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

We sometimes hitch our well-being to another person's behavior and emotional state. Strong negative emotions can get in the way of connection. When they happen, notice and respond, but don't derail with the other person. You can see your thoughts as stories -- what story are you telling yourself that produces your emotions? The idea is to turn your attention to yourself and what the emotion is doing to you. Try to slow down so you can be most effective, and work on your own sense of well-being, which will positively affect your loved one. Take time to work on your emotions separately, not dumping them on others. Ask "How do I manage and express this emotion in a productive way?" This is the beginning of stronger connection.A membership at Allies in Recovery gives you unlimited access to:  ✔ Step-by-step training in CRAFT through our online platform  ✔ Support groups and a community that understands what you're going through  ✔ A Q&A blog with expert guidance  ✔ And much more! Visit Allies in Recovery today and start creating change in your family. 

How do you make good decisions when the fear of your loved one’s death colors everything? If you’re stuck in a bad dynamic, your only option is to do things differently. CRAFT tools can help you change the dynamic over time, and help your loved one stay alive. It involves facing the fear, and implementing CRAFT on your own terms, in your own time. A membership at Allies in Recovery includes:  ✔ Step-by-step training in the CRAFT approach  ✔ Support groups and a compassionate community  ✔ A Q&A blog with personalized guidance  ✔ And more! Visit Allies in Recovery to start your new path towards healing addiction in your family.  

It can be easy to dismiss things that don't work immediately, to give up and say, "Now what?" That's usually the wrong strategy. Instead, see every day as a new one, and remember that CRAFT takes practice and time. See CRAFT methods as tools for life, for all relationships. Stepping back, listening effectively, giving people respect and power, self-care, focusing on the positive -- all of it adds up to create change over time.A membership at Allies in Recovery gives you unlimited access to:  ✔ Step-by-step CRAFT training tailored for families and partners  ✔ Support groups and a community that understands  ✔ A Q&A blog with expert guidance  ✔ And much more! Visit Allies in Recovery to learn about our membership options, read our blog posts, meet our team, and much more! 

Our hosts discuss examples of "the craft of CRAFT" and the art of changing our messaging with subtlety and compassion to communicate better with our loved ones. It's about finding thoughtful ways to express boundaries and explain your needs and requests without criticizing. And keep in mind that the conversation will continue.Join Allies in Recovery today to access expert guidance, support, and resources that help families create real change. 

Christina Dent discusses her new book, Curious: A Foster Mom's Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs and Addiction. Christina grew up in a conservative Christian home. Her views of addiction changed dramatically when she and her husband became foster parents. Christina founded the non-profit End It For Good to invite others to listen to the voices directly impacted by our drug laws. Join Allies in Recovery today to access expert guidance, support, and resources that help families create real change. Info on End it for Good: https://enditforgood.com/Christina's book: https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Discovery-Unexpected-Solution-Addiction/dp/B0CMCDV8VP

Laurie asks co-host Kayla questions about the role of a therapist in addressing substance use disorder. Kayla Solomon is a social worker in private practice in Northampton, Mass. Her specialty in addiction began right after college when she was hired as a methadone counselor in Brooklyn. She has worked in Intensive Outpatient Programs, clinics, residential and private practice. She is certified in Imago Relationship therapy, Cognitive Behavioral therapy, and Brainspotting.A membership at Allies in Recovery gives you unlimited access to:  ✔ Step-by-step training in CRAFT through our online platform  ✔ Support groups and a community that understands what you're going through  ✔ A Q&A blog with expert guidance  ✔ And much more! Visit Allies in Recovery to learn about our membership options, read our blog posts, meet our team, and much more! 

Our hosts have a conversation with Bill Carruthers, who describes himself as "a person in long-term recovery." He is also a Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner; a Certified Peer Specialist for Mental Health, Addictive Disease, and Whole Health; and a Forensic Peer Mentor. He has done hundreds of presentations and workshops, and works to bring a voice gained through recovery experience to the transformation of current systems and programs. He is a new partner with Allies in Recovery.

A listener asks about their son's marijuana use: is it a problem? With a substance that also had medicinal uses but can also create issues, more questions arise. Are there benefits? Is the person functioning and communicating well? Are they connecting with people? The answers lie in working on communication, in helping the person understand for themselves whether it's a problem.

Our hosts discuss the situation of a family whose loved one wants to do fentanyl detox at home. What's involved in detoxing? How does it work? And should they let their loved one do it this way?

If you're forced to have limited contact, it can be hard to handle the unknown. It's important to learn how to be in contact in simple ways, and to calm your system down to respond well and strengthen the connection. Use humor; find ways to connect with who they are and what they like -- reminding them of who they are becomes a bridge and connection. If you’re worried, learn how to communicate simply, without accusation or judgement.