Lou Grant
Director of Operations
For over 20 years Lou has been working in the addiction field. Throughout the years he has continued to educate himself and holds an
- Associate of Arts in Psychology
- Canadian Certified Addiction Counselor (C.C.A.C)
- Indigenous Certified Addiction Specialist III
- Trained in Satire Transformational Systemic Therapy Level 1
- certified S.M.A.R.T facilitator.
Lou’s extensive qualifications accentuate his deep understanding of addiction and ability to apply specialized culturally sensitive approaches to treatment.
His journey began after struggling with addiction from an early age. After over 25 visits to detox, Lou finally realized that he needed more than just a break from his addiction, he needed to make his recovery his first priority. Lou was shown a solution to his problems and began to achieve goals, make lasting relationships and repairing old ones. Experiencing this freedom in recovery ignited a passion within him to help others, not just to break free from addiction but to create their own lives full of love and joy that was once just a dream. Lou finds the greatest reward is witnessing residents rise from a life of pain and sorrow to a place of hope, strength, and purpose, knowing firsthand the power of transformation that recovery can bring.
Ben Blackman
Registered Professional Counsellor RPC-c, PCC
Ben is a Registered Professional Counsellor (RPC-C). He work with client to address all aspects of grief and loss, depression, anxiety, childhood trauma, neglect, stress, self-esteem and identity, and relationship problems.
Originally from the UK, Ben moved to Vancouver in 2019, and now considers it home. Prior to working as a therapist, Ben spent twelve years working within project management roles for the corporate, local government, defense and construction industries. During this time, he learned a great deal about organization, interpersonal relationships, effective communication, and how to identify and amplify the strength of others.
He was always interested in psychology, and learning about human behavior. It wasn’t until he lost my Dad that I truly understood the value of a compassionate and skilled therapist. He realized that it was his purpose to support others through the most challenging life events. His priority is to give his clients a safe place to process their experiences, better understand themselves and as a result, grow as an individual.
Ben is also trained in hospice and palliative care. His go-to modalities are CBT, Narrative therapy and Existential Therapy. Ben works with his clients to build the tools and self-understanding they need to thrive.
Zan Gallant
Group Facilitator and Addictions Worker
Zan has a deep passion and empathy for supporting men facing challenges with addiction or mental health, having personally walked in their shoes. Raised in a small town in the East Kootenays, Zan was once an exceptional hockey player with a bright future in the sport. However, his path shifted in his late teens as a love for late-night partying and alcohol began to take hold, leading him to let go of his promising athletic career. Alcohol and heavy drug use became common and all-consuming.
After years of broken relationships, relapses, and personal struggles, 2004 brought the birth if his son which finally brought him to embrace recovery on December 1, 2014. Inspired by his own journey, Zan decided in 2020 to leave his stable career and work exclusively with those struggling with addiction, stating, “I wanted to be the person I so desperately needed during all those lost years.” At 44, he returned to school, earning a diploma in Professional Coaching and certifications in Life Skills Counseling and Recovery Coaching. He further trained in SMART Recovery Facilitation, Motivational Interviewing, and Community Mental Health to broaden his capacity to support others.
Along with offering private recovery coaching, Zan discovered a passion for group facilitation, guiding discussions on recovery, personal change, and transformation. He believes wholeheartedly in the potential for recovery and enjoys helping men recognize their abilities beyond addiction. After ten years of his own recovery, Zan is grateful to extend a helping hand to those struggling and feels energized by working with men who seek the freedom and fulfillment that recovery can bring.
Mike Schneider
Group Facilitator and Addictions Worker
Mike has over 20 years experience working in the field of addictions. Mike is extremely passionate about helping individuals suffering in the depths of addiction. He understands all too well the pain, suffering and loneliness that comes in the grips of addictions. Mike was able to find sobriety in his life, which inspired him to devote his life to helping others turn their lives around and see the light.
Mikes greatest passion is watching men walk through the doors in complete despair, and showing them there is a better way. He teaches practical tools to overcoming addiction. He teaches CBT, DBT, Family Systems, Satir, SMART Recovery and Twelve step Recovery.
Andrew Vos
Support Worker
Andrew grew up in a good family but when he got out of high school started experimenting with drugs like so many young adolescents do. It wasn’t long before his life became unmanageable. Andrew knows what it’s like to struggle with addiction; he went to detox twice and relapsed very shortly after getting out. He decided that he couldn’t do it by himself and called Into Action Recovery. He completed
his treatment with Into Action and after he graduated the program he started his schooling to work as an addiction specialist and hasn’t looked back. He now lives life to the fullest like he was shown is possible. He explains to everyone that treatment saved his life and has made it his goal to lead others to sobriety.
