Friends and Family Program

Our Friends and Family Program, formerly Family Healing, is back next Thursday, October 19th, with a new name and renewed energy. This program helps people who have someone in their life who is affected by addiction. The program helps people deal with the effects of their loved one’s addiction on them and learn how to live in recovery.

The disease of addiction is systemic in nature and affects the quality of life of the person struggling with addiction as well as those close to them. At Fresh Start, we believe recovery is possible not only for the suffering addict but also for the family, friends and community.

Addiction is a family disease. When the family, friends and the person with addiction receive help through learning, love and support it empowers everyone to move toward the solution rather than continue to live in the circular nature of the problem.

The Friends and Family Program is available to any individual who presently is or ever has been affected by someone else’s addiction. It is open to anyone, not just to the families of people in the Fresh Start treatment program.

The Program consists of 2-hour group sessions, held once a week in the evening, over the course of five weeks. The groups are designed to encourage learning, engagement, and connection through various therapeutic approaches. Some of the topics covered include, but are not limited to:

– The disease of addiction

– Family roles and systems

– Intergenerational Trauma

– Codependency and Boundaries

– Self-care

– Letting go

– The grieving process

– Guilt vs shame

– Helping vs Enabling

– Introduction to 12-step programs

– Gratitude and forgiveness

The effects of addiction are felt by everyone, and everyone processes the impact differently. Our program provides an opportunity to gain a new perspective and to understand how important one’s own healing and growth is.

Payment for the program is available on a sliding scale, with the base cost of the program being $200. Financial assistance may be granted to those in need.

To find out more information and to register, email friendsandfamily@freshstartrecovery.ca