Education

Parents Forever believes ongoing education about substance use and mental illness is essential to navigate the turbulent waters that confront us when we discover our loved ones are experiencing harm. In order to support them while maintaining — or regaining — control of our own lives, we face a steep learning curve. Lesson One may well be "Put your oxygen mask on first before helping others." Why? Because to help you need to have enough strength, knowledge, and resources. That's one reason why self-care is our primary goal.

Over the years we have developed an array of learning materials with ideas and methods we've developed ourselves or learned from others. We are part of a larger social service community of skilled professionals, volunteers, health organizations, and more whose work is focused on well-being. We tap into that network, learn from and contribute to it. We attend conferences, seminars, online educational sessions, and more. The regular Parents Forever newsletter keeps our members informed and up-to-date about those events as well as the latest news resources and information.

Our meetings

Our education efforts all come together at our weekly meetings. This is where we share, learn, and grow. It's also where we cry, grieve, and offer comfort. We have themes that cover an array of topics related to every aspect of what we are experiencing and challenged by in this journey. Importantly, we share wisdom. We compare notes on things we've tried, successes we've had, and mistakes we've made. We come to understand the all-important lesson of giving and receiving support and holding each other up.

Our topics

We cover a wide range of issues from health matters to personal challenges and concerns. Here are some of the topics we have covered in the education portion of our meetings:

• Building personal resiliency

• Self-compassion

• Setting boundaries

• Stages of change

• Staying connected with your loved one

• Talking with your loved one

• Communicating when in a crisis

• Crisis planning

• Managing relationships with siblings

• Cultivating reasonable hope

Presentations and speakers

We also host presentations and guest speakers. Some of the topics they have covered include:

• Ensuring family involvement in care

• Motivational interviewing

• Ambiguous grief

• Wills and Estate planning

• Dealing with relapse

• PTSD as it affects families

• Understanding concurrent disorders

• Persons in recovery

• Learning about mental health and addiction medications