Season 22, Episode 14 (Intervention Canada)
Kelsey
Age: 25
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Addiction: Alcohol, Meth, and Rage
Official Synopsis: Kelsey was a standout student, extremely talented at soccer and could charm her way through anything. Everything changed when she was sexually assaulted at her first high school party at the age of 14. She didn’t tell anyone about the attack and instead began using alcohol to mask the pain. Drugs soon followed and Kelsey went all-in, using cocaine and alcohol daily. Today, the change in Kelsey is shocking. She is unrecognizable; gripped by psychosis, her kind, gentle soul has turned aggressive and destructive. Her family is terrified that, without an intervention, they may never get their little girl back.
What’s Memorable: A lot to cringe at in this one. I had to fast forward through the fight with Grandma, couldn’t deal. Kelsey was raped at a young age and uses her trauma as justification to physically and emotionally abuse her entire family. I personally found her quite difficult to sympathize with, even knowing what happened to her. The way she treats people, what she takes from them, what she expects them to do for her, it’s simply monstrous. She looked like a completely different person after treatment, it was ALMOST an uplifting episode until that final screen. If she is still using I sincerely hope her family has been able to distance themselves. They needed intense therapeutic help just as much as Kelsey did. What a seriously depressing episode.
Interventionist: Andrew Galloway
Date Aired: June 14 2021 (Aired as Intervention Canada Season 5 Episode 1, on April 1, 2019)
This one was ROUGH. I know this girl was suffering but she was VERY hard to sympathize with when she was using. I found myself having a hard time just watching her speak even when she wasn’t in a rage…it’s almost like she became a human manifestation of everything ugly and vile. I really hope she can get it together because what an awful way to live.
It was a GREAT moment when Kelseys parents were expressing concern about her being on the streets and being exposed to “dangerous people” and Andrew said firmly “she IS the dangerous people”.
Yeah that was good.
I thought it was interesting that she basically ran away from her grandmother when her grandmother started to yell at her about how she treated her mother. Kelsey wasn’t as tough as she acted, but she was definitely afraid of her grandmother.
I actually viewed it as Kelsey not wanting to physically harm her grandmother (out of respect? LOL…if you want to call it that). Her verbal abuse was still there like it is with the others, except the others she also physically abuses them.
Oh no, she was definitely in a defensive mode. The way she was hanging her head and going around the kitchen table while her grandmother was chasing her and giving her what-for… go grandma!! She was heated, and Kelsey knew she wasn’t messing around. She definitely acts tough and I would attribute that to being physically and sexually assaulted so many times.
I loved seeing her haul a$$ from grandma! She’s not as tough as she tried to portray, too bad granny wasn’t able to to slap her! Respect your elders!
She’s clean according to her sister on this post. Also pics on her sister and moms page she looks clean. https://www.facebook.com/202992799736076/posts/2124069047628432/?d=n
According to her sis on this post on the intervention Facebook ,
she’s clean. https://www.facebook.com/227154243994867/posts/4199258616784390/?d=n
And it would seem, still severely eating disordered. This is really sad and also sad that folks presume she’s recovered because she’s not using. eating disorders are some of the most challenging addictions. Carre Otis said beating anorexia was harder than quitting heroin. I hope she gets help.
Yikes! She looks like a skeleton! Sister mentions getting help for the eating disorder, so that’s good.
Yes, as someone who’s gone through treatment for both alcohol and an eating disorder, the eating disorder is the one that I still struggle with today. Once I took away the numbing of the alcohol, my disordered eating went WAY up, and it’s not like you can just…not be around food.
I had an eating disorder for many years and even worked at a rehab for one. Very hard to get over but it’s possible. I have not restricted my food in almost 12 years.
According to her family (a Facebook comment one day ago) she is 21 months sober !!! This is her Facebook but it’s pretty private. https://www.facebook.com/kelsohla
This episode was really hard to watch.
She’s 21 months sober!
This was a tough one to watch. It amazes me how a person can go from practically killing their mother to making their mother sleep in bed at night holding her hand.
It just shows how crazy drugs and alcohol make a person act out in ways that in their right mind, no one would do.
The one little part that bothered me is when the sister tells Kelsey she’s playing too close to Emma and she can smell the alcohol. I think that was a little f’d up because she could have a) said it on the side so Emma doesn’t hear or b) why bring Emma over and allow her to play with Kelsey knowing how Kelsey acts and drinks?
