About Andrew Vanderpol
I write about Companions — the missing layer in modern mental health and addiction treatment.
For more than 15 years, I’ve worked inside acute mental health and addiction crises, alongside individuals, families, and clinicians, in the spaces where traditional treatment models struggle to hold.
We are hardwired to connect with others; it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.
My background spans lived experience, philosophy, creative writing, and hands-on fieldwork across the full continuum of care. I’m the co-founder and CEO of SOHL, a mental health consultancy focused on ethical, highly supervised companion care for complex lives.
I’m currently writing a book that defines the role of the Companion – not as a service or a brand, but as a necessary human role that walks with people through real life, not just treatment episodes.
This site is where I think in public – carefully, honestly, and with the long view.
New essays are published weekly.
I can take risks because I am not alone.
