Discussion Blog
Latest Discussion Blog Post
Families on the Front Line: Sudden Funding Cuts Threaten Progress Against Opioid Crisis
Allies in Recovery has a stunning 21-year record supporting families. That progress is now at risk.
Discussion Blog Posts
It Feels Like Nothing Works With Him
If we focus on what’s ours to control, change is possible all the same. CRAFT skills can help you get there. Elaine’s son is back in the hospital, in a routine that’s become all too familiar to his parents. They’ve tried to help in many ways, but the health crises and the drug use that leads to them don’t seem to be changing, and Elaine’s begun to doubt they ever will. Laurie MacDougall gently challenges this idea. While a Loved One’s life isn’t ours to change, our own words, feelings, and behavior are. Allies in Recovery is committed to helping us learn to take control of these, and thereby give our Loved Ones the most effective support we can.
Do I Want to Have Children With Him?
There’s nothing simple about such a question. But here are some pointers in the search for answers. Whits wants children and loves her partner. But is she prepared to raise children with someone who’s progress with his SUD is uncertain? No one, of course, can answer that for her. But if there is a way forward together, it will require compassionate communication, as well as boundaries and self-care. That’s where the CRAFT approach can be so powerfully helpful.
I Think I’m Ready to Ask Him to Leave – Even Though I’ve Been Doing CRAFT
An active Allies in Recovery member wrote in to our “Pose a Question” blog with an update about her partner who continues to use substances and to be emotionally volatile, despite having previously done a 30-day recovery program. While she says that participating in our Wednesday night support group with Kayla, along with other CRAFT resources on our site, has been “a huge help” with her own well-being, she still isn’t having success in engaging her loved one into treatment again. She asks: Has the time come to ask him to leave?
Resisting Treatment? He’s Not a Rare Case
Substance Abuse Disorder typically occurs in stages — and readiness to seek treatment is not the first of these. Fortunately, CRAFT was designed with such Loved Ones in mind. In the case of Artprodigy’s son, that readiness has yet to arrive. The good news is that we can learn to spot and encourage the motivation our Loved Ones need to embrace treatment and recovery. The CRAFT skills we teach at Allies are the foundation for this approach.
Will This Family Use CRAFT When Their Son Gets Out of Detox?
An Allies in Recovery member wrote in to our “Pose a Question” blog seeking guidance for handling her loved one’s upcoming release from detox. She’d like to help his parents implement CRAFT, but they aren’t in agreement about the approach. Can they come up with a neutral plan that everyone agrees on?
Home or Recovery House? It’s Not an Easy Call
An Allies in Recovery member is fortunate to have a loved one she feels perfectly safe with, but the stress of living with him post-rehab still feels overwhelming. What’s the best housing choice for their situation? Both living at home and living in a recovery house come with their own unique challenges. Either way, the best chance for success is to be as informed as possible.
He’s Relapsed After Three Sober Months, and We’re Worried
Despite the setbacks, there’s good signs aplenty for this member’s Loved One. When our Loved Ones’ solid progress gets interrupted by a lapse, it’s easy to feel crushed and discouraged. But we can’t let those feelings make us forget what’s going well.
The Discussion Blog on the Allies Website: Excerpts From One Member’s Journey
An important component of any member’s successful journey on the Allies website is participation in the expertly-moderated Discussion Blog. There, CRAFT/AIR trained staff interact with members by answering questions in both regular replies and in full, expert blog response posts offering guidance that any member can access. Members see other members sharing questions, frustrations, and successes similar to theirs, and also they often see how the Learning Modules are effectively used as referenced by our team experts and by members. We also offer dozens of supplementary podcasts by members of our Allied Team, discussing real situations with Loved Ones and using the CRAFT approach.
A Message from Founder, Dominique Simon-Levine
Founder & CEO, Dominique Simon-Levine, offers an update about the Allies in Recovery program, including new offerings and activities. Thank you all for being so patient as we navigated through the many hassles and challenges associated with developing and building our new website. We are so very grateful for YOU! (Pictured Left to Right: Nicole Castillo, Andrew Maxwell, Deborah Rodriguez, Sandra Munier)
Am I Making Any Difference in My Daughter’s Life?
When we maintain a loving connection, we’re often doing more than we think. Allies in Recovery Member Adrexpert’s daughter achieved astonishing things during ten years of abstinence, but now she’s using again and could lose it all. Her mother is employing CRAFT techniques to keep a positive, loving link with her daughter.
Trusting Again is Tough. I’m Learning to Accept That.
How do we learn to trust again? A member’s long journey with her partner, and tips on sorting through our feelings about trust. She has spent thirty years living with her partner’s struggle with alcohol and is reaching a new kind of acceptance of her own feelings – that’s real progress!