For people living with family members or who wish to restore familial relationships, family therapy can play a crucial role in recovery. Living with a person suffering from active addiction puts family members at risk for emotional distress, physical and mental trauma, and legal and financial hardship. The symptoms of addiction can erode the foundations of trust that form strong family bonds. Educating family members, involving them in one’s care, and helping them find appropriate treatment are primary elements of the Orenda family program. Family members who understand the nature of addiction, how to maintain appropriate boundaries, and when to seek help can be one’s strongest recovery allies and supporters. Orenda’s experienced family therapists facilitate family education and therapy sessions, and work with families to find support groups and qualified care professionals.
Living with addiction can be tortuous. When someone with addiction decides to seek treatment, we must capture the opportunity to treat and educate every member of that person’s family. Spouses and partners, children, siblings, extended family, and close friends may have suffered terribly, and the need help and care. With training, family members can also become the most ardent and active supporters of their loved one’s recovery.
– Amy Effman, LMFT, CAP