Demystifying Men's Apprehension Towards CRAFT and Therapeutic Support, with Steve Andrews
Last year, we launched The Woods, our private community for dads, stepdads, and male co-parents. And as much as we would love to help more dads who have kids struggling with substances, they don’t come flocking to our services. I wanted to dive into this imbalance and asked Steve Andrews to join me for a conversation. As a battle-tested dad and therapist, Steve gives us his best take on why men seem to have a natural aversion to approaches like The Invitation to Change and CRAFT and how we can reframe those ideas in a more accessible way.
A Powerful Combo of Proven Tools for Families When Your Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol, with Dr. Jennifer Fernandez
My guest today, Dr. Jennifer Fernandez, is a proponent of a compassionate model that sounds more complex than it is - the "biopsychosocial model." This model aims to contextualize all factors contributing to someone’s reliance on substances - not just genetics. She says this type of analysis can help those who love someone struggling with substances understand behavior that would otherwise seem irrational. And when we know more, it leaves room for the empathy we need to parent young people who can appear out of control.
Learn From My Mistakes If Your Child Is Struggling With Substance Use, with Julie Merberg
When Julie Merberg returned home from a work trip to find a scale and a pile of baggies on the living room table, she knew her son's involvement with substances was getting out of control. Foreshadowing her current work with Hopestream, Julie had already formed her own neighborhood support group of parents after her 16-year-old son began abusing Xanax and marijuana. As with so many of us, Julie and her husband were trying to change their son’s behavior with punishment and control, but found that it only made him more oppositional and defiant.
Ten Simple and Effective Phrases That Help Diffuse Difficult Conversations, With Brenda Zane
When you have a complex child, all your conversations and relationships might feel more strained. If you're like me, you sometimes find yourself at a complete loss for words and struggle with how to diffuse or launch your communication in a helpful and productive way. If this sounds like you - this is your episode.
A Tribute To Bill Guy, A Role Model For Parents Who Love A Child Struggling With Drugs and Alcohol
It's a very special Hopestream episode today in memory of a dear friend and host of The Woods Community, Bill Guy. Bill passed away June 2nd and he leaves a big gap in the world. If you want to hear the voice of someone who led by example and epitomized the approach of love, education, empathy, boundaries and self-care when your child is misusing substances, you won't find anyone more pure than Bill.
Is It Ok To Use A CALM Approach With A Child Who Misuses Drugs and Alcohol? With Brenda Zane
In this short episode, I tackle the question of whether a calm approach can work when you have a child misusing substances. I share my perspective on why I believe parents often think they need to use aggressive, confrontational tactics to get their children to change and invite you into an experiment to test the theory.
The Influence Paradox: How Giving Up Control Can Give You Sway, with Dr. Emily Kline
You’ve probably heard me (and many of my guests) talk about letting go of the idea that you can control your teen or young adult child. This is so hard to do, for obvious reasons, and parents who struggle with this have some valid questions like; Isn’t it our job to protect our kids? If I stop confronting the problems, isn’t that just avoidance? How is this different from just giving up? My guest today says that these questions are missing an important paradox: The more we sacrifice controlling behavior, the more opportunity we have to gain real influence – especially using skills like Motivational Interviewing.
the incredible influence of parents when your child struggles with substance misuse or addiction, with Cathy Cioth
A common feeling parents express when they have a child struggling with substance misuse or addiction is helplessness. In this candid conversation with my business partner Cathy, we talk about how parents can begin to take back some control and positively influence what's happening. It's empowering and uplifting, and we go on a tangent or two, as usual when we're talking to each other.
the annual golden nuggets episode; 2022 edition
It’s the annual year-end Golden Nuggets Hopestream episode with 12 memorable guest excerpts you won’t want to miss.
four strategies for getting more of the behavior you want and less of what you don't when your teen or young adult child misuses drugs or alcohol, with Brenda Zane
In this episode, I dive into a key component of encouraging more positive behavior through the use of consequences. You probably already know consequences can be confusing and hard to get right when your child is misusing substances and struggles with mental health issues. They're sometimes hard to be consistent with and often backfire.
