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.

Emotional regulation is not emotional suppression.It does not mean ignoring what you feel, pretending everything is fine...
05/25/2026

Emotional regulation is not emotional suppression.

It does not mean ignoring what you feel, pretending everything is fine, or forcing yourself to “calm down” before you are ready.

It means noticing what is happening inside you before it takes over the whole moment.

Sometimes that looks like naming the feeling.
Sometimes it looks like pausing before responding.
Sometimes it looks like setting a boundary, taking space, or asking for support.

Our upcoming Emotional Regulation and Others workshop explores practical ways to understand emotional reactions, communicate feelings, navigate conflict, and build steadier connections.

Emotional Regulation and Others
Facilitated by Gwen Preston
Saturday, May 30, 2026
9:30 AM–3:30 PM ET
In person

To register, email workshops@serenityrenewal.ca or call 613-523-5143.

Before the conversation gets hard, pause.Not because the feeling is wrong.Not because the conversation does not matter.P...
05/22/2026

Before the conversation gets hard, pause.

Not because the feeling is wrong.
Not because the conversation does not matter.

Pause so you can notice what is happening before the moment takes over.

A few helpful questions can be:

What am I feeling?
What do I need?
What can I say clearly?
What boundary might help this stay respectful?

These small pauses do not make every conversation easy, but they can help create more space, more clarity, and less regret.

This is one of the reasons emotional regulation matters in family relationships.

Our Emotional Regulation and Others workshop is coming up on Saturday, May 30, with Gwen Preston.

Sliding-scale pricing available.
To register, email workshops@serenityrenewal.ca or call 613-523-5143.

Reacting is human.Responding takes space.When emotions rise quickly, it can be hard to slow down before words, tone, or ...
05/21/2026

Reacting is human.
Responding takes space.

When emotions rise quickly, it can be hard to slow down before words, tone, or actions move faster than we intended.

Emotional regulation is not about shutting feelings down. It is about noticing what is happening inside us and creating enough space to choose the next step with more clarity.

Sometimes that space is one breath.
Sometimes it is saying, “I need a moment before I answer.”

Our upcoming Emotional Regulation and Others workshop explores practical ways to understand emotional reactions, communicate feelings, set boundaries, and build steadier connections.

Saturday, May 30, 2026
9:30 AM–3:30 PM ET
In person

Sliding-scale pricing available.
To register, email workshops@serenityrenewal.ca or call 613-523-5143

Emotions can shape how we connect.They can also make connection feel harder.When mistrust, conflict, or emotional reacti...
05/20/2026

Emotions can shape how we connect.
They can also make connection feel harder.

When mistrust, conflict, or emotional reactions get in the way, it can be difficult to know how to respond with clarity instead of overwhelm.

Our Emotional Regulation and Others workshop explores how to understand emotional reactions, communicate feelings, set boundaries, and build stronger connections with others.

Emotional Regulation and Others
Facilitated by Gwen Preston
Saturday, May 30, 2026
9:30 AM–3:30 PM ET
In person

Sliding-scale pricing available.

To register, email workshops@serenityrenewal.ca or call 613-523-5143.

After a long weekend, the return can feel loud.Messages. Tasks. Plans. Feelings you may not have had time to sort throug...
05/19/2026

After a long weekend, the return can feel loud.

Messages. Tasks. Plans. Feelings you may not have had time to sort through.

So today, start smaller than your stress wants you to.

One task.
One message.
One pause.
One next step.

You do not have to catch up with everything at once.

Permission slip:you do not have to earn rest.Long weekends can bring connection, plans, pressure, mixed feelings, or all...
05/18/2026

Permission slip:
you do not have to earn rest.

Long weekends can bring connection, plans, pressure, mixed feelings, or all of the above.

Whatever this weekend has looked like for you, rest does not need to be justified by productivity. You are allowed to pause before you are completely drained.

Take the space, quiet, support, or reset that feels possible today.

Long weekend plans?Do not forget your emotional survival kit.Family time can be meaningful. It can also be complicated.B...
05/15/2026

Long weekend plans?
Do not forget your emotional survival kit.

Family time can be meaningful. It can also be complicated.

Before the weekend begins, it may help to pack a few less-visible things too: a boundary, a pause before replying, permission to rest, and one person you can reach out to if things feel heavy.

You do not have to handle every moment perfectly.
You just need a few steady tools to come back to.

What would you add to your long weekend survival kit?

We ghosted the grid a little.Not you.A few quiet days on social media does not mean we disappeared — it means real-world...
05/14/2026

We ghosted the grid a little.
Not you.

A few quiet days on social media does not mean we disappeared — it means real-world work, database updates, planning, and all the behind-the-scenes pieces were moving.

But we are back.

For the rest of May, we will be sharing more practical, family-centred support around boundaries, communication, emotional wellness, and the complicated moments that can come with caring about someone you love.

Thanks for staying with us.
More is coming.

What topic would you like to see from us next?

Mother’s Day weekend can bring many feelings.More than one can be true at once.For some people, this weekend brings love...
05/08/2026

Mother’s Day weekend can bring many feelings.
More than one can be true at once.

For some people, this weekend brings love and gratitude. For others, it may also bring grief, distance, relief, longing, or mixed emotions that are harder to name.

If your family relationships feel complicated, you are not alone. And if this weekend feels tender, heavy, or uncertain, you do not have to force it into something simple.

Be gentle with yourself.
Take the contact, space, rest, or support that feels right for you.

If this message may help someone in your circle feel less alone, share it with them.

Support can include boundaries.Care does not have to mean losing yourself.During Mental Health Week, we are naming the s...
05/07/2026

Support can include boundaries.
Care does not have to mean losing yourself.

During Mental Health Week, we are naming the small things that help families stay connected in realistic ways.

For families affected by substance-use-related stress, support can sometimes feel complicated. You may care deeply and still need limits. You may want connection and still need space. A boundary is not the end of care — it can be one way to keep support clear, steady, and sustainable.

Small steps count: pausing before responding, naming what you can offer, or being honest about what you cannot carry today.

Perfectionism can look like being prepared.It can also feel exhausting.When the pressure to get everything “right” takes...
05/06/2026

Perfectionism can look like being prepared.
It can also feel exhausting.

When the pressure to get everything “right” takes over, it can affect how we rest, relate, make decisions, and respond to ourselves when things feel uncertain.

Our Overcoming Perfectionism workshop offers space to explore self-criticism, fear of mistakes, and all-or-nothing thinking with more compassion and practical tools.

Overcoming Perfectionism
Facilitated by Sarah Eastman
Saturday, May 9, 2026
9:30 AM–3:30 PM ET
In person

Sliding-scale pricing available.

To register, email workshops@serenityrenewal.ca or call 613-523-5143.

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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