It’s been almost 20 years since Jennifer (Jennie) Bell walked through Renascent’s doors as a client. Since then, she’s gone on to do incredible things — becoming an addictions counsellor is one of them.

Since being hired in 2010, Jennie has served as a Relief Counsellor at Renascent Graham Munro Centre, a Continuing Care, and a Family Counsellor, holding the latter role for over 10 years now. She brings an authentic perspective to Renascent’s Family Care Program. As a person with lived-experience she brings hope to family members whose loved ones are struggling with addiction.

“Being able to bring the perspective of a person in recovery into my counselling helps families feel understood,” Jennie shared. “At the end of the sessions, they are more hopeful. They improve communication with their loved one, learn about healthy boundaries and loving detachment, and begin focusing on their own well-being.”

Renascent’s Family Program serves as a safe and therapeutic space in which family members can receive group counselling and support. The program recognizes that addiction is a family disease and every member is in need of their own recovery.

Family members and loved ones attend hourly group sessions weekly where they learn about addiction, gain tools and develop skills as they focus on their healing.

Although Family Programming is delivered virtually, Jennie and the other Continuing Care counsellors visit the live-in treatment centres weekly to connect with the clients and educate them about the program’s benefits. They deliver a two-hour psychoeducational session and spend the day providing one-on-one counselling to live-in treatment clients.

“Recovery was a gift given to me, and I want to be able to give that to others,” she said. “When I see how much families have learned and how their perspective begins to change, I feel a real sense of pride and accomplishment.”

Over the years, Jennie has also witnessed an important shift in how families understand addiction.

“More families now recognize that addiction is a disease,” she explained. “They’re more willing to seek support and understand that recovery isn’t only about the person using substances, families need healing too.”