Andrew has now been at Into Action Recovery for several years and really takes joy in helping others and “seeing the lights come back on”. Andrew is passionate about giving back what was given to him, and teaching others that there is a better way in a life of sobriety.
Anya Schecter
Administrator
Anya brings 15 of administrative experience in accounting, sales and system development and implementation. Prior to joining the team, Anya was the leader of an events company as the Sales and Operations Manager, doubling the organizations size in her first year. Anya also was the District Program Development and Training Manager for Blockbuster Canada, who’s role was creating the training manuals for all of 13 stores of her district and overseeing implementation and quality maintenance.
She has a strong capacity for implementing and developing systems and procedures that support an organization in their ability to provide the best possible services. Anya develops and implements budgets, aids in oversight and business development, as well as handling financial matters, such as client billing, account payable and payroll.
Anya has also developed areas of specialization such as facility legislation, accreditation procedure (CARF), human resources employment law, legal drafting and staff training. Anya is responsible for keeping all aspects of the organization running smoothly.
Additionally, Anya has been working in the field of addiction for 8 years and is an extremely compassionate and caring individual who strives to help others overcome their challenges with substance use disorders.
Zoltan Orban
Administrative Assistant, CCPSS
Zoltan has worked in the recovery field for over 3 years. He found his way there after his own struggles with substance use had him pick up a phone and seek help. Into Action answered that call. Once there, he began to experience profound changes in himself; overtime, Zoltan realized he wanted to help others do the same.
Having been hired in an administrative role, Zoltan has a great many responsibilities including oversight and reviews, accounting support, professional correspondence, and technical support. First and foremost, however, Zoltan strives to help ensure that each and every resident has an equivalent experience to his own.
Zoltan drives to work each and every day knowing that he has a purpose; this is the thing for which he is most grateful. Truly, getting to see the change in men from day one to day 45 and beyond is the distinct privilege of his life.
Stefanie
Yogini Certified
Being in recovery herself and having battled and recovered from a drug addiction and eating disorder, Stefanie is humbled and grateful to share her love for yoga with others in recovery from addiction. She believes the practice of yoga is a way of finding peace. She also believes it is an outlet to practice peace and to care for oneself. Yoga also helps to strengthen and heal a person physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Stefanie has been teaching yoga since 2009. In addition to her work and passion for yoga, Stefanie has worked as a support worker in the addictions field for women’s treatment centers for the past ten years.
She is certified in Bikram yoga and has a 200hr certification through the Yoga Alliance. She also has special training in kids and trauma-sensitive yoga.
Natasha
Yoga Therapy
Natasha began practicing yoga in 2006 due to nagging lower back pain from working alongside her husband in their hardwood flooring business. She quickly discovered how much of a positive impact it had on her life both mentally and physically. She wanted to share her passion and practice with others so after 6 years of steady practice, she went to Bikram yoga teacher training for 9 weeks in Los Angeles, California. After that, she completed a 200 hr teacher training in Hatha and Vinyasa at Karma teachers yoga school in Vancouver BC as well as a yin yoga teacher training and studied under Jolene Bayda.
She is a compassionate teacher who believes that how you do anything is how you do everything. She teaches breathing techniques to stay calm through discomfort on and off the mat. Natasha also combines breathe with movement to practice presence and mental focus.
Jane Rhodes
Registered Professional Counsellor RPC-c, PCC
With an eclectic, gentle approach, Jane utilizes various holistic psychotherapy techniques to deliver a personalized treatment plan tailored to your needs. She works with
- Addictions
- C-PTSD
- BPD
- anxiety
- suicidal ideation
- shame-based trauma
Jane is comfortable working with individuals (young adults to the Elderly), couples, and families. As a trained Registered Professional Counsellor (RPCc) with over three years of experience in therapeutic counselling and over 15 years in supportive counselling roles, she brings a deep understanding of the challenges a person can struggle with and has a strong sense of the effects that trauma has on the body and the mind. Jane is particularly passionate about working with DBT and CBT, as well as Somatic therapy techniques. Each of these modalities has a proven track record of providing lasting results for people who are struggling with emotional regulation, addiction, and mental wellness.