- Frederick & Hagerstown
- info@serenitytreatmentcenter.com
About Serenity
Home / About Us
Compassionate Care
for Lasting Change
Serenity Treatment Center, Inc. offers two holistic outpatient facilities dedicated to helping adult men and women overcome alcohol and substance use disorders. Our approach blends innovative and traditional therapies to provide the Frederick and Washington County communities a personalized, flexible, and effective recovery program.
Our Mission: At Serenity Treatment Center, Inc., our mission is to support individuals and families in their journey to overcome alcohol and substance use disorders. We strive to empower them to achieve sobriety and lead healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives. Through our commitment to clinical excellence and cost-effective programs, we aim to make treatment accessible to all who seek a new and healthy way of life.
Years Of Service
What Sets Us Apart
What distinguishes Serenity is our commitment to providing a small, client-centered, and high-quality clinical environment. We prioritize confidentiality, community, and safety, creating an intimate and friendly space where the journey to recovery can begin.
Our facilities are designed to be clean and peaceful, allowing our clients to relax and open up. Here, they can safely explore ways to find meaning in their lives again, with personalized programs focusing on mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.
We strive to create a compassionate and non-judgmental atmosphere that fosters positive, sustainable change for our clients, their families, and the world around them.
Our Treatment Philosophy
We believe that a desire to recover and live a healthy life exists, in varying degrees, within everyone we treat at Serenity Treatment Center, Inc. The role of our staff is to help nurture that desire by cultivating an emotionally safe environment for discovery and growth. Within a container of safety and connection, our clients can learn about their illness and explore how they want to establish an enjoyable, fulfilling, substance-free life.
In addition to delivering quality services, we promote our mission through leadership in the behavioral health field. Our skilled and trained clinical team stays current with various treatment modalities and evidence-based practices shown to foster recovery. We continue to develop programs that meet higher standards of care and create the best outcome for our clients, with services tailored to the needs and choices of each unique person in our care.
Meet Our Leadership Team
Serenity’s leadership team brings together extensive knowledge, lived experience, and a shared commitment to supporting your journey toward recovery. Get to know the people guiding our mission and ensuring the highest standards of treatment and support.
Christine Marquardt
Founder & CEO
Christine Marquardt, RN, BSN
Christine’s gratifying and extensive career has been marked by a deep commitment to holistic wellness and compassionate care. As the owner of Serenity Treatment Center and a Registered Nurse, she has amassed a wealth of experiences in a range of medical settings. From her tenure as a staff nurse, educator, preceptor, project manager, to her role as a case manager for medically complex patients in multiple area hospitals, Christine has honed a wide variety of leadership and technical skills and nurtured her passion for helping others.
Driven by her desire to promote wellness, Christine seamlessly integrates her clinical expertise as she develops and oversees programs at Serenity Treatment Center. She ensures that each individual receives dignified, personalized care to support their journey towards a fulfilling life.
Her dedication extends to the implementation of specialized services such as Vivitrol therapy and Bridge administration, enriching the treatment experience for clients. In addition, her facilitation of several successful State and CARF surveys for Serenity’s Frederick and Hagerstown locations underscores her commitment to excellence in recovery treatment.
A longtime resident of Frederick County, Christine actively engages in community events aimed at raising awareness about substance use disorders and mental health. Currently pursuing a master’s degree in nursing, she is working toward becoming a licensed PMH NP, which will enable her to provide comprehensive care to individuals facing co-occurring disorders.
Outside of her professional pursuits, Christine finds joy in spending time with her family, friends, and beloved dogs, Maisie and Milo.
Sean Nicholson
After battling addiction for much of his life, Sean found his path to recovery in 2015. Since then, he has committed himself to serving and uplifting the recovery community.
Drawing from his prior experiences with non-profit organizations in Frederick and its surrounding areas, Sean began his service by spearheading a strategic partnership with Frederick County Public Schools. Together, they aimed to raise awareness and educate middle and high school students about addiction and recovery. He played a pivotal role in founding The Phoenix Foundation of Md, where he currently serves on the board of directors. This non-profit organization birthed The Phoenix Recovery Academy, Maryland’s only recovery high school. Sean also lent his expertise to the Frederick County Homeless Coalition as a member of its board of directors.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Sean received the 2018 All Star Do-Gooder award and was honored with the Paul Harris Fellow Award by the Rotary of Caroll Creek of Frederick in 2019. That same year marked the release of Heroin’s Grip, a documentary on the opioid crisis in Frederick County Sean executive produced to amplify awareness and inspire action.
Also in 2019, Sean began a four-year term co-chairing the Frederick County Overdose Awareness Vigil in collaboration with the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office. He continues to champion the cause of overdose awareness, assisting Frederick County Goes Purple in taking over the vigil in 2023.
Currently, Sean serves as the Co-Founder and Housing Director of Solid Ground Recovery, an organization providing structured Recovery Residences for over 180 individuals in early recovery. His dedication to fostering supportive environments extends to his role as the Co-Owner and Executive Director of Serenity Treatment Center, Inc.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Sean actively engages with local high school students through Montgomery County’s State’s Attorney’s Office “Speak up, Save a Life” program. He collaborates with community leaders at the county and state levels to enhance access to substance use and mental health services.
Despite his many commitments, Sean remains grounded in his role as husband to his beautiful wife Jessica and father to their two children. His life is a testament to his belief that recovery is possible and that people can transform their lives for the better.
Sean Nicholson
Executive Director
Accredited by CARF
Serenity Treatment Center, Inc. has been awarded the highest level of accreditation by CARF International for Intensive Outpatient Treatment: Alcohol and Other Drugs/ Addictions (Adults) and Outpatient Treatment: Alcohol and Other Drugs/Addictions (Adults).
CARF accreditation is a public seal of trust and commitment to quality based on internationally accepted standards. Achieving this accreditation demonstrates Serenity Treatment Center’s commitment to exceptional, personalized care. An organization receiving the highest level of CARF accreditation has undergone a detailed peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors, during an on-site visit, its commitment to providing programs and services of the highest quality. For more information on CARF, visit www.carf.org.