Workshop educates those affected by a loved one’s addiction, helps them develop skills to build healthy relationships
Canaan, Conn—Mountainside Treatment Center, a nationally acclaimed substance abuse treatment center, will now offer to the public a three-day Family Wellness & Empowerment Workshop starting Dec. 4. Previously offered only to the families of Mountainside clients, the educational service is dedicated to teaching family members stronger communication skills and ultimately how to develop healthy relationships with their loved one in recovery.
“Realistically, the addicted individual is not the only person with the problem. The entire family’s wellness is an integral component to the healing process,” said Bruce Dechert, a licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LADC), international certified alcohol and drug counselor (ICADC) and Family Wellness Senior Clinician at Mountainside. “Through our workshop, we are able to help families step back and map out what they can and cannot control, what they should do and when.”
The Workshop is a refreshing approach to bring constructive restoration to families and those facing addiction. About 24.6 million people above the age of 12 endure substance abuse, according to The American Society of Addiction Medicine, wreaking havoc on their own lives and the lives of their loved ones. Addiction often triggers tension between family members and even causes some families to divide. While families tend to focus on finding options to help an addicted loved one, it is essential for families to take conscious steps to tend to their own physical and mental health, as well as the well-being of their family as a whole.
The Workshop integrates concepts from The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz to enable family members to take responsibility for their self-care and build healthy, constructive relationships that positively support their own recovery. “Addiction is a family disease, and at Mountainside we believe in helping families heal together,” said Stephen Langley, Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC) and Executive Director of Mountainside. “By expanding our Family Wellness & Empowerment Workshop to the general public, we hope to provide support for many more families affected by addiction.”
The Workshop is offered multiple weekends each month throughout the year. Cost includes a copy of the book, continental breakfast, refreshments and lunch on Friday and Saturday, and continental breakfast and refreshments on Sunday.
For more information, including the Workshop itinerary and schedule, visit Mountainside.com or call 860-824-1397.