Practical Support and Hope for Families Facing Substance Use
If you are a friend or family member of someone struggling with a substance use disorder, you may feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and out of options. You might have been told that you have to wait for your loved one to “hit rock bottom” or that you are “codependent” and need to detach.
CRAFT offers a different path. Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) is an empirically supported treatment designed specifically for close friends and family members of individuals with mild, moderate or severe substance use disorders. It’s effective at increasing the chances that the individual with substance use disorder enters treatment, and at improving the relationship dynamics and relationship quality, creating a better foundation for positive change.
What is CRAFT?
CRAFT is a treatment for the friends and family of someone struggling with substance use disorder. It teaches you concrete, actionable skills to change the dynamics of your relationship. CRAFT was developed by Dr. Robert J. Meyers and it teaches communication skills, positive reinforcement of sober behaviors, and self care.
CRAFT recognizes the power of your influence on the person with a substance use disorder. Every relationship has internal dynamics, cycles of interaction that feel almost inevitable. By acknowledging your role in the dynamic and helping you change how you respond to your loved one, you can positively influence them to seek help or reduce their substance use. You will also improve these dynamics, improve the relationship, and improve how you feel in the relationship and daily life.
Why Choose CRAFT?
- Highly Efficacious: Research shows that when family members engage in CRAFT, 7 out of 10 “Identified Patients” enter treatment.
- Focus on Love, Not Coercion: CRAFT uses positive reinforcement and loving behavior to influence change, rather than punishment or nagging.
- Better Outcomes for You: Even if your loved one is not yet ready for treatment, CRAFT can help you feel better, set healthier boundaries, and improve your overall relationship.
How is CRAFT different from 12-Step Programs and Al-Anon Family Groups?
Al-Anon Family Groups, similar 12-step programs and CRAFT all aim to support families affected by substance use disorders. CRAFT encourages active, strategic engagement with the loved one to promote change, while Al-Anon and similar programs typically emphasize detaching from the user’s behavior.
All of these programs are a great resource and CRAFT can fit wonderfully with these other types of programs — you can do them together if it helps you.
What to Expect in CRAFT Treatment
Dr. Julia Rosengren provides individual CRAFT sessions tailored to your unique situation.
The process typically involves:
- Functional Analysis: the first few sessions help to identify the roadmap: the who, what, when, where, why of the substance abuse patterns.
- Skill-Building: subsequent sessions focus on teaching and practicing concrete skills using role-playing. You’ll learn skills like:
- Positive Communication: Learning how to talk to your loved one so they are more likely to listen.
- Allowing Natural Consequences: Stepping back from “cleaning up” or shielding your loved one so they can experience the actual impact of their use.
- Reinforcing Non-Using Behavior: Learning how to lean in and be present when your loved one is sober, rather than giving them the “cold shoulder” as punishment.
- Ongoing Support: we work at your pace, providing check-ins or deeper support as you navigate these changes.
Note: SMART Recovery Services is based on CRAFT curriculum but is not CRAFT Treatment.
Common Misconceptions About CRAFT
- “It’s about controlling them”: You cannot force someone else to change. CRAFT is about changing your behavior to create an environment where recovery is the most attractive option.
- “It also serves as couples therapy”: CRAFT is not couples therapy where the main issue is the substance use disorder. It is treatment for you, the family member or friend of someone struggling with substance use disorder. Bringing a partner into therapy when they aren’t ready, or when they risk becoming “the identified patient” can often lead to negative associations with treatment.
Is CRAFT Right for You?
If you have a loved one who is struggling with substance use, there’s hope as well as support and resources through CRAFT. You don’t have to wait for a crisis to start making things better.