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

In this week's episode Annie and Laurie discuss what it means to be authentic, yet "fake it" until the feelings come organically -- regarding getting better, feeling positive, being friendly and making wise choices in difficult situations when everything in us wants to do something different (act out). Annie poses the question "Is it fake to have manners around someone who has treated you terribly?" Laurie gives scientific proof that we can actually elevate our moods and outlook by smiling, keeping a record of what we are grateful for and starting the day with a positive mind. Both agree being real is as necessary as "winging it" can sometimes be, to get better at handling very difficult situations, tune in for this very relatable episode!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/

Annie and Laurie deep dive into issues and dynamics of being a "codependent" parent, discussing how this happens in early years of parenting when we feel responsible for our child's behavior, grades etc.  ...and how that builds toward issues that arise when addiction or SUD enter a family. Both share instances of being in denial when signs were there, versus going on instinct and searching for truths we know the signs are pointing to. Lots to ponder in this week's conversation!

Mike Duggan from the State Without Stigma campaign and Wicked Sober, tells his personal story of addiction and speaks about his work and his passion. Mike is in long-term recovery himself and opens up about his own story. He expresses great hope for recovery and treatment for those who are ready to check out of the miserable life of addiction and into treatment. Tune in to this week's episode for a great insider view of what it's like in the depths of dependency, as well as the mindset of those who are prepared to find freedom and recovery from it! 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!

In this week's episode, Annie and Laurie recall times they have experienced "hit-the-ceiling" stress and crisis resulting from issues that surge out of a family member's addiction. Some of these crises were even life and death situations. Both reveal how they pulled themselves down in the moment, who helped, what helped, and what didn't help - including the "10 types of distorted thinking" that can arise in the midst of madness. Both have learned how to quickly come to a place of peace and to make smart decisions. Lots of information in this week's podcast for those times of Level 10 of stress, conflict and crisis! Allies in Recovery has made these podcasts available to the public in the hopes that you will relate to the experiences described by Laurie and Annie, that you will learn from them and be reminded that you are not alone. http://alliesinrecovery.net/ is the online home for families dealing with a loved one's addiction. We teach the CRAFT method of intervention, based on communication techniques, self-awareness and bridge-building with your addicted loved one.

In this week's show, Laurie and Annie respond to a Listener's message about life after SUD. When your Loved One goes off to treatment and recovery, life changes for everyone. The dynamics of an empty nest and absence of activity can have unexpected effects. Allowing ourselves time to process the changes and pursue new interests takes time, practice and sometimes therapy! For the full member package (eLearning for the family, specialized blogs, private journal, treatment resources...) join Allies in Recovery today! Learn more at http://alliesinrecovery.net/

We all need tools for repairing, tweaking or rebuilding. In this episode Laurie and Annie discuss power tools for trying times, tools for moments of crisis and chaos and tools for triumphant, peaceful lives. Having a toolbox is important for "calming down our crazy" and finding gratitude in the good that comes from lives changed by the turmoil of SUD and difficult times in general. 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 http://alliesinrecovery.net/ for more information, to sign up for Module 1 for free, or to join today!

In this episode of Coming Up for Air, Annie and Laurie cover the topic of grief and disappointment and elaborate on finding a new normal. Laurie covers the 5 stages of grief and introduces the concept of grieving someone still living. Both moms give examples of how they are making peace with how life was, versus what it has become after loss, change and having a Loved One struggles with SUD. 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!

We've all heard of enabling use, but what about enabling non-use? In this week's podcast, Laurie and Annie discuss the positive power we have to influence our loved ones suffering from SUD, by enabling moments of non-use. Annie introduces 6 real life scenarios submitted from family members with examples of current family crisis or issues. Laurie gives the suggested CRAFT response to each. Modifying the behavior around a struggling loved one begins the process of moving the family forward. Listen in to hear real life situations you might relate to, with helpful ways to approach and respond! For the full member package (eLearning for the family, specialized blogs, private journal, treatment resources...) join Allies in Recovery today! Learn more at http://alliesinrecovery.net/

This week on Coming Up for Air, Laurie and Annie welcome Lee Weber of the Addiction Blog. With a readership of 2.5 million per month, contributors from all over the world with expert knowledge of addiction, alcoholism, SUD and recovery (including our own Dominique Simon-Levine, Founder of Allies in Recovery), Lee's work is affecting the lives of many. She brilliantly delivers her personal story, along with her years of knowledge and research for our audience in this episode packed full of hope, information and encouragement. We hope you will get as much out of it as we did! Allies in Recovery has made these podcasts available to the public in the hopes that you will relate to the experiences described by Laurie and Annie, that you will learn from them and be reminded that you are not alone. http://alliesinrecovery.net/ is the online home for families dealing with a loved one's addiction. We teach the CRAFT method of intervention, based on communication techniques, self-awareness and bridge-building with your addicted loved one.

This week's episode of Coming up for Air may have had some technical difficulty, but Laurie and Annie powered through it to welcome their guest The Alicia Cook! Alicia Cook is an established writer and award-winning activist from New Jersey. Her work has appeared on the Huffington Post, CNN, USA Today, Teen Vogue, and many more. She gained international attention with the publication of her essay “The Other Side of Addiction“, which explores how the family is affected by addiction. Cook is extremely active in her efforts to combat the heroin epidemic, including writing, podcast appearances, and speaking to students and their parents. PBS Executive Producer, Steve Rogers, created an episode of his Emmy-nominated documentary series, “Here’s the Story” around Cook and her efforts entitled “A Family Disease.” The episode was dedicated to Cook’s cousin, Jessica, who passed away from a drug overdose in 2006. The episode was officially selected in the New Jersey Recovery Film Festival in 2017. Become a member of Allies in Recovery today and learn a proven method for how to unblock the situation and guide your addicted loved one towards treatment: http://alliesinrecovery.net/