coaching episode: 17 days sober: using CRAFT skills to help mom navigate her son’s first unexpected weekend home from treatment
In this coaching episode, I’m talking with Marie, a mom from The Stream community. The weekend is approaching and her son is unexpectedly home from treatment. Listen as we explore how Marie can initiate some hard conversations to reduce her anxiety and increase the chance of her son choosing support and sobriety over the weekend.
how parents can create conditions for change using compassion and self-care when a child is misusing drugs or alcohol, with Dina Cannizzaro
In this episode, you’ll get to hear from Dina Cannizzaro. She’s a mom who has been through hell and back but has channeled all that fear and anxiety into taking actionable steps toward relearning how to connect with her son and how to harness the surprising power of self-care.
co-author of Beyond Addiction Carrie Wilkens, Ph.D., breaks down how parents can help their kids positively change their relationship with drugs and alcohol
In this episode, I’ve invited Carrie Wilkens, PhD, co-author of Beyond Addiction on the show again to unpack common stigmas around addiction, understand why using CRAFT and The Invitation To Change approach is not condoning substance use, and why staying curious and building connection is the key to motivating your child to make positive changes.
community required, treatment optional for lasting recovery; finding the freedom and joy of “normal” with Jo Colette
In this episode, I’ve invited Jo Colette, a mother, wife, and brilliant tattoo artist to share her journey from addiction to several drugs including IV heroin, to sobriety, and then to active recovery. These insights will help parents see why misusing drugs and alcohol is often a very practical solution for struggling teens without a lot of tools in their toolbelt.
three keys to a positive approach for parenting a child misusing drugs or alcohol; courage, confidence, and compassion, with Brenda Zane
Research has shown that a positive, non-confrontational approach to helping our kids make positive changes in their lives is the most effective when they’re misusing substances. In this episode I share three keys to shifting your words, actions and mindset in a more positive direction using courage, confidence and compassion. I also share a tip for those times when you revert to old, confrontational ways to help keep things moving in a positive direction.
a better way to parent a child struggling with substance use or addiction: the compassion antidote, with Cathy Taughinbaugh
In this episode, I’m joined by author, and certified parent and life coach, Cathy Taughinbaugh. Cathy is a Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) trained coach through the Center for Motivation and Change and a parent coach with the Partnership to End Addiction. She’s an expert in helping parents connect with their kids through an approach that is driven by compassion and positivity which she shares in her book.
insights, wisdom and coping strategies for parents of kids struggling with substance use from a mom who's been there, twice, with Cathy Cioth, Director of The Stream Community
How does a parent cope when you have not one, but two kids struggling with substance misuse and all the issues that surround it? Cathy Cioth has seen the world of adolescent and young adult substance use from all angles and shares openly in this conversation about her family's journey which included wilderness therapy, 'gooning', an unwelcomed intervention, and lots of coping skills.
a harm reduction approach to risky behavior in teens and young adults, with Dee Dee Stout
When your teen or young adult son or daughter refuses or can't seem to embrace abstinence, what do you do? Harm reduction is an approach that can help navigate your child to safer territory and...it's confusing. Dee Dee Stout is someone Psychology Today includes in their list of "the top 10 harm reduction names you should know" so I was thrilled to spend time with her talking about a concept parents can embrace to help move their child toward more positive change.
answers to common CRAFT questions parents have when their child is struggling with addiction or experimenting with drugs, with Erica Lubetkin, LMHC
CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) is proven to be an effective way for parents to help their kids who are misusing drugs or alcohol and is easily accessible to learn and put into practice. In this episode, I invited CRAFT-certified therapist Ericka Lubetkin, LMHC to join me to answer common questions parents have about using this approach in the real world. We cover questions like, what to do when you see a pre-lapse, what to do when your child just won't talk or engage with you, tips when your child doesn't see that their substance use is a problem, what you can do when you're not on the same page as the person you're co-parenting with and lots more.