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Page THE HERALD Wednesday September Teens act out their problems at the Drug Abuse Centre By DIAHANN NADEAU Herald Special I d probably be in jail now if it for Kris I can t praise the group enough I feel valued in the group which is not something you often feel as a teenager David is an articulate 18yearold with a troubled background He is talking about Kristin Buhner and HYTEs Youth Theatre ble the self help group she operates through the Drug Abuse Centre formerly the Drug Abuse Committee At 16 David went to jail for a month on an assault charge Upon leaving he met Kris Bulmer and began working with her in behavioral therapy He found he could relate to her on a personal level that it was like talking to a friend She helps in any way she can and tell you what you should do She makes you help It is Ms s original ap proach a combination of in novative therapy street wise background and attitude and the participation of peers that makes HYTEs th successful group it has become there is a waiting list of Georgetown hoping to become involved but places are ited and funding is low HYTEs is a program within a program a group expenence that uses theatre and the re enactment of traumas dreams painful episodes etc in a group of peers under the guidance of a trained therapist to help teens get in touch their emotions about problem areas in their life Instead of using alcohol or drugs to kill the pain and confuse the issues lets the clients face the underlying reason for their distress and deal with it without resorting to artificial substances It is an unusual ap proach and one with a higher than average success rate a startling per cent this year through dialogue and move ment people access feelings direct ly and uncensored not unlike hyp nosis as opposed to trying to talk about them says Ms Bulmer People who have difficulty com mumcating emotions and thoughts through normal therapy or conver sation find it much easier to do so in The program permits the youths to perform at the end of the ses a production is planned and acted in front of various groups from peers to parents This per formance is aimed at promoting drug abuse awareness and getting the audience to question their own attitudes and consumption In ad dition It gives the performers a sense of selfesteem and Why do youths become involved in drugs and drug abuse in the first place There are several reasons Drugs take the place of emotional support they don t get at home says Ms Buhner Beverly Scruton a- board member of the DAC and co leader of the group explains that it gives them a small sense of belonging at first but in fact it isolates them in the end When they find this out it makes them crazy They re alone then There is a personality shrinkage with true addiction Peo ple become paranoid and don t want anyone to know they re doing it They want acceptance but then they find they have reall isolated themselves Peer pressure gets them started gets them ex penmenting But true addiction is a process of internal pressure adds Kris In addition to peer pressure and Jack of support there are other factors to drug abuse Often kids v ho become addicts are the children of addicts alcohol or drugs while others have such minimal basic living skills that they cannot cope with the demands of everyday life and simplv cannot function ithout drug The DAC helps all kinds of kids Some like Hank are not serious abusers and have tried alcohol and drugs in a relatively small amount Hank became involved in through a play then the players became a support group and Hank stayed because of the support I was really shy I used to keep everything inside I was always frustrated It took me three or four weeks before I said anything in group Finally Kris said Why are you here I finally started talking then I had to trust the group first that was important to me Hank has been in the group for three years and says I feel bet ter I don blow up as easily I think twice before doing alcohol and drugs I feel like I letting myself down if I do I have made a commitment and I m doing a lot less than if I hadn t been in the group Also in the group you get to help other people and that makes you feel good On the other end is Allan who was introduced to psychodrama while in jail in Maplehurst for at tempted murder Allan had grown DAY CARE 12Mos Up 6am to 6pm Also Evenings and Weekends CD PIT picku rnCC And Delivery Hot Lunches Snacks Games Music Lots of Toys Car Trips VERY REASONABLE RATES For More Information Please Call SHOP LOCALLY WIN up institutions foster homes reform schools and didn want to leave prison Now he works with little children who love him He is heavily involved in the HYTEs pro gram and helps supervise concerts and other activities He discovered a sense of humor that he uses to his advantage has found a way to get what he wants from people through his humor without wanting to kill them says Scruton Jane has only been involved with for three or four months but she was getting into serious trouble before joining the group I had home problems work problems major problems I was heading towards trouble with the police doing a lot of drinking I had no one to talk to before so I d go out and get drunk Now I have so meone to talk to I get it out don t need it anymore I realize I m not the only person having these pro blems others understand I plan to stay in the group for the next few Despite its success rate the is entering a period of financial crisis At the moment the major funding source is the golf tourna held by the Optimist Club a long time mainstay support of the Nothing else is guaranteed and last years federal grant is not available this year Although Ms Bulmer is hoping to have money from Halton Region and from some corporations she is as yet unsure of these sources With funding Ms Bulmer would like to expand initiating a day treatment program a bridge from residential institutionalized treat ment which would allow the par ticipant to live at home and in the community yet let them have dai ly counselling services and treat ment The client would spend half of a day in counselling and the other half involved in other community services such as work or school placement or literacy programs daily support aimed at achieving living skills While there are a few of these programs operating in On tario none offer the non traditional methods of and arts that the Georgetown group would offer However unless the DAC is given money soon these plans and ex isting programs are in danger of ending MAID SERVICE WHOS BEST ESS THATSWHO THEAWARO WINNER MM SHOW COAST TO COAST For FREE Estimates call 87321 65 LUCKY LICENCE NUMBER HERES HOW TO WIN Each week The Herald will select a licence number from the parking lot of a different Halton Hills retailer and publish that ber In this feature the owner of that vehicle then has seven 7 days to claim his her prize of a FREE Lube Lube Oil and Filter PLAY THE GAME WIN A LUBE OIL FILTER FROM AND COMPLCTE CAR CLEANING THIS WEEKS NUMBER 004 ERV Armifronq Ave tit on the HERALD UP TO 5 LITRES OF10W30OIL OIL FILTER LUBElfReqd Were Open The Open Door DropIn Centre has opened its doors once again this in the basement of Georges Anglican Church Here Sarah Shields front and Rachael Jackson relax at the Open Door with ex director Vanessa BellSmith The centre is open from 10 a to p in on Wednesdays and Fridays and from ll am to 2 Herd Id photo Flower show tonight show Best and Best Cut Specimen 2 Jean for Best Peony 3 Verna for Best Arrangement by novice exhibitor 4 Madge Whitfield for Best Arrangement by experienced exhibitor Special needs centre opens The Recreation Committee for Special Needs in North is operating once again every Wednesday from 12 30 to p at the Acton Legion The committee organizes a full array of new games crafts music refreshments and special events for seniors and disabled adults in Halton Hills and Milton Volunteers are welcome and new members can drop in For more information contact Shirley at The September meeting and Fall Flower Show will be held Wednesday Sept 20 at 8 p m in Knox Presbyterian Church Main Street Georgetown The flower show judge is Betty Lambert from Guelph Her husband Hubert Lambert is the guest speaker for the meeting He will be giving advice to help with the presentation of your specimens to be entered into flower shows The May or Spring Flower Show took place during the May meetiang Only one award is given for this show a silver tray for total points awarded for the entire show Congratulations to the winner Margaret Davidson In June the Society hosted another successful Strawberry Social and Flower Show Entries were light in some categories due to cooler spring weather Six awards were given Winners are Linda Boynes for Overall Most Points for the Typically of Robert k smith Downtown Guelph 821 7490