Family Support and Education at Arbor Place
How would your life benefit if your loved one stopped drinking, or using drugs?
Have you ever felt helpless, angry, sad, or skeptical, or felt like your loved one is never going to change? Have you asked yourself why bother doing anything because things will never change? Has a loved one’s drinking or drug-using gone on so long that you’ve lost hope that things can ever get better? It’s possible this is exactly how your loved one feels about their problems as well, even if they’re not doing the best job of showing it.
When it comes to families and substance use, communication can break down very quickly. We’re left with crying, fighting, nagging, pleading, and chaos. And we know that no amount of arguments, nagging, and pleading is going to change your loved one’s behavior.
Fortunately, YOU are a positive and active force of change for your family. You know your loved one best. There’s no one who knows every little thing better. But you may not know what to do, and that’s ok. No one knows what to do in a situation like this. You haven’t gone to school to understand this disease and learn how to help. You’ve done the best job you can with the resources and information you’ve had.
This where we come in.
We can teach you the skills you need, and share the knowledge you need to improve your quality of life, regardless if your family member gets help or not, if they stop drinking/using or not. Your life will improve, and by doing that, it increases the chances that your loved one’s life and substance use will as well. You have the power to be a change agent in your family and get your family back on track.
Some of the things we will teach you, in a friendly, supportive, and easy to understand small group setting, either online or in-person are:
- Notice hidden cues that your loved one is using alcohol or other substances
- Recognize triggers that drive your loved one to use substances
- Apply positive communication strategies that are reassuring, not threatening
- Reward non-using behavior
- Think on your feet in unexpected scenarios
- Successfully encourage your loved one’s entry into a treatment and recovery program
- Learn how to take care of yourself, practice self-care, and stop doing the things that haven’t worked in the past.
“Intervention” may have been a successful reality TV show, but we have a better way. A positive, affirming, and empowering approach, rather than a confrontational one, can lead to positive change, for you, your family, and your loved one. To learn more about our Family Support & Education program, or to sign up for our virtual and in-person programs, visit us here.