Kaeli’s journey into addiction was years in the making. Struggling with extreme post-partum depression, a child’s significant medical challenges and her mother’s death, “I was using alcohol to cope,” she shares. Her turning point came when, rushing to pick up one of her sons from school, she got into a car accident with the other … Continued
By Kyle, Renascent AlumniPeople often say that Step 4, which calls us to make “a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves,” is difficult. But the thing is, it’s not that hard if you choose to just address the things you’re comfortable acknowledging. The first time I completed Step 4, I shared what I was … Continued
Step 5 calls us to “admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” In my recovery journey, I found this Step to be the most freeing experience. In truth, it took time to remember and write down the resentments I harboured, and all the things I needed … Continued
It’s with wisdom and self-reflection that Karen approaches conversations about her recovery. As the parent of a Renascent alumni who is still struggling with addiction, Karen understood years ago that she too needed her own path to healing. It was a realization that brought Karen to Renascent’s Family Program and Al-Anon (a group that provides … Continued
In the early days of recovery, many people describe feeling unexpectedly euphoric, hopeful, and invincible — as though the weight of addiction has finally been lifted and life has opened up in brilliant colour. This phase is often referred to as the “Pink Cloud.” But what exactly is the Pink Cloud, and how should someone … Continued
Michael’s struggle with addiction led him to a life centred on alcohol and, ultimately, turned into a desperate cry for help. “I’d lost hope,” he says simply. “I was on my way to suicide, or on my way to treatment. Fortunately, I chose the latter.” After completing an inpatient program at Renascent, he was better … Continued
