Family Programme

Addiction can seriously strain relationships, pressure partners and children and destroy trust with those who can play the most pivotal role in recovery. Addressing addiction as a family illness means acknowledging the emotional, psychological and social impacts addiction has on loved ones. These impacts often stem not only from the actions of the family member struggling but can also arise from other members’ reactions, knowledge and personal coping mechanisms.

Therefore, it is paramount that while the individual with the addiction receives treatment, their loved ones are simultaneously educated and supported. This synchronised two-pronged approach ensures that the family becomes a cohesive unit of understanding and resilience rather than a fragmented entity. By empowering the entire family with knowledge, tools and effective coping strategies, the Family Programme can create an environment conducive to sustained recovery and healing.

The Family Programme is a programme designed to provide accessible and convenient support to those most in need. It is delivered over two weeks with three 90-minute weekly sessions, drawing from proven addiction recovery methods such as the 12-step-programme and various therapeutic forms.

Each session is carefully designed to provide new insights into addiction, help loved ones navigate the complexities of the recovery journey and foster understanding and renewed strength.

Session 1: The Illness

The first session dives into understanding addiction as a complex illness and how it impacts individuals and their families. It explores the genetic and environmental roots of addiction and discusses the core emotions surrounding it, such as pain, anger, guilt and joy.

Session 2: Admitting our powerlessness over addiction

Session two confronts the harsh reality of our limited control over a loved one’s addiction. By addressing family denial patterns, you will learn the delicate balance between enabling and supportive behaviour. This session aims to help loved ones surrender to the recovery process and gives everyone a chance to identify and express their feelings.

Session 3: Navigating the emotional barometer

The third session aims to harness the power of emotional intelligence and reinforces the importance of emotional management and expression. From effectively gauging feelings to understanding healthier emotional processing techniques, it will allow you to reflect on past coping habits and how to develop more effective strategies. This session also introduces the idea of deriving strength from faith or a higher entity, which is a key step in the 12-step process.

Session 4: Prioritising your emotional growth

Your emotional well-being is paramount both for your own sake and for reinforcing the strength needed to support your loved one in recovery. Session four focuses on establishing and upholding healthy boundaries, setting pragmatic expectations and cultivating strategies to empathetically handle the emotional responses of loved ones in the grip of addiction.

Session 5: The interplay of shame and family dynamics

Shame, often a silent companion of addiction, is dissected during session five to help you understand its pervasive role in family interactions. This session also unravels the manipulative nature of addiction within families and addresses the challenges of maintaining intimate connections amidst these struggles.

Session 6: The journey home

The final session will equip you with practical tools to support your loved one in addiction recovery effectively. By discerning constructive actions from detrimental ones, this session paves the way for a hopeful and proactive approach to a family’s collective recovery journey.

The Family Programme takes loved ones on a holistic journey, providing crucial insights into the intricate facets of addiction and arming them with tools for healing and rejuvenation. Here are some of the key transformative benefits of the Family Programme:

• Greater education and understanding: Gain a deeper understanding of addiction as an all-encompassing illness and how it impacts both the individual and the family.
• The development of healthy coping strategies: Learn effective ways to manage emotions and navigate the challenges of addiction within the family.
• New boundaries and expectations: Develop tools to set healthy boundaries, manage expectations and protect your own well-being.
• Access and connection to a supportive community: Connect with others facing similar challenges, fostering a sense of belonging and shared experiences.
• Practical guidance at every stage: Receive practical advice on how to support your loved one in their recovery journey and what actions to avoid.
• A clearer path to healing: Chart a path to healing and recovery for both yourself and your family, helping you move forward in a positive and constructive way.

The Family Programme at UKAT’s London Clinic recognises that healing from addiction is a collective endeavour and that families need understanding, tools and a guiding hand. Contact UKAT London Clinic today and transform the path to healing for your entire family.