Redefin'd Calgary

Thank you to Liz for these inspiring words about Redefin'd Calgary, the group we have worked with for our Patient Appreciation Day this year. They are a local Bowness organization making a big impact!

The Redefin’d Recovery Community

No outcomes, 

only the rhythms of daily life. 

Love. Struggle.

It’s all the same. 

Welcomed. Real. 

We dance to that rhythm here,

together,

when we move forward as one, 

no one misses too many beats.

We are a trauma recovery community at Redefin’d. A group of people “going it together.” Being normal, being vulnerable and leaning on each other when we need to. We are where healing happens.

When the greater community comes to experience Redefin’d, they say things like, “this is becoming my favourite place to be.” or “this is so natural.” Isn’t this what recovery should be? Relationship. The isolation our young people come from, the addiction, homelessness, living at the Drop-in Centre, and the anxiety, that’s abnormal. 

Redefin’d is the UnProgram response. There are no check boxes, imposed expectations, or professionals - just people being people. Our model can be confused with softness, and it often has been, but it is quite the opposite. 

The young people here do the hard work. They operate a commercial kitchen, they learn, train and they mentor each other. They get themselves up at 5:30 am, pay for bus passes, allocate their incentives responsibly, change appointments and prioritize their obligations. They lean bravely into the emotions of recovery. They invest that in themselves. Redefin’d is about creating a community where that maturity and personal growth can happen.

~ Liz Duerholt, Founder & Executive Director of Redefin'd