Family Recovery
“Families, friends, and partners of addicts sometimes have only one reasonable decision in front of them: either choose to be with the addict as he or she is or to choose not to be with them.”
- Gabor Mate from his book "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts"
One family member’s substance use or process addiction often becomes an opportunity for the whole family to heal. Rather than put all the pressure on the person addicted that they have to heal and get better, we emphasize the healing of the whole family. Every family is unique, but all families share a bond that can be used to support one another during trying times.
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for helping a family member who is drinking too much, using drugs, or dealing with a mental illness, research shows that family support can play a major role in helping a loved one with mental and substance use disorders.
When a family member is experiencing a mental or substance use disorder, it can affect more than just the person in need of recovery. Families and friends need the options of support groups and family therapy or counseling, which can improve treatment effectiveness by supporting the whole family. Being able to offer support, family members can connect those in need with treatment, resources, and services to begin and stay on their renunciation journey.
The current working definition of recovery defines recovery as a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. It is a whole-person definition which focuses on the well-being of all.
Hope, is the belief that these challenges and conditions can be overcome, and is the foundation of recovery. A person’s recovery is built on their strengths, talents, coping abilities, resources, and inherent values. It is holistic, addresses the whole person and their community, and is supported by family members, peers in recovery, friends, our communities and allies.