New Family and Friends Program Begins at CforR
Substance use disorders destroy relationships. The family and friends who witness their loved one’s disease deal with pain, confusion, and a whole host of other emotions. When I found out my son was using crack cocaine in his early 30s, I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to. I found a 12-Step program and began attending, and I also sought out information and resources to help deal with the many challenges that arise when supporting a family member with substance use. My journey to healing has taken time and support, and I am very excited to lead the Family and Friends Recovery meeting at Communities for Recovery and share my experience with other people.
Communities for Recovery’s new Family and Friends Recovery meeting is a place for the people who love people with substance use disorders to come and get support and information. We are aiming to create a relaxed atmosphere for people to come and share their knowledge and experience about what it’s like to love someone who is struggling with substance use. We use materials from organizations like the National Institutes of Health, the Council of Southeast Pennsylvania and others to guide our conversations and better understand substance use.
We are also offering peer coaching for family members, friends, and other allies of people with substance use and co-occurring mental health diagnoses. The program is facilitated by a trained peer — or person with lived experience — and serves to create an open dialogue in a structured support group. Anyone who considers themselves a family member, friend or ally of someone experiencing substance use and/or co-occurring mental health conditions and is over the age of 18 can attend meetings on Tuesday nights from 7 pm to 8 pm. If you have any questions, please get in touch with me — Linda Ramsey, Family Recovery Coordinator at lramsey@cforr.org.