When your child struggles with substance misuse, anger and resentment can seep into every corner of your life. As one parent described it, the emotional turmoil creates a war inside you between trying to present yourself as if everything is fine while struggling with chaos at home. This is where boundaries become not just helpful,
When Cindy Yoder Brown’s son Colin started drinking at age 13 or 14, she had no idea the family was beginning a journey that would span years of pain, confusion, and eventually profound healing. As a retired licensed clinical social worker and coach who now works with families facing similar struggles, Cindy brings both professional
Bill Guy was a parent coach with the Partnership to End Addiction and host of the Woods men’s community. His journey through his son Chris’s addiction and eventual loss to overdose made him a powerful advocate for a compassionate, relationship-focused approach to supporting children struggling with substances. Bill’s Background and Journey Bill came from a
When you’re parenting a child who misuses drugs or alcohol, the line between being supportive and being enmeshed can become dangerously blurred. Many parents find themselves caught in a pattern where their happiness is entirely tied to their child’s well-being, and they’re doing things for their child that the child could do themselves. What is
When Dr. Weston Robins was deep in addiction from ages 17 to 23, using marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine, traditional treatment models never resonated with him. After three arrests and years of struggle, he eventually found his way to recovery—and to a completely different understanding of what addiction actually is. Now a licensed professional counselor with
Parenting a teen who struggles with substance misuse can feel like you’re the only one doing the work. Ellen knows this exhausting reality all too well. Her son, about to turn 18, has been on what she describes as a mental health and substance misuse roller coaster, complete with car accidents, school struggles, and a
When your college-age child is using substances, the space between supporting them and setting healthy limits can feel impossibly narrow. Mary’s coaching session addresses this universal struggle as she navigates life with her son after treatment, while also processing the recent death of her nephew from fentanyl poisoning. Setting Boundaries Without Controlling Mary had done
Parenting a teenager who uses marijuana daily can feel like walking a tightrope between protecting them and pushing them away. Susan, a single mom of three, knows this struggle intimately. When she first noticed her son using substances in seventh or eighth grade, her instinct was to control the situation through any means necessary—including literally
When a child returns home from residential treatment, parents often hope for reconnection and progress. But what happens when your son comes home unmotivated, anti-everything, and emotionally disconnected from the family? This coaching episode explores one mother’s journey through exactly this challenge. The Journey: From Crisis to Treatment to Home Jane’s story began two years
When addiction touches your family, holidays and special occasions can feel like navigating a minefield. The fantasy vision we carry of picture-perfect gatherings collides with the messy reality of substance misuse, creating stress, disappointment, and pain. But there are practical strategies that can help you prepare for and even enjoy these occasions while maintaining your
