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THE APPROACH 

Substance use can strain trust, communication, and emotional bonds within a family, often leading to feelings of hurt, resentment, and confusion. 

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The Family Needs Help
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APPROACH WITH EMPATHY

By learning about addiction and its effects, families can better understand the challenges faced by their loved ones and approach situations with empathy and compassion.

Effect Strategies In Families

Effective family support in recovery requires a healthy empathy, open and productive communication, and a deep commitment to fostering a healthy environment.

  1. Educate Yourself About Addiction and Recovery: Understanding the nature of addiction and the recovery process is crucial for offering meaningful support. Learning about triggers, relapse prevention, and the emotional challenges your loved one may face can help you respond with compassion and patience. Many organizations offer workshops or resources tailored for families of individuals in recovery.

  2. Practice Active Listening and Open Communication: Creating a safe space for honest conversations allows your loved one to feel heard and understood. Practice active listening by focusing on what they are saying without judgment or interruption. Encourage open dialogue about their feelings, challenges, and successes, showing that you are there to support without pressure.

  3. Set Healthy Boundaries: While supporting a loved one, it’s important to establish clear boundaries that protect the well-being of all family members. Boundaries help maintain a balance between providing care and fostering personal accountability in recovery. Communicating these boundaries respectfully can prevent enabling behaviors while still offering support.

  4. Encourage and Celebrate Progress: Recovery is a journey with ups and downs, and recognizing even small milestones can motivate and uplift your loved one. Expressing encouragement and celebrating achievements together fosters a sense of pride and reinforces their commitment to recovery.

  5. Seek Family Therapy or Support Groups: Professional guidance through family therapy or participation in support groups can help navigate the complexities of recovery. These settings provide tools for conflict resolution, emotional support, and shared experiences with others facing similar challenges. Groups like Al-Anon and Nar-Anon are specifically designed for families impacted by addiction.

  6. Take Care of Yourself: Supporting someone in recovery can be emotionally demanding, so it’s essential to prioritize your own well-being. Practice self-care, seek personal counseling if needed, and surround yourself with a supportive network. When you take care of yourself, you’re better equipped to support your loved one effectively.

These strategies can strengthen the bonds within a family and create a foundation of trust and mutual support, paving the way for a successful recovery journey

What common mistakes should families avoid in recovery support?

Participating in counseling sessions, family therapy, or support groups creates a safe space for open dialogue.

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Families supporting a loved one in recovery often face challenges, and avoiding common pitfalls can make a significant difference in the journey. Here are key mistakes to steer clear of:

  1. Over-Enabling Behaviors: While it's natural to want to help, over-enabling can undermine recovery by shielding a loved one from the consequences and positive reinforcing of their own responsible actions. Providing excessive financial or emotional support without encouraging accountability can hinder progress. Instead, balance support with healthy boundaries. Better for them to make their mistakes in a supported environment rather than ten years from now when you are exhausted and have exhausted your resources. 

  2. Neglecting Personal Well-Being: Families sometimes focus solely on their loved one's recovery while neglecting their own physical and emotional health. This can lead to burnout, resentment, and difficulties in providing effective support. Prioritize self-care and seek resources like therapy or support groups to maintain your well-being.

  3. Imposing Unrealistic Expectations: Recovery is a complex and non-linear process, and expecting immediate results can lead to frustration or disappointment. Avoid pressuring your loved one to "get better" quickly. Instead, celebrate small milestones and recognize that growth takes time. "Inch by Inch" is the measure in addiction recovery.

  4. Ignoring or Avoiding Communication: Breakdown in communication is a common issue in recovery support. Families may avoid discussing sensitive topics or fail to actively listen, creating misunderstandings or tension. Engage in open, honest dialogue, and practice active listening to strengthen relationships.

  5. Blaming or Shaming: Expressing blame or shame about past behaviors can be counterproductive and damaging to a loved one's self-esteem. Focus on encouraging positive steps forward and creating an environment of acceptance and understanding.

  6. Failing to Seek Professional Help: Recovery impacts the entire family, and professional guidance can be crucial. Ignoring the value of counseling, family therapy, or support groups leaves families without the tools they need to navigate challenges effectively.

By being mindful of these mistakes and actively working to avoid them, families can foster a supportive and empowering environment that nurtures recovery and healing for everyone involved. It's about growing together and building a foundation of resilience, trust, and hope.

RED OAK

RED OAK

SILVERHILL

SILVERHILL

LAKEVIEW

LAKEVIEW

TURNBRIDGE

TURNBRIDGE

ALL POINTS NORTH

ALL POINTS NORTH

ALINA LODGE

ALINA LODGE

CENTER FOR MOTIVATION AND CHANGE

CENTER FOR MOTIVATION AND CHANGE

FUTURES

FUTURES

PARAMOUNT

PARAMOUNT

AVENUES

AVENUES

SABINO

SABINO

CIRQUE LODGE

CIRQUE LODGE

CARON

CARON

HIGHWATCH

HIGHWATCH

MOUNTAINSIDE

MOUNTAINSIDE

THE RIDGE

THE RIDGE

WELLBRIDGE

WELLBRIDGE

On the beautiful Connecticut shore, we own and operate two gender-specific homes: a men's and a women's house in the towns of Clinton and Madison. In safe and comfortable sober houses, each offers a community where we get well and find purpose.

​1. Assess each potential resident’s needs and determine whether the level of support available within the residence is appropriate. Provide assistance to the resident for referral in or outside of the residence.

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2. Value diversity and non-discrimination.

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3. Provide a safe, homelike environment that meets NARR Standards.

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4. Maintain an alcohol- and illicit-drug-free environment.

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5. Honor your right to choose your recovery paths within the parameters defined by the residence organization.

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6. Protect your privacy and personal rights.

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7. Provide consistent and uniformly applied rules.

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8. Provide for the health, safety and welfare of each resident.

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9. Address each resident fairly in all situations.

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10. Encourage you to sustain relationships with professionals, recovery support service providers and allies.

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11. Take appropriate action to stop intimidation, bullying, sexual harassment and/or otherwise threatening behavior of residents, staff and visitors within the residence.

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12. Take appropriate action to stop retribution, intimidation, or any negative consequences that could occur as the result of a grievance or complaint.

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13. Provide consistent, fair practices for drug testing that promote your recovery and the health and safety of the recovery environment and protect the privacy of resident information to the extent allowed by law.

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14. Provide an environment in which each resident’s recovery needs are the primary factors in all decision making.

 

15. Promote the residence with marketing or advertising that is supported by accurate, open and honest claims.

 

16. Decline taking an active role in the recovery plans of relatives, close friends, and/or business acquaintances who may apply to live in the recovery residence.

 

17. Sustain transparency in operational and financial decisions.

 

18. Maintain clear personal and professional boundaries.

 

19. Operate within the residence’s scope of service and within professional training and credentials.

 

20. Maintain an environment that promotes the peace and safety of the surrounding neighborhood and the community at large.

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MY HAPPY SELF 

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