Coming Up for Air — A Toolkit to Help with Your Loved One's Recovery from Addiction & Mental Illness

In today's Coming Up for Air episode, Annie and Laurie discuss the effects of broken trust. They look at the big picture of addiction entering the home of a family who did "all the right things," to family and friends damaging our trust, and how Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and deception often go hand in hand. They ponder who to trust, what to trust, how to trust again and how to look at the enormous topic of Trust when it comes to recovering from the trauma of addiction in a family. Tune in to this week's episode for encouraging information!Join the Allies in Recovery member site today for full, unlimited access to our e-learning platform, expert guidance, and the chance to connect with others in your situation. Learn more here. http://alliesinrecovery.net/#_benefits

Regardless the holidays or traditions you observe, this time of year can be trying, triggering and even traumatic. In this special holiday podcast, Laurie MacDougall and Annie Highwater take apart the often looming, overwhelming effect of "the Holidays" - from how our own expectations affect reality, what role nostalgia plays, how honest we are about those in our entourage who are struggling with SUD, and the heavy duty emotions that often come up for many of us during this time, this conversation will allow you to look at the holiday season from a different angle. A membership at Allies in Recovery brings you into contact with experts in the fields of recovery and treatment for drug and alcohol issues. Our learning platform introduces you to CRAFT and guides you through the best techniques for unblocking the situation. Together we will move your loved one towards recovery. Learn more here. http://alliesinrecovery.net/#_benefits

Anger is a natural part of the human experience. It is seen as a healthy response when a person has been victimized, for instance. Wrath, on the other hand, can be seen as the destructive state of being when a person takes anger too far, and is characterized by the desire for vengeance, the need to punish, and losing one's natural ability to tell right from wrong. In this episode, Annie and Laurie explore these two emotional states, the connections to a life affected by SUD, and ways to protect ourselves and our entourage from harmful behavior.Join our Member Site today to take full advantage of Allies in Recovery’s program, including 8 video modules, two blogs, and dialogue with experts in the field of treatment and recovery. Learn more here: http://alliesinrecovery.net/#benefits

This episode focuses on lying. It is well known that SUD often ushers in lies and more lies. Annie Highwater and Laurie MacDougall explore the phenomenon of lying, digging back into their own childhoods and trying to identify the roots of lying in adulthood. They look at how we, as the entourage of someone with SUD, can approach the fact of being lied to. We may not be able to prevent someone from lying, but we can learn how not to be thrown off or trapped in the net. Finally, they address the reality that many families are tempted to create their own web of lies in order to protect their Loved One struggling with addiction. Listen in!A membership at Allies in Recovery brings you into contact with experts in the fields of recovery and treatment for drug and alcohol issues. Our learning platform introduces you to CRAFT and guides you through the best techniques for unblocking the situation. Together we will move your loved one towards recovery. Learn more here. Visit alliesinrecovery.net/ for more information, to sign up for Module 1 for free, or to join today!

In this episode, Annie and Laurie offer eye-opening tips for families who are affected by addiction—whether in the discovery phase, your loved one's already in treatment, or in recovery. Heads-Up tips include what to look for if you suspect your Loved One is struggling with a substance, to what to expect from those first calls home when they're in a treatment facility. Laurie and Annie discuss things they have learned along the way, as well as what they wish they’d known or been made aware of beforehand. Much helpful insight for those who are new or unsure of the dynamics they may encounter! Allies in Recovery offers affordable memberships to our exclusive member-only website. On our site, you will learn the CRAFT method which is an alternative to the conventional "intervention" so often seen on TV, and which simply fails to motivate our addicted loved ones, most of the time. Visit alliesinrecovery.net/ for more information, to sign up for Module 1 for free, or to join today!

