Serenity Renewal for Families

Serenity Renewal for Families Supporting individuals & families affected directly or indirectly by addictions.

Serenity Renewal for Families offers ongoing education and counselling services to individuals and families directly or indirectly affected by addictions. Our programs assist a wide spectrum of clients as young as 5 to 85 and over, benefiting over 2,500 individuals each year in Ottawa and surrounding areas. Our work is made possible thanks to our dedicated professional staff and facilitators, plus more than 125 volunteers who participate in virtually all functions of our operations. In addition, over 250 partners (individuals, health and social service agencies, social workers, medical professionals) refer individuals and work with us to provide the necessary support to our clients. Serenity Renewal for Families is a registered charitable organization founded in 1983. We rely on the support of generous individuals and organizations to create happier, healthier lives in our community.

Do you feel like it is your job to fix, manage, or save the people around you?When a family member is living with substa...
04/08/2026

Do you feel like it is your job to fix, manage, or save the people around you?

When a family member is living with substance-use challenges, stepping in to help is a natural instinct. But when you become so focused on managing their crisis that you completely lose your own anchor, that is codependency. It is an exhausting, heavy weight to carry, and you do not have to hold it forever.

Next Saturday, join Catherine Pepper for an in-person workshop designed to provide tangible, harm-reduction-focused tools. You will learn how to untangle these dynamics, set healthy boundaries, and shift your focus back to your own multiple pathways to recovery.

You cannot separate the mind, the heart, and the body.Today is , and we are advocating for the whole picture. 🌿When we ...
04/07/2026

You cannot separate the mind, the heart, and the body.
Today is , and we are advocating for the whole picture. 🌿

When we talk about health, we often default to physical symptoms. But living in a state of chronic stress—like navigating family substance-use challenges—has a profound impact on your physical body. Your nervous system keeps score. True healthcare means having access to emotional safety, learning to set boundaries without guilt, and finding a community that truly understands you.

When you strengthen those three areas, you build an anchor that can hold you steady through any storm. What is one way you are taking care of your whole self today?

From all of us at Serenity Renewal for Families, we are wishing you a peaceful, grounded, and gentle Easter Monday. 🌷Whe...
04/06/2026

From all of us at Serenity Renewal for Families, we are wishing you a peaceful, grounded, and gentle Easter Monday. 🌷

Whether your weekend was filled with busy family gatherings, quiet moments of rest, or a mix of both, we hope you found time to drop your anchor and take a breath. Enjoy the start of this new week!

Consider this your official permission slip for today. 🎟️Holidays are often framed as picture-perfect moments of family ...
04/05/2026

Consider this your official permission slip for today. 🎟️

Holidays are often framed as picture-perfect moments of family joy. But if today feels heavy, complicated, or tense, you are not alone. For families navigating substance-use challenges, gatherings can sometimes act as a pressure cooker for unspoken expectations and old dynamics.

You might be dreading a certain conversation, or feeling overwhelmed by the noise. Please remember: dropping your anchor sometimes means physically removing yourself from the storm. You are allowed to take a break. You are allowed to politely decline a conversation. You are allowed to leave early if your anchor is slipping.

Springing forward doesn't mean pretending everything is perfect. It means honouring where you are at today, and treating yourself with profound grace.

Tension is contagious, but so is calm.When the house feels loud, what do you do with the next three seconds? ⏱️For peopl...
04/03/2026

Tension is contagious, but so is calm.
When the house feels loud, what do you do with the next three seconds? ⏱️

For people living with substance-use challenges and their families, reacting immediately is a survival instinct. If someone raises their voice, we instinctively raise ours or shut down entirely. One of our community members shared that their greatest tool is the "3-Second Anchor." Before responding to a stressful text or a tense conversation, they physically pause, take one deep breath, and notice their feet on the floor.

That tiny pause is where you get your power back. It is where you choose your response instead of letting the chaos choose for you.

04/02/2026

Living alongside substance-use challenges often feels like being caught in a storm you didn't create.
This Stress Awareness Month, we are talking about finding your anchor. ⚓

When a family member is in crisis, it is incredibly easy to get swept away by their emotional current. A parent recently shared with us that for years, their mood was entirely dictated by whether their child was having a "good day" or a "bad day." They were adrift. Learning how to physically and emotionally ground themselves—dropping an anchor so they weren't pulled under—was the turning point in their recovery journey.

