How to Recognize an Overdose and Use Narcan
Recognize an opioid overdose and use naloxone before it's too late.
Open safety guideFamily recovery course & guides
Family Support Resources for Recovery from Addiction
Start with a free 15-session family recovery course, then use 14 practical guides for boundaries, relapse response, treatment decisions, and hard conversations.
Start with the moment you are in
Choose the kind of support you need.
Before anything else Stay alive, stay together 4 resources When something happened today Respond without spinning out 3 resources When words matter Have the conversation with less heat 6 resources When you need your own lane Hold love and limits together 3 resources When support gets complicated Choose care with clearer eyes 4 resources When you're navigating systems Get through the paperwork without getting flattened 3 resources When recovery is the new normal Support recovery without policing it 1 resources
Most families start here
Three steady tools for high-pressure moments.
What to Do in a Crisis
Pause, reach out, and act from your values when things escalate.
Open crisis guideScript for Setting a Boundary
Say what is true without making a threat or rescue plan.
Use the scriptAll family resources
A clearer shelf for the hard stuff.
Every guide is short enough to use in real life and concrete enough to bring into a family meeting, coaching call, or quiet hour before a difficult conversation.
Before anything else
Stay alive, stay together
Plain-language safety guides for the moments where minutes matter — overdose, dangerous withdrawal, fentanyl, and suicide risk.
- Safety guide How to Recognize an Overdose and Use Narcan A short, plainspoken guide every family with opioid use in the picture should keep close. Recognize an overdose, use naloxone, call 911. Open safety guide
- Safety guide When Withdrawal Is a Medical Emergency Most families think withdrawal is uncomfortable. Some forms of withdrawal can kill. Here is what is safe to ride out and what needs medical detox today. Read the guide
- Briefing What Families Need to Know About Fentanyl A short, honest briefing on fentanyl — what it is, why it is in everything, and the practical things families can do to keep a loved one alive while recovery unfolds. Read the briefing
- Safety guide When You're Worried About Suicide A practical guide for the moment a family member's worry crosses from "they are struggling" to "they might not survive this." How to ask, what to do, who to call, what not to do. Open safety guide
When something happened today
Respond without spinning out
Grounding plans for relapse signals, crisis moments, and the first message after distance.
- Grounding guide What to Do in a Crisis Learn how to respond calmly during addiction crises with this step-by-step guide for families. Stay grounded and protect your peace during difficult moments. Open crisis guide
- Plan Family Relapse Response Plan Prepare for potential relapse with this comprehensive family response plan. Learn how to stay grounded and protect your recovery during difficult times. Make a plan
- Decision guide When They Reach Out Again Navigate reconnection wisely when your loved one reaches out after stepping away. Learn how to protect your recovery while staying open to healing. Plan response
When words matter
Have the conversation with less heat
Scripts and questions that help you connect, tell the truth, and avoid shame spirals.
- Scripts Helpful Conversation Openers Start difficult recovery conversations with confidence using these proven conversation openers that build trust and connection. Open the scripts
- Language guide What to Say Instead Transform your family communication with this recovery language guide. Learn what to say instead of reactive responses for healthier relationships. Find better words
- Questions 10 Powerful Family Questions That Don't Trigger Shame Foster meaningful family connections with these 10 shame-free questions designed for recovery conversations. Build trust and understanding. Use the questions
- Response guide Common Objections to Recovery Conversations Navigate addiction recovery conversations with confidence. Learn how to respond to common objections and maintain your peace during difficult discussions. Review responses
- Guide Talking with Children About a Parent's or Sibling's Addiction Age-appropriate language, what kids actually need to hear, what's worth keeping private, and when to bring a therapist into the picture. Open the guide
- Scripts What to Tell Friends, Neighbors, and Extended Family Privacy-preserving scripts for the "how's your son?" questions — at church, at work, at the family dinner table — when your loved one is in treatment, in recovery, or still using. Use the scripts
When you need your own lane
Hold love and limits together
Boundary language, self-checks, and exit plans for protecting your wellbeing.
- Script Script for Setting a Boundary Learn how to set healthy boundaries in addiction recovery with this practical script and examples. Protect your peace with loving, clear communication. Use the script
- Checklist Am I in My Lane? Stay focused on your own recovery with this practical checklist. Learn how to stay in your lane and avoid taking on what isn't yours to carry. Check your lane
- Plan A Gentle Exit Plan Learn how to lovingly detach when recovery isn't happening. A gentle guide for protecting your wellbeing while maintaining love and hope. Build the plan
When support gets complicated
Choose care with clearer eyes
Provider questions, recovery-stage context, and definitions families can return to.
- Checklist 10 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Recovery Provider Free downloadable checklist: 10 essential questions to ask when choosing an addiction treatment provider. Make the best decision for your loved one. Use checklist
- Guide How to Select Professionals in Recovery Support How to select qualified recovery professionals: interventionists, therapists, coaches, and treatment centers. Expert guidance for families. Choose support
- Framework Stages of Recovery & Relapse Signals Understand the stages of addiction recovery and learn to recognize relapse warning signs. Essential knowledge for families supporting long-term recovery. Read stages
- Glossary Family Recovery Glossary Understand key recovery terms with this comprehensive family recovery glossary. Essential definitions for families navigating addiction recovery. Open glossary
When you're navigating systems
Get through the paperwork without getting flattened
Levels of care, insurance, and FMLA — the practical systems work that comes with finding and paying for treatment.
- Explainer Levels of Care, Explained Without Jargon Detox, residential, PHP, IOP, outpatient, sober living — what each one is, who it's for, what it costs, and why a 30-day rehab is rarely the whole answer. Read the explainer
- Guide How to Pay for Treatment Insurance benefits, parity law, in- vs. out-of-network, single-case agreements, denials, HSA/FSA, scholarships, and state options. Practical answers for the question that derails most families before treatment even starts. Open the guide
- Guide How to Use FMLA to Go to Treatment The Family and Medical Leave Act protects up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave each year — and it covers substance use treatment. Here's who qualifies, how to apply, and what to do if HR pushes back. Open the guide
When recovery is the new normal
Support recovery without policing it
What healthy at-home recovery looks like — and how to be helpful without taking over.