Island resident returns home to open innovative addiction centre in PEI

PRESS INFORMATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 23, 2024
CONTACT: Island Space for Healing
Leza Matheson: 782-772-4325 (HEAL)
[email protected]
www.islandspaceforhealing.com

Charlottetown, PEI – January 23, 2024 – Island Space for Healing, the innovative private mental  health and addiction clinic specializing in addiction treatment in Prince Edward Island, is set to  open its doors at the Polyclinic Professional Centre in Charlottetown. Founded by PEI native  Leza Matheson, this groundbreaking outpatient clinic aims to redefine the treatment landscape  for mental health and addiction on the Island. 

Leza Matheson, who was raised, educated, and worked on PEI, embarked on a four-year  professional journey to explore international gold-standard practices in mental health and  addiction treatment. This transformative journey led her to Paris, France, the Homewood Health  Centre in Guelph, Ontario, and the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School in Minnesota, USA. 

Island Space for Healing is born out of Leza’s vision to create a “No Wrong Door Approach”  model, emphasizing cultural humility within a patient-centered framework that addresses the  whole person—mind, body, and spirit. The clinic provides a range of services, including  screening, assessment, treatment, and referrals, all delivered from a biopsychosocial model. This  ensures a comprehensive and individualized approach to mental health and addiction, with the  added benefit that most insurance plans cover the provided services. 

“We believe in the principle of ‘meet the patient where they are at,’ embracing a stepped-level  model of service delivery – this is not a once-and-done approach. I believe this is, in its essence,  often the key to sustainable long-term recovery.” 

At Island Space for Healing, you can enter our program at any stage of illness severity, ensuring  a compassionate and supportive outpatient experience tailored to your unique needs. The clinic is  currently in the induction phase, and as it continues to grow, our team and vision will evolve to  provide expanded support to the community. 

Guided by the expertise of Medical Director Dr. George Carruthers, Island Space for Healing  delivers a comprehensive approach encompassing talk therapy and medication therapy. Dr.  Carruthers, a native of the Island with over three decades of medical experience, has seen  firsthand the impact of addiction on family and community. 

“I have witnessed many patients and their families struggle with the devastating effects of the  disease of addiction and mental illness,” says Dr. George Carruthers. “We believe in offering  patients a pathway of treatment that is multi-focused while meeting them where they are.  Prioritizing talk therapy with medical therapy is an important component in their wellness  journey.” 

The establishment of Island Space for Healing comes at a crucial time for Prince Edward  Island, as many residents currently struggle to realize mental health and addiction services and  consider seeking care outside the province. We are seeing this stress on our health care system  and our hope is that this service will assist in alleviating the pressure on the system.  

Island Space for Healing is committed to collaborating with allied health agencies and  community services, fostering a sense of community and support in the journey to recovery. The  clinic eagerly anticipates serving the patients of Prince Edward Island and contributing to the  development of a healthier and more resilient community. Leza Matheson, driven by the need to  provide local, comprehensive care, states, “Our aim is to bring world-class mental health and  addiction treatment home and cultivate a robust “Recovery Culture” on PEI.” Join us in the  journey to recovery, where every door is the right one. There is Hope in Recovery.” 

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For further inquiries, please contact: 

Leza Matheson 
Island Space for Healing 
782-772-4325 (HEAL) 
[email protected]