By Gabriel, Renascent Alumni My entire life I felt I did not belong anywhere. I felt like the outsider, the one hiding amongst everyone else. I felt like I lived a double life. Only free to truly be myself when I was alone. I felt that it took me more effort to get to a … Continued
Having been in recovery for more than 8 years and an addictions counsellor for over 7 of those years, Renascent’s Martha Williams has supported hundreds of people in creating a new life without drugs and alcohol. “My recovery is my lifestyle and has been built around certain things that I MUST do,” says Martha. “I … Continued
By Charles McMulkin, Spiritual Care Counsellor, Renascent Every person’s spiritual journey is unique. Regardless of one’s personal beliefs, Christmas is a season that lends itself to spiritual rebirth and growth. Depending on your own spiritual journey you may accept the Christmas story, or believe the whole thing is a fairy tale that never happened. Either … Continued
By Michael Lochran, Director of Programs and Operations, Renascent For many of us the winter months of December and January bring with them the holiday season. If you are celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, the New Year, or any of the other dozens of holidays from all faiths and cultures, the holiday season means celebration, observances … Continued
By Sue, Renascent Alumni My journey to Step 1 began many years ago and resulted in many failures because, I never “admitted that (I) was powerless over alcohol and that (my) life had become unmanageable”. I could control my drinking. I could get up and go to work in the morning despite the hangovers. I … Continued
By Michael Lochran, Director of Programs and Operations Winter can be a challenging season for many. It can be even more challenging when you are struggling with mental health challenges. Routine and connection can play an integral role in maintaining your mental health and well-being during these colder and darker months. Here are a few … Continued
By Prabhi Gill, Alumni Care Manager, Renascent The Untethered Soul wasn’t just a regular read for me. It took me on an inner self discovery journey which I can say was life-changing. This book allowed me to break apart my ego and learn how to just be in each moment. It’s easy to be distracted by materialistic … Continued
Transforming unhelpful ways of living is different for everyone. For one person, a commitment to not work so many hours a week may be the key to restoring harmony in his life and relationships. For another, the answer may lie in her reducing the inordinate amount of time wasted texting, tweeting or Facebook surfing instead of engaging in authentic face-to-face interactions. If we can begin by allocating even 5-10 minutes a day to fuel our mind with a healthier stillness diet, it will do wonders in no time – not only in how we feel, but in how our brain gets rewired … and our priorities too.
What’s the sober equivalent of a champagne toast? In a culture that celebrates life’s successes with glasses raised, the recovery community gets to create their own ways of celebrating the joys that a life in recovery brings us. Here are three ways to celebrate your recovery: 1. Whether it’s been a day, a week, a … Continued
