Our Allies member has mixed feelings about the klonopin her son is taking. His psychiatrist however is not concerned as long as it’s being taken as prescribed. Dominique Simon-Levine delivers a helpful and considered perspective while sharing deeply of her own experience.
She’s thankful her loved one is no longer using, but his finances are a mess. Should she allow natural consequences for his past use even if it means losing his job or should she support his current efforts toward sobriety and pay his job rent?
Guest blogger, Laurie MacDougall responds to a member explaining what she and her husband did when they let their son move back home to work on his recovery. They created a structure of boundaries that he had to abide by in order to live in their home.
In this follow-up to her post on incentives, bribes and reinforcing, Laurie MacDougall shares her “One and Done” approach. Read on for a practical and strategic approach to use with your loved one, and look out for her “Buyer Beware” caveat!
Our member is facing a big transition. It looks like her loved one will be asked to leave the house in a few weeks. Read on about a sound approach for embracing this transition with grace and compassion.
She is facing some hard truths as she looks back on the past ten years of her husband’s addiction. He is finally sober, but he has yet to acknowledge what he put the family through. What should she expect at this point in her loved one’s recovery.
She is raising her sister-in-law’s children, and is at a loss. It seems impossbile to understand how a parent can choose drugs over their own children.
Annie Highwater shares more words of wisdom with the community. Here’s a lovely reminder for family members that 1) we have work to do! and 2) recovery is a beautiful thing.
She knows her son needs help, but he often disappears for long stretches of time right after he starts opening up to her. Read on for Dominique Simon-Levine’s insights as she lays out some important considerations for this situation.
A member wonders if her son will ever come to terms with what he’s put the family through. Read Annie Highwater’s inspiring response which offers strength and grounding we can all use during difficult times.
This family member had given up on ever getting her daugher back again. Her powerful tale of hope credits CRAFT with helping turn things around. We are so grateful for her sharing this story with the Allies community.
She’s worried her daughter may be heading towards relapse, having just returned home from rehab. It’s a real strain to have things start off this way. See how Dominique Simon-Levine uses the CRAFT method to frame an approach.
Wins can come when you’re least expecting them. Read an inspiring report of a member’s recent success using CRAFT. Positive steps like these don’t mean the problems are all gone, but they are hard-won and worth celebrating!
Her son is struggling with withdrawals from a recent relapse. As the family anticipates another job loss, and possibly more, this mom wonders how to proceed. CRAFT examines key considerations for this sensitive time.
We often find ourselves wondering how to repair the bonds that are broken when trust has been violated. In this thoughtful exploration of the topic of trust, Annie Highwater shares her insights about the repair process. You won’t want to miss the gems of wisdom shares in this post!
She has struggled through 12 years of her husband’s addiction, having single-handedly provided for their family for all of these years, and is now at a loss. All of the patience, love and compassion she used to have seem long gone, and resentment keeps mounting. CRAFT looks at where to best focus our energies when these feelings weigh us down.
Shame is a human emotion, meaning we all experience it. It has even been suggested that it is the most primitive of all emotions, dating back to our origins as humans. Shame, however, is toxic in large amounts, and many of us find ourselves stuck in that leaky boat. Understanding how shame works is the first step in preparing to conquer it.
If you have an addicted loved one in your life and are currently struggling with desperation, anger, and other difficult emotions, I would like you to take a minute to think about forgiveness. Forgiving someone, especially someone whose behavior evokes very painful emotions in you, can create a very beneficial release. (read more…)
Seven strategies that will help you communicate more effectively with a loved one.
Understanding the triggers that drive your loved one to use will make you more effective in responding to your loved one.
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