Addiction is often referred to as a family disease, as one family member’s addiction ultimately affects the entire family. When family members attend support groups, it inevitably affects the family as a whole, helping them heal from the dysfunction resulting from the addiction. It also increases the chances that their loved one will seek help and maintain long-term recovery if the family knows the right way to offer support.

Support groups can also allow parents to be vulnerable as they seek community in losing a child to opioid abuse. Members facilitate the group as a whole by sharing common experiences, strength, and hope with each other. Lastly, family members can gain insight on coping with anxiety, shame, depression and anger arising from a family member’s substance use disorder.  Scroll down for groups

Helping Families Recover from Addiction: Coping, Growing, and Healing through 12-Step Practices and Ignatian Spirituality retells Jean Heaton’s journey “working the steps” as a family member of people with addictions. Heaton draws on personal stories and research, including examples from Father Ed Dowling, SJ, spiritual advisor to Bill W., a co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, and others to illustrate the connections between this life-saving program and Ignatian Spirituality. Each chapter ends with reflection points based on Scripture that can help readers as they begin the work of each of the Twelve Steps.

Story-driven, integrative, and practical, this book can help families heal from the effects of a loved one’s addiction and move into a healthy and promising future.  Book available HERE

Support Groups

Learn to Cope is a non-profit support network that offers education, resources, peer support and hope for parents and family members coping with a loved one addicted to opiates or other drugs. Founded by Joanne Peterson in 2004, the organization has grown to include over 10,000 members, and has become a nationally recognized model for peer support and prevention program ming.

Families Hoping and Coping is a support group for parents, family and loved ones of those facing prescription drug, opiate and other drug addictions. They are a safe, anonymous and private support group in NH to find a safe place to share and discuss resources to get treatment or help for your loved one. The only requirement for membership is a family member or loved one who has been faced with addiction or is in recovery. There is never any fee to attend or become a member.

BALM is a full service online educational program focused on helping families be their loved one’s best chance at recovery from Substance Use  Disorders and other Use Disorders through providing International Coach Federation (ICF) Accredited Family Recovery Life Coach Training, the Family Recovery Facilitator Certification, and Family Recovery Education and Coaching. BALM specializes in using the Be A Loving Mirror® Method of Family Recovery which is a loving path based on love, connection, boundaries, and leverage, through a full year online Family Recovery Educational program that picks up where traditional family recovery ends in terms of its approach, its accessibility, and its length. This is a relevant program for families whether their loved one is active in or in recovery from their use disorder. BALM's leaders, faculty, and staff are all dedicated to the fulfillment of our mission to help all families blaze the trail to recovery in their homes.