Hopestream for parenting kids through drug use and addiction

Episode 315 When I first heard about a woodworking apprenticeship as an addiction recovery program, I was skeptical. And then I sat down with Jeremy French, founder of Making Whole in Asheville, North Carolina, and everything I thought I knew about what recovery has to look like got turned on its head. Jeremy got sober at 17 after stolen cars, drug runs to Florida, and a flop house he describes as straight out of a Netflix series. He's been in recovery nearly 30 years, never finished high school, and built one of the most remarkable programs I've come across. Men build high-end furniture together, share a daily meal with the community, and are never forced to stay. Of the 55 men through Making Whole since 2018, 30 of the 33 who completed the program will tell you they are exactly where they want to be. That is not a number you hear in this space. You'll hear about: Why Jeremy credits drugs with solving nine out of ten problems in his life, and what that means for your child The two things true in every recovery success story Jeremy has witnessed, without exception The decision his parents made that changed his life more than anything else Why stepping back sends a different message than you think What addiction is actually solving, and why treating it as the problem keeps everyone stuck What parents who have lost a child would give anything to do, and what that means for right now EPISODE RESOURCES: Making Whole website This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream CommunityGet our free, 4-video course, Hope Starts Here, and access to our Limited Membership hereLearn about The Stream, our private online community for momsFind us on Instagram hereWatch the podcast on YouTube hereDownload a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

Episode 314 ABOUT THE EPISODE: I recently stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon and found myself thinking about change, why some people make it, why others don't, and what actually separates the two. It's a question I think about constantly when I look across the Hopestream community, because what I see is that some families are seeing real transformation while others seem stuck in the same Groundhog Day loop, month after month. This solo episode is my attempt to provide some answers to that question directly - why some people see greater change than others. Drawing on 6+ years of watching hundreds of moms and female caregivers move through this process, some gaining traction, some spinning their wheels, I’m sharing the 10 most common reasons why parents who are doing the work aren't getting the results they desperately want. It's an honest, no-fluff audit of what might actually be holding you back, and it comes from my heart - from someone who has been neurotic about results my entire career for good reason: there are no more important results than a healthy family. If you've been at this for a while and feel like things aren't moving or worse, like they're sliding backward, this one is for you. You'll hear about: The foundational piece most parents skip without realizing it. Why doing more things at once often backfires. The timing factor that determines whether any skill actually works. The fastest path forward when communication has broken down. Why inconsistency isn't a character flaw. What going it alone is really costing you. EPISODE RESOURCES: Hopestream Playlists - Start Here Playlist Jennifer Ollis Blomqvist on using Motivational Interviewing, Hopestream episode 306 Dr. Emily Kline on using Motivational Interviewing for hard conversations, Hopestream episode 160 Using Motivational Interviewing and CRAFT as a double punch effort to create change in your family, Hopestream episode 256 CRAFT family resources and providers with Helping Families Help Using CRAFT, MI and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy together to help your child, Hopestream episode 260 Stages of Change workshop Stages of Change downloadable cheat-sheet here Hopestream podcast episode 66 on the Stages of Change This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream CommunityGet our free, 4-video course, Hope Starts Here, and access to our Limited Membership hereLearn about The Stream, our private online community for momsFind us on Instagram hereWatch the podcast on YouTube hereDownload a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and AlcoholHopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

Episode 313 ABOUT THE EPISODE: When parents hear "wilderness therapy," their minds often race to worst-case scenarios: punishment, boot camps, kids forced to survive in harsh conditions. But Trish Ruggles, who spent over a decade as a field guide and wilderness therapist before becoming an educational consultant, has a different story to tell. After 21 years in the field and working with countless families through Pathfinder Consulting, Trish knows that wilderness therapy has evolved dramatically from its origins. What makes wilderness therapy effective isn't the outdoor skills or fresh air - though those certainly help. It's magic lies in the complete removal of 'noise.' When you take a struggling adolescent out of their always-on life and place them in the wilderness, the volume goes down on everything that keeps them from thriving. No bedroom door to close, no delivery apps to summon food, no distractions to buffer the work of actually facing themselves. And there are immediate, natural consequences their adolescent brain can actually understand. Trish's approach is refreshingly honest and practical. She'll be the first to tell you wilderness therapy isn't for everyone, but for the kid who's stuck in their room, the one running wild in the streets, or the treatment-experienced individual who knows how to game the residential system, wilderness creates something that can't be replicated indoors: a space where you can't phone it in, where every action impacts your group, and where real-life consequences teach more than any lecture ever could. You'll learn: Key myths and facts about today's outdoor behavioral health offerings The critical, natural consequences that wilderness experiences provide in real-time How wilderness has evolved from its primitive roots Why adopted kids and those with attachment challenges often thrive in wilderness despite parents' fears The truth about getting kids to agree to, and actually go to an outdoor, adventure or wilderness program EPISODE RESOURCES: Website Trish Ruggles Trish on Hopestream episode 202 Will White’s Hopestream podcast episode 14 ‘Safe Enough To Change’ course in Hopestream This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream CommunityGet our free, 4-video course, Hope Starts Here, and access to our Limited Membership hereLearn about The Stream, our private online community for momsFind us on Instagram hereWatch the podcast on YouTube hereDownload a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and Alcohol Hopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

Episode 312 ABOUT THE EPISODE: When Campbell Manning's middle son entered detox the day before Valentine's Day, she genuinely believed he'd be "fixed" and home within a week. What followed instead was a years-long journey through both of her sons' addiction cycles that would ultimately transform her from a completely naive parent into a trained addiction counselor who now helps hundreds of families navigate the same treacherous terrain. Campbell brings both the raw authenticity of lived experience and the clinical expertise she's gained through extensive education plus real-world training with Amber Hollingsworth (Put The Shovel Down YouTube Channel) at Hope For Families Recovery Center. In this potent conversation, she speaks directly to the particular torture of watching your child actively harm themselves while grappling with decisions that feel impossible, like when her 14-year-old daughter confronted her about how much more "time, emotion, money, and energy" she was going to give to addiction. What I love is that Campbell's wisdom isn't theoretical; it's forged from setting boundaries that ended up with her sons leave home at 17, refusing to enable behavior that was metastasizing through her entire family system, and learning that "over-loving" your child can actually be the most deleterious choice you make. Her message offers genuine hope grounded in reality: both her sons are in long-term recovery, and she's built a thriving coaching practice helping parents understand that their child's willingness to change often arrives in fleeting moments, which means your preparation and readiness matters profoundly. You'll learn: How Campbell navigated the brutal reality of having two sons in active addiction, including the crucial difference between heartbreak (first son) and fury (second son) in her emotional responses The concept of "tagging it on" and why your child must truly understand there's no one coming to rescue them before lasting change becomes possible Why disenfranchised grief - the kind that receives no casseroles, no sympathy cards, no community support, coagulates within families dealing with addiction and impacts every member, especially siblings How Campbell's daughter's confrontation about "how much more are you going to give addiction, Mom?" catalyzed her understanding that setting strong, healthy boundaries isn't abandonment, it's the most loving thing you can do when your child is drowning EPISODE RESOURCES: Hope For Families Recovery Center website Put The Shovel Down YouTube Channel