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.

April is ending, but finding your anchor is a year-round practice. ⚓It is time to turn the page and spring forward.As we...
04/30/2026

April is ending, but finding your anchor is a year-round practice. ⚓
It is time to turn the page and spring forward.

As we close out Stress Awareness Month, we want to remind you that stepping out of the storm is not a one-time event; it is a series of choices you make every single day on your recovery journey.

If you are ready to start May with a renewed sense of groundedness, join us this Saturday for Healing Relationship Patterns from Childhood. Catherine Pepper will be facilitating an incredible in-person session focused on identifying old survival roles and building tangible communication tools for today.

Doors open at 9:30 am ET this Saturday, May 2. We have a few sliding-scale seats left!

You are allowed to put down the heavy backpack you were handed as a child.The ways we learned to navigate stress and con...
04/29/2026

You are allowed to put down the heavy backpack you were handed as a child.

The ways we learned to navigate stress and conflict early in life deeply inform how we build relationships today. If you are constantly finding yourself managing someone else's crisis, avoiding necessary boundaries, or shrinking yourself to keep the peace, those old survival patterns are likely still running the show.

This Saturday, join Catherine Pepper for a transformative in-person workshop. We will explore how these patterns develop in families navigating substance-use challenges, and provide tangible tools to help you spring forward into healthier dynamics.

We have a few seats left for this weekend! Secure yours by calling or sending an email.

The roles we learn to survive childhood stress often become the heaviest habits we carry into adulthood. 🎒When navigatin...
04/28/2026

The roles we learn to survive childhood stress often become the heaviest habits we carry into adulthood. 🎒

When navigating family substance-use challenges, children instinctively find ways to balance the ecosystem of the house. Some become the "Overachiever," trying to be absolutely flawless so their parents have one less thing to worry about. Others become the "Peacemaker," constantly managing everyone else's emotions to prevent conflict, or the "Invisible One," shrinking themselves to stay completely out of the way.

These roles keep us safe when we are young, but they can completely disconnect us from our own needs today. Recognizing your default pattern is the very first step in springing forward.

Which of these roles feels the most familiar to you? Let us know in the comments. 👇

Stress Awareness Month is coming to a close, but the tools you've built are yours to keep. ⚓Throughout April, we’ve talk...
04/27/2026

Stress Awareness Month is coming to a close, but the tools you've built are yours to keep. ⚓

Throughout April, we’ve talked about finding your anchor when living alongside family substance-use challenges. The storm isn't always going to disappear, and you cannot control the emotional weather of the people around you. But you absolutely have the power to control how you stand within it.

Whether you practiced the 3-second pause before responding to a tense text message, or you finally set a boundary you’ve been putting off, every small step is a massive victory for your recovery journey.

Which of these three tools are you taking with you into May? Let us know below! 👇

The hardest person to be gentle with is usually yourself. 🚪To everyone joining Sarah Eastman tomorrow morning for the ne...
04/24/2026

The hardest person to be gentle with is usually yourself. 🚪

To everyone joining Sarah Eastman tomorrow morning for the newly titled Developing Self-Compassion workshop: we are so glad you are taking this time for your well-being. Navigating family substance-use challenges often leaves us with a loud, demanding inner critic that judges every reaction or perceived mistake.

Tomorrow is about quieting that voice. We will spend the day actively practicing the grace, patience, and warmth you deserve on your multiple pathways to recovery. Whether this is your first time walking through our doors or you are a familiar face, your space is ready and you are entirely welcome here.

Doors open at 9:00 am ET. We have a couple of sliding-scale seats remaining!

Sometimes an anchor isn't a tool.Sometimes, it is the person sitting across from you holding space. 💙When you are naviga...
04/23/2026

Sometimes an anchor isn't a tool.
Sometimes, it is the person sitting across from you holding space. 💙

When you are navigating substance-use challenges within your family, the isolation can feel incredibly heavy. People often expect judgment when they finally share their reality.
As we continue celebrating National Volunteer Week, we want to recognize the incredible individuals who show up week after week to guide our workshops. Your empathy helps our community spring forward.