It’s like she instigated that fight with Kelsey and then took Emma and left. Leaving the father to think that it’s Kelsey’s fault. I mean, I get it, but that whole incident could have been avoided in many different ways.
I agree. My view on her shifted slightly during that scene because I could see why she was feeling attacked and then reacted.
The sister gave me a bad vibe. like she was getting off on being the “good” child or something. She seemed too happy to pile the criticism on her sister, when she’s bringing her child into that environment and putting her in the middle of a totally inappropriate situation. Seems like this family has rage issues and Kelsey is an easy manifestation of the problem.
In rehab, one of the first things we learn is that addiction is a family disease, and one of the most obvious ways it plays out is in family roles. Her sister was definitely playing the role of The Hero, which is one of the usual six archetypes.
Kelsey’s face is horribly swollen, her abdomen is distended. Kelsey has serious metabolic symptoms: liver, kidneys, brain functions. I doubt seriously she can truly recover.
This comment is so negative and mean. If you’re reading this Kelsey, don’t listen. You’re a lovely person. This person doesn’t know you or your medical history. Please ignore their hateful negativity.
This is such an ignorant comment. Kelsey has damaged her body, yes, but she is young and can heal. It’s sometimes a different story when the person has been drinking heavily for 30 years- but even people like that can heal.
See I thought she was very realatable. Not the anger but the willigness to change and you could see she was horribly traumatized. As an addict myself, I saw her heart. The scene with her and her mom shows just how truly traumatized she was. I can see myself and my mom in them, as I needed her too. ALso, we are the same age and alcohol was my drug of choice.
Kelsey, if you or your family see this I relate to you and your family. youre just like my family. I relate so much. God bless you all. please reply so I know the family is ok i see you are months sober so happy for you!!!
Jack, I hope you are doing well…sending healthy and happy thoughts your way!
I’m thrilled to hear that Kelsey and her family are on the road to healing. They’ve all had more than their share of pain, and I wish them only great things.
I am very happy to come to the comments and see that she is clean. She was without a doubt one of the least likable addicts ever depicted on the run of this show. It was especially depressing to read about the relapse after she appeared to have done so well. I wish her nothing but the best!
I thought Kelsey could have benefited from Seth’s intervention style (I know he doesn’t do Canada) because the family didn’t apologize to her. She was very unlikeable in her addiction but the family acknowledging the pain the addict has gone through seems really helpful. I was sad to see she relapsed, hope the other posts about her sobriety are accurate! Kelsey was also interesting in that she was completely unrecognizable from her prior photos.
Agree absolutely!! None of the Canadian Interventionists come close to Seth’s style, they’re all so bland and typically non confrontational. Don’t get me wrong, I really like a couple of them but nothing beats Candy and Seth
Andrew did a stunning job talking her down and getting her inside.
This episode really had me cringing. She literally reverted back to being a toddler. I have a 2-year old and all I could see was the “terrible twos.” Seeing her get clean was like night and day in all aspects!
Kelsey’s case is extreme because she was raped and started using at 14. I’m really not surprised she relapsed since she went back to the same environment with the emotional level of, lets say, a 16 year old. I really hope she stays clean, her family was wonderful. This episode is testament to Andrew being the best interventionist. See how quickly he got her back inside? “it’s ultimately up to whether you go or not”.. making her feel in control.
Gosh I loved the grandma in this episode, seemed like the only person she would *somewhat* back down to. zero part of me could find any sympathy for Kelsey. Sadly. Her parents were nice though poor family…
I had the same experience the first time I watched the episode…I couldn’t find any empathy for her. The second time I watched I saw a really frightened little girl in excruciating pain…I really hope this family can heal.
I was so upset at the end of this episode, but not surprised. She must have been on the “pink cloud” I hear so much about. It’s a shame, though.
As soon as I saw her face I knew she was bulimic. All that swelling is from purging plus the alcohol. I think the ED was a lot worse than it was still ongoing and a lot worse than was presented in this episode.
I agree that the eating disorder is probably her primary addiction and is generally the absolute hardest to treat.
I thought she was difficult but I also found her family antagonistic and passive aggressive- they would pick at something and pick and pick. And her sister’s comment about breathing on Emma rang of passive aggressiveness. But then again, I wouldn’t want to deal with her either.
