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

CLASSICS REVISITED: Creating a Safe Space for Decision Making

You can help your loved one make decisions by creating a safe space -- by listening, being genuinely interested in their perspective, being non-judgmental, and allowing t

CLASSICS REVISITED: How, Why, and When to Put Yourself First

How do you take care of yourself when there's a crisis with your loved  one? It's a process of changing how you think about yourself and your  role in the dynamic. If you

CLASSICS REVISITED: Answering Listener Questions

In all our interactions with our loved one, it's important to be open  to conversation, and seek a way to be collaborative rather than making  demands. Our hosts discuss

CLASSICS REVISITED: Motivation -- What Drives Change

Motivation drives change. How do you find motivation to change your part of the dynamic, and allow time and space for the process to unfold? It's okay to sometimes feel l

CLASSICS REVISITED: What is Radical Acceptance?

Radical acceptance involves understanding that much of what happens is out of your control, and using strategies to calm, distract, and soothe yourself. The goal is to av

CLASSICS REVISITED: When Your Loved One Uses Multiple Substances

If your loved one uses multiple substances, use the "functional analysis" to understand which substance to focus on first. Start small, by changing your own behavior in r

CLASSICS REVISITED: Coming Home

After any treatment, when someone is in early recovery, check your  expectations. Your loved one is likely in a fragile state,  uncomfortable, edgy, body wrecked after de

CLASSICS REVISITED: Unsolicited Advice: Helpful or Hurtful?

It's smart to avoid giving unsolicited advice. If you receive it, hold  your ground, knowing that you're dedicated to upholding the CRAFT model.  Consider telling the adv

CLASSICS REVISITED: An Interview with Meme English

Guest Meme English, a former family therapist and consultant in the legal system, discusses family dynamics. When it comes to substance use, family dynamics are complicat

CLASSICS REVISITED: Conditional Love, Unconditional Love, and Shame: Part 2 -- The Antidote

Let's look at shame and negative thinking and discuss how to slow down, gain awareness, and soothe your system. Our hosts focus on the essential tool of empathy -- especi

CLASSICS REVISITED: When Do You Work on Use of Less-Dangerous Substances?

Dominique shares a family’s question about a loved one who’s addressed the most pressing substance use. Should the family now focus on their loved one’s cannabis use? Our

CLASSICS REVISITED: Conditional Love, Unconditional Love, and Shame: Part 1

Even when love is not conditional, there sometimes must be conditions regarding people’s behavior. Love in romantic relationships may change if you break up, but with fam

CLASSICS REVISITED: Facing Obstacles Part 2: How to Not React in Tough Moments

What do you do in those difficult moments when you feel ramped-up? Laurie and Kayla discuss strategies to back away and not go with the emotion of the moment. The suppor

CLASSICS REVISITED: Facing the Obstacles, Part 1

What are the obstacles between knowing what to do and putting that knowledge into real practice? In part 1, our hosts focus on  avoiding a "crisis" response, and slowing

CLASSICS REVISITED: Making Changes at Your Own Pace

Laurie and Kayla discuss change -- how to manage it, how quickly it can or can't happen, and how to focus your efforts. The support group that Kayla facilitates is now o

CLASSICS REVISITED: What CRAFT Can Do in 12 Weeks

An overview of the first twelve weeks of CRAFT, discussing what it can accomplish quickly, and what becomes a lifetime practice. The support group that Kayla facilitates

CLASSICS REVISITED: Setting Boundaries

So what are boundaries, really? Who are they really for, and how do you use them well? The support group that Kayla facilitates is now offered on a sliding scale. (Cost

CLASSICS REVISITED: De-escalation Strategies

How do you address conflict? The Allies' team discusses several important de-escalation techniques to use when you're faced with an emerging conflict.  The support group

CLASSICS REVISITED: CRAFT and Decision-making: A Listener Weighs In

Dominique tells the story of a dad who sees his son's truck at a saloon. Not wanting the son to drive home intoxicated, dad uses an extra key to drive the truck home, par

CLASSICS REVISITED: Treatment and Families, Pt. 2

A continued discussion of families and treatment. Part one examined how the family can affect treatment and  vice-versa. Part two looks at the overall idea: taking care o