Family Counseling for Addiction

When there is addiction in the family, whether it be a parent or one of the children, the entire family is affected. There is nothing that prepares a parent to deal with a child who is addicted to drugs, alcohol, the internet, etc. When this happens, there is
usually a break down in communication and parents feel disconnected from their child and the child works hard to keep that disconnect going. Family addictions counseling can assist families in learning the right way to communicate and how to appropriately deal with their addicted child. This is one of the more difficult things a family must work with and one that isn’t easily discussed with outsiders. Allow us to help your family begin to work through this devastating problem by showing you how to set boundaries, effectively communicate, and maintain a loving relationship.

When the addict is a parent or spouse, there are a host of problems for both the children and the partner. So much anger and fear build up that it is difficult to know what to say and how to proceed. The children can often develop strong feelings of disdain for the addicted parent. This can lead to acting out, doing poorly in school, and making poor choices based on the negativity that stems from the home. The children feel powerless and often know much more than the parents believe they know. However, since the addiction is often swept under the carpet, in hopes it will just get better on it’s own, the family sometimes pretends there is nothing wrong. The spouse of the addict may be working hard to prevent the children from seeing their partner’s addictive behaviors to protect the family from hurting. This will inevitably lead to disaster. At O’Leary Counseling, we will assist your family with finding workable solutions through improved communication, honesty and acceptance.

Families with Addictions

This is for the loved ones of those with addiction
It’s a way to come back from this evil affliction
Never the sun rises without nightmares of fiction
In which the worst that can happen is your nightmare’s depiction

The sun never sets if you’ve not felt that same fear
That haunts you because your life’s so unclear
When your loved one seeks help and your life shifts a gear
Don’t fool yourself; troubles won’t disappear

The addiction’s a problem, but sobriety’s no cure
The true issues are beneath, unknown and obscure
Whether a parent, a sibling, a child or paramour
The problem runs deep through everyone’s core

It can be whiskey or wine or chocolate ice cream
Internet, gaming, or sex that’s obscene
Heroin, starving, and nicotine
All have their roots in low self-esteem

Everyone’s the victim and we all play that game
Addicted folks families are partly to blame
We all act a role; we can each stake a claim
The developing addiction takes your family’s name

The branches extend a contributing part
It’s from mom and from dad and from the addicted one’s heart
It’s important to ask yourself at recovery’s start
What’s in me that has torn this family apart

The dynamics are imoerative to understand
How we each try controlling the addiction at hand
We may not be the one with the addiction demand
Perhaps the enabling is how the fires are fanned

So therapy’s important for each that’s involved
To fix personal traits that helped addiction evolve
Just because you aren’t addicted you aren’t absolved
Of this family disorder that’s so rarely solved

Codependency, control, and passive aggression
All have to be things within your confession
No matter their behaviors, they’re your obsession
You’ll begin healing in your first therapy session

We Accept Insurance:

We work to make payment as hassle free as possible for our clients. We are partnered with many of the insurance providers and offer flexible spending options for out of network clients.