters, whether it’s a training room, a boardroom, or a recovery community.

With a professional background in hospitality coordination and recovery center programming, Brian understands what it means to create environments that are welcoming, human, and deeply responsive to people’s needs. He has led the development of RCAC’s training curriculum, delivered throughout Alberta through virtual cohorts, in-person sessions, and collaborative partnerships. He works closely with governments, community-based organizations, and recovery communities to integrate recovery coaches into frontline, peer-led, and interdisciplinary roles.

Brian is especially known for his work advancing ethical standards, recovery coach supervision models, and culturally responsive approaches rooted in dignity and autonomy. Under his leadership, RCAC has become a leading force in Alberta’s recovery landscape, focused exclusively on developing recovery coaches within a Recovery Oriented System of Care. His programs are grounded in compassion, clarity, and curiosity, with an unwavering commitment to keeping recovery human, simple, and real.

With lived experience at the center of his leadership, Brian brings a perspective that bridges systems with people. He builds programs that not only inform but transform. Whether he’s supporting the development of a peer workforce, challenging outdated views of sobriety, or redefining what recovery can look like in Alberta, Brian’s work is driven by one core belief: that everyone deserves to heal in community, with kindness, and with hope.

Other Panel Members

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Join us for the Alberta Recovery Summit, hosted by the 9th Annual Recovery Capital Conference taking place on September 23rd, 24th, and 25th, 2025.

 Session Streams

  • Health Care and Recovery
  • Indigenous Health
  • Occupational Health and Safety

 Key Details

  • DAY ONE September 23rd – 5:30 pm 6:30: Early Badge Pick Up and Networking Reception, 6:30 pm to 8 pm Pre Conference Presentation
  • DAY TWO September 24th – 8:45 am to 5 pm: Keynote Speakers and Breakout Sessions
  • DAY THREE September 25th – 9 am to 5 pm: Keynote Speakers and Breakout Sessions

 Hotels

Book your hotel at one of our host hotels and save money. Click on the links for the discount rates and book early as rates will go up, and they always sell out.

Schedule

Speakers

Registration

Register on Eventbrite
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