Boundaries and Rewards: Tips on Using CRAFT

An Allies in Recovery member is encountering difficulties with removing rewards and holding boundaries. They’re asking their loved one to leave when he’s drinking, but he simply refuses! In this post, we offer a little refresher on rewards – when to use them, and what kinds – as part of the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) approach that we teach you on our website.
My Son is Using Methamphetamines Again. What are My Next Steps? And Is There Hope for His Recovery?

A Loved One has started using methamphetamine again but is getting therapy for depression. Should our member wait to see if therapy helps, if he exhibits “change talk – or can she be even more proactive? In this post we examine the particular relationship between depression, anxiety and methamphetamine. We also look at treatment options for methamphetamine users.
Upset about a Loved One’s Addiction? 4 Steps You Can Take Now

So you’re mad or hurt or feeling hopeless? To be effective at helping your addicted family member, you must first get a handle on your negative feelings and learn to take extra good care of yourself.
Should You Ask Your Addicted Loved One to Leave the House?
One of the most painful and confusing situations for a family dealing with an adult loved one’s drug or alcohol addiction is wondering if you should ask them to leave.
He’s Bullying Me for Drug Money

A mother is trying her best to maintain communication with her addicted son, but he is being verbally abusive. He is bullying to extract money from her. This has created a situation that is escalating beyond what she can handle.
How I Learned to Set Healthy and Effective Boundaries

Setting healthy boundaries and confidently following through with them is not easy and requires reflection, work and practice. But it is a strategy that provides support during the difficult times, especially when addiction is present.
I’m Trying to Set Boundaries but It’s Not Working

Why is it that setting and maintaining boundaries is so difficult to do? Nowhere does this breakdown become more apparent than when we are confronted with life’s difficulties, feeling lost in chaos and despair. This is a time when we are most in need of these self-preserving strategies and yet, our limit-setting abilities are likely at their weakest.
Whatever You Put in Front of Your Sobriety You Will Lose

There is an AA saying, one that I think also applies to families navigating the addiction of a loved one. Simply put, getting and staying sober must come first. Yet, for families, there is so much else going on.