This is how I felt as well. As much as Kelsey was not very likeable, there were many moments throughout the episode where her family, her sister in particular, were horrendous and picked a fight just to get her going.
I’m so glad someone else noticed this. As horrible as kelsie’s behavior was, her family antagonized her constantly and were combative right back.
Long time reader, first time poster. Kelsey reminds me of a friend who I adore who has had trauma (really, we all have to varying degrees) plus a cluster b personality disorder. I was able to see beyond the persona. She was so damaged, frightened and angry, but a kind heart in there (despite her antagonistic and belligerent behavior). Really rooting for this girl. Hoping she has access to Dual Diagnosis therapy and that she’s able to help others. I think she’d be really excellent with that.
She was hard to like but I think if they would have also focused on her eating disorder and mental illness as well, she would have come across a little differently. Her eating disorder and mental illness was a huge factor in this, as well as her drug addiction. I don’t know why it wasn’t included because it played a big part, if not bigger, than her drug addiction. I think the show failed big time on not including it. Perhaps the family didn’t want it shown but yet they are all over Facebook discussing it so why not give the audience the full picture before so they can understand and grasp the situation a little better? Someone screwed up here.
I think probably because it’s pretty complicated, and they only had an hour to tell her entire story. But I agree, it would have definitely shown a fuller picture. There are so few actual portrayals of addicts with mental illness and EDs, even though there are a lot of us out there.
As cringy as this episode was (and it was pretty tough to watch), I could see the human beneath the addiction. I can see how her anger and violence and constant need for control and attention was directly tied to her string of abusive relationships and sexual assaults. Many people have commented that she’s not as tough as she thinks she is and they’re absolutely right. She’s like a puffer fish. It’s her biggest defense mechanism when she feels the slightest bit of insecurity. That scene with her grandma where grandma practically chased her into a corner: as soon as grandma distanced herself, Kelsey tried to puff up again, and sputtered out her typical, “yeah?! Well!! I-I’d clock you back!” She kind of did the same thing to the guy that put her in the hospital: “I’m gonna get someone else to beat him up!” She makes these threats simply because it makes her feel better. From what her sister mentioned in the Facebook comments, she seems to back on the path of recovery. I hope she continues to make choices and steps toward healing.
I loved the sober version of her at the end. Beautiful!
I pray that she can regain sobriety, heal, and live a happy life. Oh golly, she seems like a gentle and beautiful soul..God help her!
Why do they send these people back to the environment? Sending her back home was a recipe for relapse.
It said at the end that she had already relapsed so she wasn’t able to attend treatment.
I personally know this girl. She was friends with someone I worked with in Calgary, Alberta. We got together for a couple months as initially she seemed like I nice girl.
She quickly started asking for hotel rooms to be rented while I was at home sleeping for work. I could tell when we went to her parents (who are great people, btw. My mother and Kim talked for some time following my recognition of her instability) that they were highly uncomfortable with her in her home. Could also tell they highly intensely questioned the person (myself) who she’d brought with her due to my association with their daughter. I was new to the city and had not any clue as to her past.
I became fully aware in short time though. The day I went to the hotel room in my name with two guys in bed with her and FIVE fucking meth pipes laying on the desk and end tables, that was the last.
She uses and uses and uses and when someone teaches their wits end she has a fit and threatens suicide, and when that doesn’t work she blames you for everything.
I’m now married with two young kids operating my own commercial constructing company. And from communications I had with this woman when she contracted me shortly after I got together with my wife, I can tell you that she relapsed immediately.
Did I mentioned she stole and tapped my credit card down $5,000 and I paid it afterwards because I was told she was seeking help and wanted to give her the chance to do that on her own?
Some people never change!
It is obvious there is still a severe eating disorder here, but the show very much glazed over it. Is there a reason the show doesn’t cover earring disorders any more? I think the last one was in season 14.
As someone who has worked at an eating disorder facility before they have an extremely high relapse rate. I think that’s why. & i struggled with an eating disorder for 6 years. I’ve been on the right track for 11 years. It is definitely not easy road I can tell you that.
