Julia knew her life had become unmanageable. Her substance use shifted from alcohol to include cocaine, and in the months before she attended treatment at Renascent, Julia lost her job. “I think I was always very driven by alcohol. I focused my whole life around that next drink,” shares Julia candidly. “I wanted to go … Continued
Women experiencing addiction and mental health issues face different challenges to men. They have different treatment issues and needs. Providing access to gender-responsive care is critical to ensuring that women can recover from addiction. Sixty-seven percent of women served in our live-in treatment centres in 2022-2023 reported that their income is derived from Ontario Works/Ontario … Continued
Learning to set healthy boundaries is crucial to maintaining your recovery over time. Setting boundaries helps protect your physical and mental health. When you stand up for yourself, know who you are, and what you want, that will do wonders for your healing. However, before we start setting boundaries, we must understand the difference between … Continued
By Paul, Renascent Alumni I have been asked to write my experience with Step Five which is “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of my wrongs”. I first came into Alcoholics Anonymous in January 2001, and I stayed for almost two years. I enjoyed the fellowship, had a … Continued
In July, Alison will give birth to her first child. If you asked her one year prior whether motherhood was on the horizon, she would have said “no.” Despite wanting to start a family with her long-time boyfriend, her alcohol and cocaine addiction meant that she wouldn’t be the mother she wanted to be. “My … Continued
“I was burning the candle at both ends,” Carolyn recalls, “and I was so busy trying to achieve success in my career that I wasn’t paying attention to my mental health.” Her drive to succeed was so strong, she says, that her sense of self-worth was “almost entirely” based on her rung on the corporate … Continued
Of the many reasons to come to Renascent, Paul had a very specific one. “I’ll be honest – I chose Renascent because the program was, at the time, only 21 days,” Paul admits. “I thought that was about all I needed. And two weeks in, I had a complete breakdown. I told the counsellors that … Continued
The news of her boyfriend’s passing was unbearable. He died by suicide and in the depths of her grief, Molly quickly found Percocet. “It allowed me to stop crying. I thought it was a miracle,” she shares. “I never wanted to be without it again.” In the months and years that followed, Molly’s dependency on … Continued
Being assertive is a core communication skill. Assertiveness can help you express yourself effectively and stand up for your point of view, while respecting the rights and beliefs of others. This is important for everyone, especially people in recovery, as being assertive can also help boost your self-esteem, earn others’ respect, and in turn help … Continued
Growing up in a household characterized by alcoholism and abuse, Suzan felt different from her peers – and totally alone. “I found it hard to be a carefree kid,” she says, “because I was always concerned with what was going on at home. I couldn’t talk to my friends about it; they had ‘normal’ families. … Continued
