The Addicted Family: how substance use disorders affect couples, families and children.

Thursday, September 16, 2021, 10am-11am PT

Presented by Melody Bacon, Ph.D., and Ronald Bacon, MA, MDiv, LMFT

This program, when attended in its entirety, offers 1.0 CEs for Psychologists, and 1.0 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSW, and LMFTs

The devastation of addiction cuts a wide swath through the lives of those struggling with substance use disorders and those who love them. The dreaded midnight phone call bearing bad news is the ultimate source of countless sleepless nights. And yet, for the most part, families struggling with addiction have been either criticized as the cause, ignored as inconsequential or told that their actions or in actions are making matters worse. While most treatment programs include the family, this is viewed as ancillary and, at times, non-essential to the treatment of the addict.

As the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has advocated in the publication “Substance Abuse Treatment and Family Therapy” (NIH, 2004), it is time to integrate the approach of family therapy with the treatment of substance use disorders. This workshop will present an integrative approach to treatment. Based on the ideas of Bowen Family Systems therapy and the principles of the 12-step movement, the Family Matters program offers a model that addresses the needs of families struggling with addiction while at the same time creating a relational environment that
supports recovery.

This program is free to attend.