Tag or thank a volunteer who has impacted your recovery journey in the comments below! 👇

The roles we learned to survive in childhood don't always serve us today.It is time to rewrite the script. 📝For many peo...
04/22/2026

The roles we learned to survive in childhood don't always serve us today.
It is time to rewrite the script. 📝

For many people navigating family substance-use challenges, the survival roles adopted early on follow us right into adulthood. One community member shared with us that they spent decades automatically managing everyone else's emotions, simply because that is what kept their childhood home quiet. It wasn't until they recognized this ingrained pattern that they could finally drop that heavy backpack and find their own anchor.

You can acknowledge your past without letting it dictate your future. Join Catherine Pepper for an empowering workshop designed to help you identify these early dynamics and build multiple pathways to recovery that serve who you are today.

The hardest person to be gentle with is usually yourself.This Saturday, we begin changing that narrative. 💙When navigati...
04/21/2026

The hardest person to be gentle with is usually yourself.
This Saturday, we begin changing that narrative. 💙

When navigating family substance-use challenges, we often become expert judges of our own behaviour. One of our community members recently shared that they realized their internal dialogue was so harsh, they would never speak to a friend the way they spoke to themselves.

Self-compassion is a critical, active skill that requires practice. Join Sarah Eastman this Saturday to learn tangible ways to quiet that inner critic and build a foundation of emotional safety for your recovery journey.

We have a few sliding-scale seats left. Secure your spot now.

Some people do not just weather the storm; they become the anchor for others.Welcome to National Volunteer Week. 💙Naviga...
04/20/2026

Some people do not just weather the storm; they become the anchor for others.
Welcome to National Volunteer Week. 💙

Navigating family substance-use challenges takes immense courage, and nobody should have to walk that path alone. Every single day, our facilitators, counsellors, and community volunteers hold space for the hardest parts of the human experience. They listen without judgment, offer tangible tools, and remind our community that multiple pathways to recovery are always possible.

To everyone who gives their time, energy, and heart to Serenity Renewal for Families: Thank you. You are the heartbeat of this organization.

Drop a 💛 in the comments to celebrate a volunteer or facilitator who has impacted your journey!

You cannot drop your anchor if you do not realize the storm has already started. ⛈️Living alongside family substance-use...
04/13/2026

You cannot drop your anchor if you do not realize the storm has already started. ⛈️

Living alongside family substance-use challenges often means living in a state of hyper-vigilance. Our bodies get so used to chronic stress that we stop noticing the physical warning signs until we are already overwhelmed.

Part of springing forward in your recovery journey is learning to recognize your body’s unique "storm warnings." Does your chest get tight? Do you suddenly feel the urge to micromanage your environment? When you learn to spot these signals early, you give yourself the power to pause, step back, and choose your response.

What is the first physical sign that tells you it is time to take a breath?

When the house is loud, siblings often become the quiet anchors.Today is , and we see the heavy backpacks you carry. 🎒W...
04/10/2026

When the house is loud, siblings often become the quiet anchors.
Today is , and we see the heavy backpacks you carry. 🎒

When parents are consumed by a loved one's substance-use challenges, the other children in the home often slip under the radar. Siblings become expert readers of the room. Some step up to become the "third parent," managing the household and protecting their younger brothers or sisters. Others shrink themselves, trying to be perfectly invisible so they don't add to the stress.

To the siblings navigating this complex family dynamic: Your needs matter. Your childhood matters. You do not have to hold the family together on your own.

Setting a boundary often feels like breaking a rule.But saying "no" to the chaos is how you say "yes" to your recovery. ...
04/09/2026

Setting a boundary often feels like breaking a rule.
But saying "no" to the chaos is how you say "yes" to your recovery. 📱

For families navigating substance-use challenges, the pressure to drop everything and rescue a loved one is immense. One of our community members recently shared this exact moment with us: they looked at a text message demanding their immediate help, typed out their usual "I'm on my way," and then deleted it. Instead, they dropped their anchor. They offered love, but they protected their peace.

It is incredibly uncomfortable at first, but it is a massive step forward. What is one boundary you are working on holding this week?

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

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Serenity Renewal for Families posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Featured

Share