When someone we love is battling addiction, the impact on our life can be immeasurable. An approach to treating an addicted person that includes family education and support is a pathway to full family healing—a goal we can all get behind.
Utilizing evidence-based models of therapy for both the individual with substance use disorder and the people who love them can bring everyone into the world of recovery. In active addiction we often reference that all who sit at our kitchen table are impacted. Our goal in recovery is for everyone at that table to move toward a healthier place.
At times there can be resistance to this from various members of the family, which is understandable due to the pain experienced in active addiction. There is no singular path for each loved one, which challenges treatment providers to have a patient, multi-faceted approach to working with families.
The team at Ethos Treatment has committed to continued focus on the family. We believe that when the family grows and heals, the pathway to recovery for our addicted person can become clearer.
Shame can be one of the largest barriers to recovery for everyone involved. For the person battling addiction, sharing with family members what we are going through takes courage, as does building a support system. Meaningful recovery is obtained through many moments of exhibiting courage we never knew we owned.
The Ethos team encourages all involved to join us in the work of reducing the stigma and shame so often associated with addiction, one family at a time.
Be well,
Pat Brown, LCSW