About us
Our mission is to democratize access to high-quality mental health care for all ↝
We offer affordable, high-quality, on-demand mental health care to help people feel better faster
Patients come first
Our promise to our patients
Shirvington Hannays is a Certified Canadian General Counseling Therapist, Registered Drama Therapist, and Life Skills Coach with expertise in behavioural change counselling therapy. His specialization lies in achieving long-term change maintenance, relapse prevention, and intervention strategies. As the Clinical Director and Senior Drama Therapist of RAPsoul.R Behavioral Change and the not-for-profit SMAHOO Change Clinic & Life Skills Academy, he delivers a trauma-informed care approach to corporate and organizational teams. Shirvington also directs The Laughing Therapist Life Skills Academy, where he integrates team building, prevention, and intervention services for staff and stakeholders affected by compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. His work emphasizes prevention, recovery, maintenance, and relapse prevention training through an ongoing continuum of supportive check-ins and tune-ups.
In August 2013, Shirvington founded SMAHOO Change Clinic as his professional trade name for addiction counselling services. Serving as Clinical Director and Clinical Supervisor, his vision expanded further in 2019 after the closure of the Addiction Recovery Network Alberta facility, where he was the Lead Therapist and Clinical Director. To complement the clinic’s work, he established SMAHOO Life Skills Academy, which provided aftercare coaching for long-term recovery, abstinence, or harm reduction. By August 2023, the two services merged into a unified entity: SMAHOO Change Clinic & Life Skills Academy, offering holistic, sustainable behavioural change programs.
Before founding his organizations, Shirvington held several frontline roles, including Addiction Worker, Counseling Therapist, Program Developer, Instructor, and Clinical Director for private rehabilitation facilities with over 20 beds. He also served as an Addiction and Community Services instructor at private colleges, combining academic knowledge with practical experience. Shirvington earned certifications through the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF) as a Certified Addiction Counselor, Certified Clinical Supervisor, and Certified Telemedicine Addiction Counseling Professional, meeting provincial standards in Alberta under ACT-Alberta.
Drawing on more than 20 years of research in religion, spirituality, and self-help, Shirvington developed solution-focused brief intervention strategies, including his proprietary #smahooBITS (Brief Intervention Therapies) and #RElapseRESCue (How to Rescue Yourself from a Relapse). These culturally sensitive therapeutic approaches integrate Music Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and techniques such as CBT, REBT, DBT, ACT, and CRA. His motivational interviewing expertise helps clients transition from ambivalence to change readiness, achieving measurable and sustained results.
Shirvington’s innovative methods extend to his globally recognized initiatives. He recently launched the SMAHoo Mind.SPAexPERIENE, a mental health and well-being super-app aligned with the World Health Organization’s Action Plan (2013-2030). This initiative bridges primary healthcare with integrative mental health services. Additionally, he operates the 24/7 culturally sensitive streaming service Rice and Peas for the Soul Television (RAPsoul.R V), offering evidence-based self-care tools and mental health content.
One of his signature contributions is the philosophy of Rice and Peas for the Soul REVISITED, which emphasizes practical daily self-care hygiene for adaptive mental flexibility. Shirvington believes in equipping individuals with tools to manage life’s everyday stressors effectively, developing resilience through actionable strategies.
Shirvington also hosts the highly streamed podcast “The Recovery Show” on Spotify, Apple iTunes, Amazon Music, and Audible. The podcast, streamed in 17 countries, delivers impactful episodes on addiction, recovery, and transformation, with the most popular episode, “A Definition of Addiction,” resonating globally across all age ranges. Through his podcast, he continues to create a community of listeners ready to explore recovery and self-care.
As a recognized innovator in mental healthcare, Shirvington was named a pioneer by Outlier’s Edge for his practical approach to behavioural change. He attributes his success to his ability to inspire creativity, joy, and meaningful connections, whether through Drama Therapy, corporate workshops, or the Global Social Village initiative. Through these efforts, he builds communities centred on laughter, learning, and shared growth, helping individuals and organizations achieve wellness and resilience.
