Help Write the Next Chapter of Recovery
Late at night, I would sit alone in my darkened apartment, drowning in unpaid bills and empty bottles, unable to find my way forward. What started as casual drinking and betting on a few games grew into an avalanche I couldn’t control – the more I drank, the easier it was to keep placing bets; the more I lost on games, the more I drank to numb the shame. I blamed myself, believing I had to fight this battle alone. I minimized my struggles, telling myself others needed and deserved help more than I did.
What I didn’t understand then was that isolation feeds addiction. Each day, I’d wake up promising myself “today will be different,” but shame kept me trapped in a cycle I couldn’t break. The more I struggled alone, the deeper I sank, until even opening my mailbox felt overwhelming and I would reject my daughter’s facetime calls. I couldn’t bear to let her see me this way.
Making that first call to Rideauwood wasn’t easy – my hands shook with anxiety and fear as I dialed. But the voice that answered wasn’t what I expected. There was no judgment, just understanding. They didn’t tell me what my recovery should look like or make me promise things I wasn’t ready for. Instead, they listened – really listened – to understand my struggles, my fears, and what I hoped for my future.
Through Rideauwood’s programs, I began to see my struggles differently – not as personal failings, but as ways I’d been trying to cope with pain I’d never learned to handle. Recovery became about understanding myself better and finding new ways to face life’s challenges. Each step was mine to choose, with their support to guide me.
The virtual counseling made this possible in ways I hadn’t expected. I could log in from my apartment – the same place where I’d once sat in darkness – and slowly let the light back in. Each session gave me new tools, new understanding, and most importantly, new hope.
Small changes came first. I started answering my daughter’s calls, even when shame felt overwhelming. I began opening my mail the day it arrived instead of letting it pile up. These might sound like simple things, but to me, they were victories – proof that change was possible. With each step forward, I felt more like the person and the father I wanted to be.
One evening at my rec hockey league, something unexpected happened. Early in my recovery, just being there had been challenging – the sports updates on the TV at the rink, the usual invitations for post-game beers. But with Rideauwood’s support, I’d learned to navigate these triggers, to rebuild a healthy relationship with the game I loved. My teammates had noticed the change in me – how I was more present, more engaged, actually laughing again. In the locker room after a game, I found myself doing something I never thought I would: sharing my story. I told them about my struggles, about how Rideauwood helped me find my own path to healing.
The room went quiet. As men, we’re taught to handle our problems alone, to never show vulnerability. But a few days later, one of my teammates sent me a message that started with, “I’ve never told anyone this, but…” He said seeing my transformation gave him hope that change was possible – not because I followed some perfect plan, but because I found my way, step by step. Because of what I shared, he finally felt brave enough to begin his own journey.
Today, my life is unrecognizable from those dark nights alone in my apartment. My daughter and I have weekly dinner dates where we really talk – not just about the good things, but about the hard stuff too. She tells me she’s proud of who I’ve become, and I’m finally proud too. Not just of the changes I’ve made, but of becoming someone who can provide hope for others.
Right now in Ottawa, countless stories of healing are waiting to begin!
Stories like mine, where a single phone call becomes the first step toward transformation.
Your support makes these moments of courage possible.
When you give to Rideauwood, you become part of every journey toward healing:
- You’re there in that moment of hope when someone realizes they don’t have to struggle alone
- You’re the understanding voice that says “there’s no single right path”
- You help create safe spaces where healing can happen, whether virtually or in person
- You’re part of the breakthrough when a parent reconnects with their child
- You build bridges of understanding that strengthen our entire community
I know the power of this support firsthand. Every time I sit down for dinner with my daughter, every time I lace up my skates with my hockey team, I’m living proof of what your compassion can achieve.
Each person who finds their way to Rideauwood has their own unique story of healing waiting to be written – and you can help make that possible.
This holiday season, you can help write the next chapter in someone’s story of recovery. Your gift, of any size, carries the message that change is possible and help is here – without judgment, meeting each person exactly where they are.
Together, we can ensure that no one faces their darkest moments alone.
Your generosity changes lives. Thank you for helping others find their path to healing.
Note: Rideauwood uses representative stories to reflect the real experiences of people who have found hope and healing through our programs.
