In this conversation, Hope Aldred shares her personal journey with addiction and recovery, as well as her work in the field of family recovery. She emphasizes the importance of breaking the silence and stigma surrounding addiction and creating a support network. Hope also discusses the need for holding space for others and validating their feelings, rather than trying to fix or minimize their pain. The conversation highlights the messages that children and families need to hear, such as understanding addiction as a disease, knowing it's not their fault, and encouraging open communication. The conversation explores the importance of authentic connection and vulnerability when dealing with addiction. It emphasizes the need for empathy and understanding from others, especially within the recovery community. They also highlight the power of sharing their stories and breaking the stigma surrounding addiction. Overall, the conversation emphasizes the value of connection, support, and honesty in navigating the challenges of addiction. In this part of the conversation, the speakers discuss the importance of owning and sharing one's story, as well as the fear of judgment and stigma that can prevent people from opening up. They also explore ways that friends and family can support someone dealing with addiction, such as offering practical help, like cleaning a room, providing meals, or running errands. The speakers emphasize the need for intentionality and not waiting for the person to ask for help. In this final part of the conversation, the speakers discuss the importance of educating oneself about addiction and offering support to loved ones. They emphasize the need to normalize addiction and avoid judgment. They also talk about the power of asking someone how their soul is, rather than just asking how they are. The speakers highlight the importance of finding grace in people who don't understand addiction and the value of sharing personal stories to connect with others. They conclude by emphasizing that no one is alone in their struggles with addiction.

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Resources:

Nar-Anon Family Groups – Find a Meeting: https://www.nar-anon.org/find-a-meeting

Al-Anon Family Groups – Find a Meeting: https://al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings/find-an-al-anon-meeting/

Hope Aldred

HopeAldred@hotmail.com

912-541-2002