When your child is struggling with substance misuse, it’s natural to view every event through a lens of fear and judgment. But what if there’s another way to navigate this uncertain journey? The ancient Story of the Chinese Farmer offers parents a profound lesson in suspending judgment and staying present, even when the path forward
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 your child is misusing drugs or alcohol, every instinct tells you to react dramatically. The situation feels dangerous, disruptive, and chaotic—so shouldn’t your response match that intensity? Surprisingly, the answer is no. Why Calm Feels Counterintuitive As one parent describes it: ‘It can feel strange to take a calm, collected approach to a dangerous,
When Professional Expertise Meets Personal Crisis Julie had been teaching CRAFT and working with addiction clients for over 20 years when her own 17-year-old son’s substance use escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite her professional background, she found herself facing the same fears and challenges as any parent. “I remember when I first became a
Addiction Psychologist By Day, Parenting A Child Through Addiction By Night, with Julie Read More »
When parents discover their child is struggling with substance misuse, the experience is often overwhelming and isolating. Many feel unprepared, ashamed, and uncertain about where to turn for help. Yet despite these challenges, parents possess far more influence than they realize. Why Parents Feel Unprepared and Helpless The reality is stark for most families facing
As we reflect on over 50 episodes from 2022, certain themes emerge that can guide parents through the challenging journey of supporting a child who misuses substances. This compilation draws from experts, parents who’ve walked this path, and people in long-term recovery to offer hope and practical wisdom. Understanding How Substances Work in the Brain
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When your teen or young adult is misusing drugs or alcohol, you’re likely desperate for strategies that actually work to discourage the dangerous behavior and encourage healthier choices. The good news is that there are evidence-based approaches that can help shift the dynamic in your home. Why Positive Reinforcement Works The foundation of behavior change
When a child leaves treatment unexpectedly and returns home in early sobriety, parents face a complex mix of emotions and questions. In this coaching episode, Marie navigates her 16-year-old son’s first weekend home after leaving his therapeutic boarding school just 13-14 days into the program, triggered by trauma from a past residential experience. Weekend Anxiety
When Dina Cannizzaro’s son Parker started using marijuana at age 13, she never imagined the journey ahead would include heroin addiction, homelessness, and asking her 17-year-old to leave their home. Parker spent six months living in a bush in Santa Cruz, California, and years struggling with IV heroin addiction while Dina made weekly calls to
When Bill Guy’s son Chris began experimenting with substances in junior high, Bill had no frame of reference for what was happening. Despite generational alcoholism in his family, drugs were unfamiliar territory. As he describes it, he was “like a deer in the headlights.” What followed was a years-long journey through his son’s addiction, multiple
