They say that it takes a village to raise a child. In recovery, it takes a community to help a person overcome addiction from substance abuse, and that’s why family counseling is a vital part of helping your loved one experience full recovery. When one person suffers, every member of the family suffers as well; here at New Method Wellness, our addiction therapists counsel family members who may be experiencing feelings of anxiety, embarrassment, concern, shame and guilt that result when the loved one isolates himself while he’s using. The purpose of this group counseling session is to shed light for those who don’t understand substance abuse recovery and to provide a safe context in which family members and significant others can receive emotional support.
Benefits of Family Education Counseling
First and foremost, Family Education Group is not Family Therapy, meaning that it does not dive into individual familial dynamics. It is simply a group counseling session that educates families and significant others about the dynamics of substance abuse and recovery, which provides an opportunity for everyone to work together for one common goal: to play an important role in the loved one’s recovery. Family counseling accomplishes the following:
- Alters family’s behavioral responses to a person with a substance use disorder (i.e., saving him from the consequences of his addiction)
- Educates the family regarding expectations during various stages of a loved one’s recovery
- Mobilizes the family unit to assist the recovering loved one in navigating through obstacles
- Restructures roles and reestablishes boundaries between the client and family members
- Restores unity among nuclear and extended family members
Before Addiction Treatment Begins
Each family dynamic is unique. Whether you have a spouse who’s struggling with drug and alcohol issues or a parent who is in denial, our addiction therapists at New Method Wellness will help you overcome communication barriers to prepare you and your family members for the first step in the intervention: to motivate your loved one to enter treatment. Our counselors will be present with you as you take this bold step, and they will serve as mediators to assuage any volatile situation that might arise.
During the Substance Abuse Treatment Program
Substance abuse treatment is recommended when the counselor determines that the client needs to be removed from a toxic environment where alcohol and/or drugs, abuse or other triggers will present an obstacle to the client’s recovery. Nonetheless, throughout the course of treatment, the client will stay in frequent contact with his family members as they work with our board-certified substance abuse counselors on recognizing attitudes and behavior that may affect their loved one’s recovery.
When a client is receiving treatment in an outpatient facility, family members learn how their well-meaning intentions may, in fact, enable their loved one to continue with unhealthy behaviors. Under professional guidance, family members can take a step back and assess their own range of emotions more objectively. Family education counseling diminishes or eliminates existing/potential co-dependent relationships between the client and his family.
After Treatment, New Method Wellness Continues to Support You
The role of family group therapy in sustaining long-term recovery is extremely important. New Method Wellness’s counselors will equip you with the tools and knowledge you’ll need to help your loved ones break down the barriers to recovery, such as unemployment, financial debt, and criminal records. In our Extended Aftercare program, we continue to work with the entire family to help support and motivate the individual to stay on course with treatment plans and goals. As our addiction therapists collaborate with family members, relapse prevention is optimized in a healthy emotional and mental environment.