James Bolan

James has been providing client-centred counselling and support services in Mental Health and Addiction since 2010. He received his Addictions and Community Service Worker Diploma from Everest College in Sudbury, Ontario, and has also completed a combined B.A. Honours Degree in Economics and Computer Science at Laurentian University.

James works closely with multiple partner agencies in the Greater Sudbury Area including the Local District School Boards, the Greater Sudbury Police Services, the Sudbury District Health Unit, Canadian Mental Health Association and the Social Planning Council of Sudbury, to name a few. He contributes to bringing awareness and education to local professionals as well as to the general public via the boards he chairs which include the Greater Sudbury Community Drug Strategy-Sustaining Relations Foundation (2010) and the Sudbury Alcohol and Drug Concerns Coalition (2010).

James is also an active member with several local boards where he is able to channel his passion to educate and inform our student population on the adversities of substance abuse, and incorporates a solution-focused approach to dealing with the issues.

James is the owner of LivingPotential which he founded in 2014. LivingPotential is a wholistic counselling and support services firm providing individual and family services in substance abuse and mental health. James was employed as the Addictions and Mental Health Lead Instructor and Computers Instructor at CTS community Career College in Sudbury and also worked as a Primary Frontline Counsellor with Rockhaven (now Monarch Recovery Services). James also maintained a casual employment position with the Salvation Army New Life Centre in Sudbury from 2013 til 2017, until he accepted a full time position with Maamwesying North Shore Community Health Services in their Mental Wellness and Minobimaadizing Program.

James has been a member of the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF) since 2012 where he holds designations of Canadian Certified Addictions Counsellor (CCAC) and Canadian Indigenous Addictions Counsellor (CIAC). James has been an active member of the Board of Directors since 2016 where he has served as Vice President for 2 years, Chairperson on Certification and Re-Certification Review Committee, and currently is President from being elected in June 2019.

James' joys in life include writing music/poetry, playing guitar, singing, gardening, baking, kayaking, being with his family, and fulfilling his passion to help others live a life to their potential while he strives to make his community a better and safer place to live.