VOICES from the Front Lines: Kayla Solomon, Love Warrior
Isabel Cooney interviews her beloved colleague, Kayla Solomon. Kayla admits that when she was first trained in CRAFT, the 12-week framework of the method felt artificial — "It got stuck in my craw," she says. You'll hear the myriad ways that Kayla, through her work with families at Allies in Recovery, has tweaked and embellished the approach.Kayla Solomon, a regular co-host of this podcast, is a psychotherapist with broad experience in the world of addiction and recovery. She instigated the creation of the Allies support & skills training group for family members, and continues to facilitate this transformative group every week. At Allies in Recovery, we know that change starts with us. When we learn to self-regulate, it transforms our relationships with our Loved Ones struggling with addiction. A family member (whose Loved One is currently in recovery for about two years) recently said this about joining Allies: “I would say, just do it! It’s like the Bible of Healing Ourselves. It truly has changed the way I look at people, the way I see the world.”Visit Allies in Recovery to start your new path towards healing addiction in your family.
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FAMILIES Speak: Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
When accumulated trauma and worry have our anxiety levels running high, we are often in a place where we simply expect that (more) bad things are going to happen—even when, objectively, things seem to be going well. It can actually be just this, things going well, that feel so out of the ordinary that we assume it won’t last and start to live in a state of suspension. This in-between state prevents us from living in the moment, from celebrating even small successes or positive steps. Our team looks at how they’ve managed to combat this life-sucking tendency.At Allies in Recovery, we know that change starts with us. When we learn to self-regulate, it transforms our relationships with our loved ones struggling with addiction.A family member (whose loved one is currently in recovery for over a year) recently said this about joining Allies: “I would say, just do it! It’s like the Bible of Healing Ourselves. It truly has changed the way I look at people, the way I see the world.”Visit Allies in Recovery to start your new path towards healing addiction in your family.
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FAMILIES Speak: Doing CRAFT on Ourselves (Huh?)
Though designed for families to help shepherd Loved Ones into treatment and recovery, CRAFT turns out to be a versatile framework that you can use anywhere, with anyone. And since our relationship with our Self is foundational for all the rest, it’s only logical—essential, Kayla says—that we’d find ways to practice CRAFT on ourselves.Does this sound confusing and strange? Let our families explain how they've approached this. Our Families Speak series features a wonderful team of people navigating life with an addicted Loved One. They are all members of Allies in Recovery, an online platform providing proven, research-based training, guidance, support and resources for families with a Loved One struggling with substance use.Alongside psychotherapist Kayla Solomon, they openly share their experiences, insights, and the CRAFT-based tools that have helped them shift the dynamic at home.Join Allies in Recovery today to access expert guidance, support, and resources that help families create real change.
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FAMILIES Speak: Comparing Your Story to Others'
What are the pitfalls of comparing your story and situation to that of others? How do you live in the world where not everyone is experiencing or expecting substance use or mental health issues, where people more readily discuss their Loved Ones' celebrations, accomplishments, and milestones? Our co-hosts talk about their own frustrations with comparing their situations to those of others, and how they've learned to handle it over time. A membership at Allies in Recovery provides: ✔ A structured online platform to learn CRAFT skills step by step ✔ Support groups and a community that truly understands ✔ A Q&A blog with expert advice ✔ And much more!Start today—visit Allies in Recovery to begin creating change in your family.
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FAMILIES Speak: Dads Doing the Work
Dads come together for a fascinating chat about the work they're doing around their children's substance use/recovery. What's different about how Moms and Dads approach the work? They suggest that the love felt for their Loved One is equal, but the interactions are quite different. James,a father of four, points out that Dads are often focused on detaching from their young adult sons, in order to let them become more independent—and this can also be exacerbated by the contrast of Moms being more involved. Dads and Moms might have completely different approaches to parenting their addicted adult children, but this is OK. Learning the CRAFT method and the Allies in Recovery toolkit has given parents common language and references that facilitate their own communications and dynamics around their approaches with their Loved Ones. The more we stay curious, interested and non-judgmental, the more power we have to positively impact the situation. These fathers lay it all out for us and help us to better understand their internal journeys.A membership at Allies in Recovery provides: ✔ A structured online platform to learn CRAFT skills step by step ✔ Support groups and a community that truly understands ✔ A Q&A blog with expert advice ✔ And much more!Start today—visit Allies in Recovery to begin creating change in your family.
About Coming Up for Air — A Toolkit to Help with Your Loved One's Recovery from Addiction & Mental Illness
This podcast is comprised of three series addressing topics relevant to families dealing with a loved one's addiction:
- FAMILIES SPEAK: parents share wisdom, tools & experience using CRAFT (a proven method) with their loved one
- Partner CRAFT: co-hosts explore the specificity of using CRAFT with a romantic partner (or ex)
- VOICES from the FRONT LINES: Guests share expertise and stories
Allies in Recovery provides online learning modules, expert hand-tailored guidance, CRAFT support groups, info on treatment options, and much more.
Learn about membership options on alliesinrecovery.net
Listen to Coming Up for Air — A Toolkit to Help with Your Loved One's Recovery from Addiction & Mental Illness, Beyond the Bump and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
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