This week’s episode is very special because #1 Joey is with us for this one.  And #2: It’s going to be a 3-way conversation with me, Joey, and our life coach Heather Ross. If you’ve listened to any of our episodes, you’ve probably heard me mention her, or you might have heard one of her 2 episodes we’ve already published - #10 and #34.

In this Safe Home episode, we will be talking about how the CRAFT method has helped our family, and you’ll hear from both sides - the parents’ side and the teen’s side.  CRAFT is an acronym that stands for Community Reinforcement and Family Training. This is the approach that is scientifically proven to get more people into recovery than the old-fashioned approaches like tough love and interventions. The basis of CRAFT is the positive rewards that the loved one heaps on the addicted person when they are doing favorable behaviors. A key concept in CRAFT is that the relationship is more important than their sobriety. This method shifted our family so much that I credit it to keeping our son alive for these past few years. I’m very excited to share some details of the CRAFT approach with you.

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RESOURCES:

Heather’s information:

• Website: HeatherRossCoaching.com
• Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/living-with-your-childs-addiction/id1543141299

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

• Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change: https://motivationandchange.com/family-services/resources-for-families/
• The CRAFT Approach: https://drugfree.org/article/craft-approach-encouraging-healthy-constructive-positive-changes-family/
• Never Use Alone: https://neverusealone.com/ or 800-484-3731
• How to get free Narcan: https://www.goodrx.com/naloxone/narcan-naloxone-at-home-free 

Safe Home is created by Joseph Nakao and Beth Syverson

Music written and performed by Joseph Nakao

Cover art by Joseph Nakao, photo by Beth Syverson

www.SafeHomeFamilies.com

TIME STAMPS:

3:30 Overview of Joey’s struggles

6:40 Joey’s new job has helped stabilize him

7:40 Alternative healing we’ve found to be helpful

11:32 How Heather and CRAFT helped save our family

16:24 Putting our kids under the microscope

19:29 Addiction causes hiding and masking

21:20 Changing the conversation with our addicted loved one

23:28 What Joey and Helanna received from substances

27:04 The goal is CONNECTION, not sobriety

33:25 Why some parents have trouble with the CRAFT Method

36:30 Sliding through life pre-crisis, asleep at the wheel

39:08 What our kids want from us

41:16 Enabling, Narcan, “rock bottom,” and stigma

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