Reaching the “unreachable”
Everyone faces mental + emotional hardship in life. Not everyone is shown the support and skill sets needed to transform suffering into flourishing. Without support and skill, pain is left to linger. And being alone with pain is what produces mental health problems. In time, people left alone with their pain become perceived as “difficult”, “resistant”, or “unreachable”.
Otherside believes that, even in the most challenging circumstances, there is always an underlying potential for growth, and that all people will grow when provided with the conditions for change that are conducive to them, specifically. Founder Kev Kokoska’s trauma and resilience work with incarcerated men has inspired him to expand the ways in which Otherside connects with the community, offering a variety of access points in an effort to truly meet people where they are.
A balance of dark and light
Growing up with a family member who was incarcerated, my ideas of “good” and “bad” were challenged at any early age. Being told that someone I loved, and who I knew loved me, had gone to prison broke my ‘black-or-white’ worldview. There were no more “good guys” or “bad guys”. Everyone had the capacity for both.
I carry with me an understanding of the harm that unhealed patterns can cause and that, deep down, people are not their patterns. I seek to balance both in everything I do: individual therapy with incarcerated people, research on trauma and resilience, and public mental health content.
I believe in the importance of not being left alone in dark places. When you’re in hell, you need someone to meet you there.
- Otherside founder, Kev Kokoska
Otherside’s Regenerative Cycle:
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EDUCATION
Mental health problems are public health problems.
We believe that clinically-sound mental health education should be easily accessible. We also believe that there should be an increased emphasis on emotional health practices, as the current public understanding on the topic is decades behind.
Part one is mental and emotional health content — available at zero cost to consumers, and fuelled by research.
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CONNECTION
Mental health does not exist in a vacuum.
We are interested in the ways in which mental and emotional health education is applied and practiced. These ways will be different, depending on the community, and these community differences are incredibly important for success.
Part two is connection — Otherside stays connected through guest speaking, workshops, and community consultation.
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APPLICATION
Mental health comes in many forms.
We know that growth gets accelerated when it is individually tailored. Once people feel informed (Part 1) and connected (Part 2), the path to growth tends to present itself.
Part three is application — we offer clinical supervision (for therapists) and individual psychotherapy (for everyone). Both draw from the same deliberate practice structure to ensure that clear and concise growth goals are being targeted and tracked.
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VALIDATION
What works best, and why?
Our understanding of the most effective mental and emotional health tools is constantly expanding.
Part four is validation — Otherside’s academic arm explores, studies, and translates the latest advances in the field. This knowledge is then used to inform new content — which begins a new loop in the regenerative cycle.