IIn today's episode, Annie and Laurie speak with Chief Deputy Sheriff Rick Minerd, from the Columbus, Ohio area. Officer Minerd details what he sees in the field, related to addiction, crime and even issues with cartel. Without a personal recovery story of his own, he nevertheless shares a hopeful view that was spawned from listening to families who have been through the horror of addiction with a loved one. Officer Minerd runs the HOPE Task Force, which approaches families in addiction crisis, particularly in the aftermath of an overdose experience, to offer hope, compassion and resources for help versus punishment, shame or fear. Tune into this week's episode for an eye-opening conversation with an officer of the law who has seen just about everything! For unlimited access to Allies in Recovery's online learning platform featuring our 8 Video Modules, 3 blogs, podcasts and many other resources, join today. Learn more here (http://alliesinrecovery.net/) or sign up for our free gift offer and get a sample of our eLearning program for families here: http://alliesinrecovery.net/free-gift-offer/

What exactly IS victim mentality? Do you have it, do I? What is the definition of a victim? On this week's Coming Up for Air podcast, Laurie and Annie compare experiences of family and friendship that involved injury, disappointment and opportunities to stay down on the low road and wallow. Those along with experiences with a Loved One's struggle with SUD that are not personal, planned out attacks can tempt a person to feel defeated and suffer longer than we have to. One might get thrown under the bus, but we don't have to lay under it forever. We hope you will enjoy to this week's podcast conversation!Allies in Recovery is an online learning platform and community for families wanting to address the addiction of a loved one. Built on the foundation of a scientifically-validated program (CRAFT), Allies in Recovery is rooted in the firm belief that families can become effective, compassionate allies and guide their loved one towards recovery. To learn more or sign up for our free gift offer, visit: http://alliesinrecovery.net/free-gift-offer/

Laurie and Annie welcome Richard Jones: counselor, therapist, coach and founder of Recovery Cartel to Coming up for Air. Richard is in long term recovery himself and has an experienced, compassionate and innovative approach to helping guide families who are affected by an addicted Loved One. He throws terms like "tough love" and "enabling" out the window and sets family members at ease—particularly distressed parents—to get involved, talking, and on the same page when it comes to helping the one they are so worried about find their way out of the depths of addiction. Tune in to this week's episode to learn his take on this compassionate, whole-family style of therapy, coaching and treatment!A membership at Allies in Recovery brings you into contact with experts in the fields of recovery and treatment for drug and alcohol issues. Our learning platform introduces you to CRAFT and guides you through the best techniques for unblocking the situation. Together we will move your loved one towards recovery. Learn about membership and our free gift offer here: http://alliesinrecovery.net/free-gift-offer/

Has anyone ever said to you, “There is nothing you can do or say that will change things"? Did it make you feel hopeless? powerless? We may be powerless over the disease but we can influence our Loved Ones. This has been studied and proven with CRAFT. Have you ever noticed it's often the same people who warn against enabling and yet try to convince you you're powerless? Isn't this a bit contradictory? In this episode, Annie & Laurie discuss the role of parents-spouses-friends——the most loving and caring people in the Loved One’s life, and the most likely to champion their success in recovery and treatment.Join the Allies in Recovery member site today for full, unlimited access to our e-learning platform, expert guidance, and the chance to connect with others in your situation. Learn about membership and our free gift offer here: http://alliesinrecovery.net/free-gift-offer/

Today Pam Rickard is absolutely passionate about what she does - helping people with addiction and mental health for the Herren Project. She gives thanks for the judge who sentenced her to several months in jail for too many DUI's - this ended up being the beginning of her recovery. Rickard speaks about her life as a high-functioning alcholic who ran 7 marathons while still in active addiction.This interview with Laurie & Annie is both entertaining (Pam has a great sense of humor and ability to smile at herself) while also being extremely inspiring. A must hear!A membership at Allies in Recovery brings you into contact with experts in the fields of recovery and treatment for drug and alcohol issues. Our learning platform introduces you to CRAFT and guides you through the best techniques for unblocking the situation. Together we will move your loved one towards recovery. Learn more here. http://alliesinrecovery.net/free-gift-offer/