Mike Pond is an in-demand speaker because he brings a fresh, positive approach to battling substance use. His devastating personal experience with alcohol makes him an impassioned advocate. He sits on advisory committees for both the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. He has been keynote at national conferences, presented at treatment centres, colleges, parent groups, and hospitals. Groups that would benefit from hearing Mike:
- Medical professionals – doctors & nurses.
- Civic, provincial, federal health care policy and planners
- Politicians
- Psychologists, social workers
- Those who work in the courts, lawyers, judges, criminal justice system support staff, corrections, where most of those convicted are serving time for alcohol and drug-related offences
- Educators. Teachers, guidance counselors.
Mike also tailors his talks to his audience. For instance, for a talk to health-care workers, Mike researched the total cost of his Alcohol Use Disorder to the health care system, relating personal humiliating experiences in the ER where he was offered a bus pass and an Ativan only to be released repeatedly. With no real treatment, his disorder spiraled dangerously out of control, ultimately costing the tax payer more than a hundred and fifty thousand dollars in failed treatment.
“A STANDING OVATION!!! WOW! Your presentation was very powerful.”
-Claire Finlayson, director, Sunshine Coast Writer’s Festival