Brook McKenzie’s personal story of addiction and recovery Brook McKenzie’s journey into addiction began around age 13 or 14. By 15 he needed treatment, and he went through three adolescent treatment programs between 15 and 17. His brother took a very different path — college, career, marriage — while Brook’s life looked nothing like that
When your child struggles with substance use, it’s natural to wonder if the strategies you’re using are actually working. In this raw and honest coaching session, Marie – a school psychologist and mother of a 19-year-old son – shares her experience implementing CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) tools while navigating her son’s journey through
CRAFT Method for Families: Does It Work? A Real Parent Coaching Session Read More »
When Henry Maxwell started using substances at age 12, no one could have predicted the trajectory his life would take – both the devastating lows and the remarkable transformation that followed. His story offers unique insight for parents navigating their own child’s substance misuse, combining lived experience with professional expertise gained from over a decade
When your adult child struggles with alcohol addiction, one of the hardest lessons to learn is that you cannot control their journey—no matter how desperately you want to. Tracey, a nurse and mother of a 26-year-old son, knows this truth intimately after 11 years of navigating her son’s relationship with alcohol. ‘I say we’ve been
Coaching Episode: Learning to Let Go with Tracey Read More »
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
When your teen or young adult is experimenting with or misusing drugs and alcohol, it’s natural to want them to stop immediately. But according to certified drug and alcohol counselor Dee Dee Stout, demanding abstinence often backfires. Instead, she advocates for a harm reduction approach combined with CRAFT communication techniques to help parents reduce risky
When your child is struggling with substance use, one of the most frustrating challenges parents face is figuring out how to help when communication breaks down. Whether your child refuses to talk, lives across the country, or insists they don’t have a problem, the CRAFT approach offers practical strategies that can work even in difficult
Understanding the Long Journey: Six Years of Parenting Through Addiction When Cielo’s son started smoking marijuana at age 12, she never imagined the six-year journey that lay ahead. Her son had shown signs of sensitivity and struggled with following rules from a young age, eventually using substances to cope with anxiety. Today, at 18, he’s
When you discover your child has relapsed with drugs or alcohol, your first instinct might be to panic, yell, or immediately problem-solve. But what if there was a more effective approach – one that actually creates conditions for positive change? Erica Lubetkin, a psychotherapist certified in CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training), shares practical guidance