This episode was tough but it really got to me. I’m a recovering addict, been in recovery for over 6 years with main drug of choice being alcohol, and I think this episode definitely showed that when deep in addiction, many addicts do not outwardly seem to be deserving of sympathy. They can come across as cruel, angry, spoilt, manipulative etc – which as a recovering addict, I know to be true. What the show does well is that it presents addicts in all their various forms and makes us know that however that person and their family acknowledged addiction in the past should not and will not have absolutely bearing on whether or not the addict deserves to go to treatment. This is what I like about intervention – all addicts profiled on the show, from the most violent, acting-out, spoilt addicts to the rock-bottom depressed more sympathetic addicts, are all offered the same support and opportunity, no questions asked. When I was in active addiction (Similarly to Kelsey actually, I drank pretty much for a decade between 16–26) I wasn’t violent or as scream-y as she was, but my life definitely shrank down to the size of my addiction, which made me act in selfish, manipulative, stupid ways. Especially when there’s existing trauma there that hasn’t been resolved or even really talked about properly. I understood her anger and her sadness and even the foot-stompy moments of “IT’S NEVER ABOUT ME.” The way other people relate to our trauma will never be the same way that we relate to it. I felt like her family knew her trauma and how fucked up it was but basically then said, “well, we offered you a way to deal with it (going to the hospital? bringing up a court case?) which you didn’t use, so now you’re just dragging it on.” and didn’t really listen to what she actually needed – which was care, and support, and her own voice to be prioritised. It seemed like throughout her family unit, her trauma was only recognised on a surface level rather than the deeper level it should have been, and now it’s just “she makes our lives hell.”
Not articulating this very well but I can see why this episode would put a lot of people off of Kelsey, but I found her highly relatable. Even seeing the alcoholic bloat face which I definitely had when I was in active addiction! And the way she said “Well I’m drinking all the booze in my purse before!” and Andrew was like…Deal. Loved seeing her doing better in rehab itself, she really transformed and was very smart and articulate. Hard to see that she’s back at her parents and using…I’m hoping she can get back to sobriety.
This was extremely difficult to watch. Anyone with a similar ED knew at first glance that she had one too. Her trying to act all tough when we know for a fact grandma would have absolutely bodied her. Her acting like she was going to confront her assailant just to wimp out and walk away, while still talking shit. This is a very poignant portrait of a young person who was never fortunate enough to have spaces in which she could be vulnerable.
Something that went unnoticed that really bothered me, though, was watching the way her family interacted with her when her niece was over. I know that editing is a thing, but from what we all saw, it REALLY looked like an entire dysfunctional family that knew how to push each others’ buttons and kind of getting off on it. It definitely kept me from having too much sympathy for her sister, as messed up as I know that is since we never get the full picture of family dynamics in these episodes.
Her grandmother standing up for her mom was one of the more powerful moments I’ve witnessed while watching the more recent seasons.
As hard as the episode was to watch, I realize that a lot of my frustration was from the simple fact that she was so similar to me at that same age. The assault, the ED, the anger, the entitlement, the PTSD and reverting back into a childish state. I’m not sure how she’s doing now at the date that I make this comment, but I’m really, truly rooting for her.
This episode made me cry – at the final screen. Her facilitating those meetings, how happy and healthy she looked, I had faith…I still do, but ouch, breaks my heart to see she is struggling. Sending endless love and positivity your way, girl. You can do this!
according to mom kelsey is 3 years sober and in school to be an addictions counselor!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10160123332118149&set=p.10160123332118149&type=3
I can’t believe that is the same person! Good for her! This was the hardest episode to watch. I am so glad she will be able help others.
Diz just a suggestion could you please add her eating disorder to the tags so this is easier to find in the directory
Read through everyone’s comments. I also wish the show did more ED stuff. They have only covered binge eating disorder 1 time in the entire series.
MAN oh man… i know Kelsey has been through a lot but in active addiction i could not feel much sympathy. she was so horrifically abusive to her family and it was ghastly to watch the dynamic. i’m really glad to see she’s doing well now. i hope her whole family got help, too, and that Kelsey has taken a hard look at how she’s treated other people.
Long time watcher first time poster; just wanted to say I came across her sister’s tik tok and as of September 2023 she still seems to be doing quite well
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8KD1Ghp/
She is 4 years sober and graduating with a degree as an addiction counselor. here’s the link for tik Tok with her sister’s update on Kelsey. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRwNuKc9/ ❤️
AWESOME. Thank you for posting.
Looks like her Facebook is mostly private, but her recent pictures show she looks sober (from alcohol and meth at least)! https://www.facebook.com/kelsohla