This Christmas, while many of us enjoy warmer weather, longer days and time with family, people in our community will be struggling with harmful substance use, living moment-to-moment and just trying to get through the day.

Some will spend Christmas Day on the streets.

Others will be at home without their loved ones, without kai (food) or pūtea (money). Living with trauma and facing the shame, guilt and stigma that so often comes with addiction.

Can you imagine how that feels?

These neighbours are in desperate need of a counselling service that offers barrier-free access, unconditional support and opportunities to come together and be vulnerable, without a cut-off date or a maximum number of sessions.

This Christmas, please consider donating $70 to help offer a vital counselling session to a neighbour living with addiction.

Your support would be lifechanging. You’ll offer a place where people can be valued and heard, where they can find belonging and begin to overcome the serious mental health challenges that lay behind addiction.

DCM’s Kaimahi Poipoia (Alcohol and Other Drugs Counsellor), Hayden, runs Te Awatea, DCM’s counselling and harm reduction service.

Pictured: Hayden leads a one-to-one counselling session

Hayden understands what it’s like to feel lost during the festive season.

Like many of the people who use DCM’s counselling services, Hayden experienced trauma from a young age. Searching for love, acceptance and validation, he fell into addiction.

“I had a lot of trauma in my life, but I didn’t realise that growing up. It was my life, it was normal.

“Christmas is a reminder of what family’s supposed to look like. What love looks like. So for me, it’s also a big reminder of the people that are still going through that.”

These days, Hayden works on the frontline, supporting people who are facing the most severe addiction and mental health challenges in our city. He knows just how much of an impact your donation would make.

“It’s not a typical addiction service.

“The smallest wins are the biggest wins. Whether that’s reducing use or using in a safe manner to begin with. Seeing people consistently turn up to groups, thinking “Oh my gosh, I’m not alone” and becoming curious about what life would look like without it.

“I’ve seen people go from drinking five days a week to once every two weeks. It’s only by getting to this stage that we can begin to look further.”

But the huge increase in rough-sleeping we’ve seen in recent years has created a massive growth in demand for counselling and addiction services. Without your support, it’s a demand that just can’t be met.

And the need is even greater because, for people who have fallen through the cracks of other services, DCM is the last stop.

Whatever the size of your gift, you’ll give somebody living from moment-to-moment the chance to start thinking about their future.

Your kind donation of $35 will offer a food parcel to someone using DCM’s counselling services over the holidays.

Or your very generous donation of $100 will help fund an offsite counselling group for people who aren’t ready to be inside the counselling room yet.

Because everyone in our community has unique experiences and needs.

And for whānau who have been through the mental health system, the therapy rooms typically used during counselling can bring back past trauma.

So, with support from amazing people like you, Hayden and the team can offer alternative approaches for those in the most acute need.

“I mean, even the word counselling has stigma to it.

“So sometimes we're at the beach, sometimes we're walking along the wharf, sometimes we're just out in the courtyard and when they're comfortable enough, they can come into the room.”

For our whānau, the ability to adapt to people’s individual circumstances is vital. And that’s what your support will make possible.

Your kindness will make sure the last stop is the right stop, where change becomes imaginable.

For Hayden, that change came when he reached a milestone birthday.

“I turned 40 in prison and I realised, what the heck, I’m not a kid anymore and my life has flashed before my eyes. It’s time to change.

“Many people doubted me when I was pursuing my degree. But with the support of incredible people who believed in me, I learned to believe in myself.

Pictured: Hayden at his graduation ceremony

“Now I’m not afraid to dream big and reach for the stars. I hope to inspire others to believe that with the right support and determination anything is possible.”

Now, because of generous people like you, our neighbours facing addiction can also begin to think about the future.

By donating before 31 December, you’ll offer a counselling session to someone in dire need before the summer is over.

You’ll be offering someone the opportunity to see their own potential and start to make meaningful change.

And your support doesn’t end with counselling. It wasn’t until later in life that Hayden realised the role trauma plays in both addiction and homelessness.

“I’ve heard some people say that people choose homelessness. And some people might even tell you they choose it.

“But dealing with the trauma on the streets can seem so much easier than the trauma people have experienced in their lives.”

Now, giving people the chance to explore the connection between addiction and homelessness is a key part of Hayden’s groups.

So, your donation of a counselling session is also a gift to support someone to begin their housing journey. Or a gift that could prevent someone from losing their home.

Because of you, there will always be somewhere for them to turn. This Christmas, I can’t think of a greater gift.

Pictured: Hayden leads a group at DCM

If you need help making your donation, please give the friendly DCM team a ring on 04 384 7699. Thank you for choosing to make a difference.

P.S. For someone living moment-to-moment, the promise of a New Year’s resolution is just not enough. Please act now so that a neighbour facing addiction can start their future.