You do not have to fix the storm to find your peace. Follow along this month as we share tangible ways to stay grounded.

Welcome to April. It is time to drop the anchor. ⚓Living alongside family substance-use challenges often feels like bein...
04/01/2026

Welcome to April. It is time to drop the anchor. ⚓

Living alongside family substance-use challenges often feels like being caught in a storm you didn't create. You cannot control the weather, and you cannot force the waves to stop crashing. But you absolutely have control over how you stand within it.

Because April is Stress Awareness Month, we are dedicating the next 30 days to the theme of "Finding Your Anchor." We will be exploring tangible, harm-reduction focused ways to emotionally ground yourself, set healthy boundaries, and protect your peace when the house feels loud.

You do not have to fix the storm to find your calm. Stick with us this month as we explore how to stay grounded.

March was a month of incredible, courageous momentum.Thank you for stepping up and springing forward with us. 💙Over the ...
03/30/2026

March was a month of incredible, courageous momentum.
Thank you for stepping up and springing forward with us. 💙

Over the last 30 days, we watched this community do the hard work. From the youth exploring art therapy during March Break, to the families rewriting their communication scripts, and the brave individuals facing down anger and shame—every single step matters. Remember that your recovery journey is not a race to a finish line. The goal is simply to keep showing up, utilizing your new tools, and finding your peace.

What was your biggest takeaway or "win" this month? Tell us below! 👇

It takes immense courage to walk through a new door. We are so glad you did. 🚪Tomorrow morning, we open two powerful spa...
03/27/2026

It takes immense courage to walk through a new door. We are so glad you did. 🚪

Tomorrow morning, we open two powerful spaces for connection and growth. Whether you are starting Sarah Eastman's workshop on Overcoming Shame and Guilt or beginning the 10-week journey with your family, you are stepping away from old patterns and into your peace. We see you and we are ready for you.

See you tomorrow!

03/26/2026

Creating a true sense of community, together. 💙
The weekend's Brain Freeze run raised over $5,300!

These vital funds directly support Serenity Renewal for Families’ youth programs. As shared by Kate on CTV News, participating in family programming helps build connection, strength, and hope. We champion multiple pathways to recovery, and family support is a beautiful place to start.

Discover more about our youth and family programs on our website today! https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/video/2026/03/22/runners-and-walkers-take-off-at-brain-freeze-fundraiser

If shame tells you that you are broken, humility tells you that you are human.Understanding the difference changes your ...
03/26/2026

If shame tells you that you are broken, humility tells you that you are human.
Understanding the difference changes your entire recovery. ⚖️

We frequently misunderstand Humility. It is not about thinking poorly of yourself; that is shame, and it only keeps us stuck. True humility, especially in a recovery journey, is the courageous willingness to have a realistic view of yourself—acknowledging both your strengths and limitations—and maintaining an openness to learning, change, and receiving support from others.

It is the opposite of both arrogance (thinking you are better than you are) and shame (thinking you are worse). Humility is your foundation for springing forward because it allows you to ask for the help you deserve.

Guilt is about what you did. Shame is about who you are. ⚖️Understanding the difference changes everything.When living w...
03/25/2026

Guilt is about what you did. Shame is about who you are. ⚖️
Understanding the difference changes everything.

When living with substance-use challenges or supporting a loved one, these feelings can keep us isolated. We get caught in a cycle of hiding our true selves. This Saturday’s in-person workshop with Sarah Eastman provides a supportive space to face these heavy emotions with humility and self-compassion. The goal is not to eliminate these feelings, but to learn how to move through them constructively so you can spring forward in your recovery.

Overcoming Shame and Guilt (In Person)

Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026

Time: 9:30 am to 3:30 pm ET

Cost: Sliding-scale pricing available.

Address

404 McArthur Avenue
Ottawa, ON
K1K1G8

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3pm
Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm
Thursday 9am - 3pm
Friday 9am - 3pm

Telephone

+16135235143

Website

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