For more about Shirvington’s work, check out his podcast, “The Recovery Show,” or learn about the Global Social Village and SMAHooSPA.EXPerience. His philosophy is simple yet profound: resilience begins with daily intentional care for the mind, emotions, and spirit.
In August 2013, Shirvington founded SMAHOO Change Clinic as his professional trade name for addiction counselling services. Serving as Clinical Director and Clinical Supervisor, his vision expanded further in 2019 after the closure of the Addiction Recovery Network Alberta facility, where he was the Lead Therapist and Clinical Director. To complement the clinic’s work, he established SMAHOO Life Skills Academy, which provided aftercare coaching for long-term recovery, abstinence, or harm reduction. By August 2023, the two services merged into a unified entity: SMAHOO Change Clinic & Life Skills Academy, offering holistic, sustainable behavioural change programs.
Before founding his organizations, Shirvington held several frontline roles, including Addiction Worker, Counseling Therapist, Program Developer, Instructor, and Clinical Director for private rehabilitation facilities with over 20 beds. He also served as an Addiction and Community Services instructor at private colleges, combining academic knowledge with practical experience. Shirvington earned certifications through the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF) as a Certified Addiction Counselor, Certified Clinical Supervisor, and Certified Telemedicine Addiction Counseling Professional, meeting provincial standards in Alberta under ACT-Alberta.
Drawing on more than 20 years of research in religion, spirituality, and self-help, Shirvington developed solution-focused brief intervention strategies, including his proprietary #smahooBITS (Brief Intervention Therapies) and #RElapseRESCue (How to Rescue Yourself from a Relapse). These culturally sensitive therapeutic approaches integrate Music Therapy, Narrative Therapy, and techniques such as CBT, REBT, DBT, ACT, and CRA. His motivational interviewing expertise helps clients transition from ambivalence to change readiness, achieving measurable and sustained results.
Shirvington’s innovative methods extend to his globally recognized initiatives. He recently launched the SMAHoo Mind.SPAexPERIENE, a mental health and well-being super-app aligned with the World Health Organization’s Action Plan (2013-2030). This initiative bridges primary healthcare with integrative mental health services. Additionally, he operates the 24/7 culturally sensitive streaming service Rice and Peas for the Soul Television (RAPsoul.R V), offering evidence-based self-care tools and mental health content.
One of his signature contributions is the philosophy of Rice and Peas for the Soul REVISITED, which emphasizes practical daily self-care hygiene for adaptive mental flexibility. Shirvington believes in equipping individuals with tools to manage life’s everyday stressors effectively, developing resilience through actionable strategies.
Shirvington also hosts the highly streamed podcast “The Recovery Show” on Spotify, Apple iTunes, Amazon Music, and Audible. The podcast, streamed in 17 countries, delivers impactful episodes on addiction, recovery, and transformation, with the most popular episode, “A Definition of Addiction,” resonating globally across all age ranges. Through his podcast, he continues to create a community of listeners ready to explore recovery and self-care.
As a recognized innovator in mental healthcare, Shirvington was named a pioneer by Outlier’s Edge for his practical approach to behavioural change. He attributes his success to his ability to inspire creativity, joy, and meaningful connections, whether through Drama Therapy, corporate workshops, or the Global Social Village initiative. Through these efforts, he builds communities centred on laughter, learning, and shared growth, helping individuals and organizations achieve wellness and resilience.
For more about Shirvington’s work, check out his podcast, “The Recovery Show,” or learn about the Global Social Village and SMAHooSPA.EXPerience. His philosophy is simple yet profound: resilience begins with daily intentional care for the mind, emotions, and spirit.
How do we ensure the highest quality of care?
Patient-centered
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Timely
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Efficient
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Secure
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David Mou
CEO Company