September Is Recovery Month

The Department of Counselling Services (DCS) will mark Recovery Month throughout September with the launch of its 2026 campaign, R.E.A.L. — Restoring Every Area of Life, inviting the Cayman Islands community to view recovery through a lens of hope, possibility and connection.

Running from 1–30 September, the campaign will highlight the reality that recovery does not require every challenge in a person’s life to be resolved before progress can begin. Through community engagement, education and opportunities for connection, DCS will encourage individuals, families and the wider community to recognise that small steps, renewed hope and another attempt all count.

The R.E.A.L. campaign reflects DCS’s broader commitment to fostering a healthy, hopeful and resilient community through accessible, evidence-based and culturally sensitive counselling and support services. The Department encompasses The Counselling Centre, the Family Resource Centre and Caribbean Haven Residential Centre (CHRC), providing services that address a range of individual, family and community needs.

“Recovery is not a straight line, and it does not require a person to have everything figured out before they begin,” said Mr. Rayle Roberts, Director of the Department of Counselling Services. “With R.E.A.L., we want to shift the conversation towards hope and possibility. Recovery can start with a small step, a decision to try again, or simply reaching out for support. Our role is to ensure that when people are ready to take that step, they know that support is available and that they do not have to navigate the journey alone.”

A Whole-Person Approach to Recovery

A central message of R.E.A.L. is that recovery encompasses the whole person. The campaign connects recovery with health, home, purpose and community, while recognising the importance of safety, identity, relationships and daily stability.

This approach is particularly reflected in the work of Caribbean Haven Residential Centre, a branch of DCS that provides non-medical withdrawal management and long-term residential treatment for adults experiencing substance use challenges. CHRC’s approach is person-centred, inclusive and collaborative, and is guided by each client’s readiness for change.

Caribbean Haven has been a part of the Cayman Islands’ recovery landscape since opening in November 2000. In 2025, the Centre marked 25 years of providing residential substance use treatment and recovery support. Its work has included a continued focus on evidence-based treatment, reducing stigma and strengthening the continuum of care available to individuals and families.

“Recovery is about much more than stopping a substance or addressing one particular behaviour,” said Mrs. Kim Febres, Clinical Supervisor at Caribbean Haven Residential Centre. “It is about helping people rebuild their lives, reconnect with their purpose, strengthen relationships and develop the tools and support systems they need to move forward. At Caribbean Haven, we see every day that change is possible when people are met with empathy, respect and the right support. R.E.A.L. gives us an opportunity to remind our community that recovery is a journey, and every step forward matters.”

Challenging Stigma and Supporting Families

The campaign also seeks to address the stigma that can prevent people from seeking help.

DCS is encouraging the public to replace blame, stereotypes and all-or-nothing thinking with accurate, person-first information. Recovery is not defined by a single experience, diagnosis or setback, and individuals should be supported in ways that recognise their strengths, circumstances and capacity for change.

R.E.A.L. also places emphasis on families, recognising that recovery can affect loved ones as well as the individual receiving support. Families may experience stress, uncertainty and emotional strain, and may themselves need practical support, healthy boundaries, communication tools and opportunities for self-care.

The Department’s wider service offering includes individual and family counselling, group programmes, parenting support, crisis intervention, residential treatment and withdrawal management and services.

Community Events

Throughout September, the public will have opportunities to participate in the following activities designed to promote wellbeing, connection and awareness:

The community may also participate in the Hope Tree initiative from 1 - 30 September | 9am – 5pm in the Government Admin Building Lobby. Please come and write a note of support or encouragement for someone in recovery and add it to the tree. The notes will be distributed to members of the recovery community at the end of the month.

The events build on DCS and CHRC’s longstanding use of Recovery Month as an opportunity to engage the wider community, increase understanding of substance use and recovery, reduce stigma and highlight available support.

“Recovery Month gives us an opportunity to bring the conversation about addiction, mental health and recovery into the community in a way that is positive and accessible,” said Mrs. Febres. “We want people to ask questions, challenge assumptions and understand that seeking help is a sign of strength, not failure. Most importantly, we want individuals and families to know that there is a path forward.”

DCS is encouraging members of the public to engage with the campaign, learn more about recovery and consider how they can contribute to a community where people feel supported to seek help without fear of judgment.

For more information about the Department of Counselling Services and available support, visit www.dcs.gov.ky or contact the Department at counselling.services@gov.ky or 949-8789. Caribbean Haven Residential Centre can be contacted at caribbean.haven@gov.ky or 947-9992.