my family member has a problem
Making the Seemingly Impossible Possible
If a loved one is struggling with addiction, then you have come to the right place.
This website and our book, Addiction Therapy and Treatment: A Systems Approach, offer information and tools for dealing with addiction. Family members can learn about addiction and how to work with a skilled addiction-trained family therapist. You can get help to relieve your own suffering and learn how best to interact with your addicted loved one. It’s possible.
It’s Not Fun to Hear, But You’re Part of the Problem
The “addictive/codependent family system” is a common phrase among family therapists. Addiction and codependency go hand in glove, and it is often just as difficult for the family members to see the role they play in enabling the addiction as it is for the addict to come out of their denial and admit they can’t control their addiction.
“Enablers” play an important role in addiction, but very little treatment is offered to family members in traditional rehab facilities. Most rehabs primarily focus on the addict and give much less attention to perhaps the most important aspect of long-term success—the family system that either enables and perpetuates this disease or that, with help, can interrupt its course.
The Family System in Addiction and Recovery
Family Recovery Therapy is different. We address the family system: the addict, those who enable the addict, and those impacted by the resulting family dysfunction. Most importantly, the process is overseen, and a licensed mental health professional, the Family Recovery therapist, treats the family members from Day ne to the end of the first year of continuous sobriety.
Treatment starts with the initial phone call, typically from a concerned family member, and the process unfolds slowly through a series of virtual meetings by telehealth (secure, online therapy) or in your local therapist's office.
Congratulations. You’ve Already Started.
Simply by reading and absorbing the information on this website and viewing the videos here, and later perhaps, by reading our book, Addiction Therapy and Treatment: A Systems Approach, you may begin the process of your own recovery, which can impact your loved one’s path forward. Seriously, this journey starts with a single step you may have already taken.
If you are concerned about addiction in your family, you can get help here. Look at our website, view the short videos, and look at our book that outlines Family Recovery Therapy, the treatment I have used successfully for over 25 years to help families with an addicted loved one recover and thrive. It’s a handbook for family members and therapists working with families. This approach can provide a path forward for you and your loved ones.