Head of new local recovery society has lived experience

By Lethbridge Herald on May 30, 2025.

Alexandra Noad
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A Lethbridge woman has launched a non-profit that has a different approach to recovery, one that includes community and shows those who have graduated rehab programs that it’s possible to have fun without substances.

Rebecca Barley created Sobriety and Healing Activity-based Recovery Program Society (SHARP) after noticing the lack of support she and others received after leaving rehab.

“I noticed as soon as people left rehab there was not a lot of support in place and they ended up relapsing,” she says. “So I wanted to create soothing, a program, for after rehab that could help them stay clean.”

After doing extensive research with scientific journals, she discovered many of them said the same thing: physical activity and peer connection are critical in the prevention of relapse.

Surprised that there was no organization that offered such services, Barley decided to take things in her own hands. Having become clean herself, she understands the work it takes to get clean and believes everyone should have a chance to be able to stay clean.

“If they’re able to get clean, that a huge feat in itself,” she says. “They should have every resource available to them to maintain the sobriety.”

Barley says while it was a challenge creating a non-profit, it helped a lot with her personal journey.

“It was very difficult because I don’t have a lot of skills that typing people have, being an addict…so it was pretty difficult. (But) at the same time. it gave me a sense of purpose which was really helpful for my own recovery.”

Having just begun, SHARP Society has already received a lot of positive reaction from local businesses in the community, including Mystic Mountain Magick, The Round Table Board Gamerie and the Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens, who have donated supplies and their facilities to help support the organization.

The first event for SHARP Society will take place on June 5 at the Nikka Yukko Japanese Gardens. All events will be free of charge as Barley is a firm believer that recovery should be accessible to everyone.

More information can be found on their Facebook page.