Action In Recovery (AIR) is a support group with a unique approach - taking action.

Like many support groups, AIR offers a welcoming environment for folks experiencing mental health struggles. We facilitate conversations on the successes members have been having in support of their wellbeing, and what hurdles they currently are trying to overcome.

Goal creation, maintenance and refining these goals is an important part of the work we do. Our group focuses on the idea that when people become more fully expressed, they become more willing to take action in their lives to support personal wellness. We support folks who are ready for a change, and we help them create a plan of action based on their real lives. This, we find, is conducive to recovery, and week by week we choose our own path forward.

If you are currently overwhelmed by mental illness or addiction, it is recommended that you seek other supports beyond this group — whether it be short-term counselling, long-term counselling or some other form of therapy.

AIR was started in 2014, by ordinary people who had been through courses with the Canadian Mental Health Association. They wanted to continue practicing and refreshing the insights and skills they had learned, and which had made such a difference in their own mental health.

For seven years, AIR has held weekly meetings at the downtown CMHA. It is open to anyone, whether or not they have taken part in CMHA courses (though, those are recommended, because they're great!).

Founder Ryan Dion continues to facilitate meetings, and other members have progressed on to facilitating meetings themselves.
Likely the most in depth discussion of Ryan’s story was written by Evan Matthews and can be read, along with some other impactful recovery stories including Evan’s story in this pdf.

A second, and first time live, TV interview regarding the challenges of starting a support group, why they are important and who can access the services was conducted by Global News Winnipeg

Ryan's personal recovery story and work on this group was also featured in an interview with Shaw in 2015 which can be seen on YouTube

Ryan Dion was also named Manitoba's 60th most interesting person of 2014 for his work on this group by Ace Burpee in the Winnipeg Metro

A note about the links above, the internet is a changing landscape and so at times links break, in the case of the metro link above, the page is difficult to navigate and so an image is placed below. (Credit: Winnipeg Metro). If you find a broken link please feel from to contact Ryan@AIRGroup.ca to correct the problem.