This Invitation to Change group is for parents of adult children or teens struggling with substance use issues. Whether you are new at this or have been watching your child struggle for years, this group can help.
If you've been told to detach or let your child hit rock bottom, and that doesn't feel right, this group is for you. Please know there are other options. Compassion, kindness, and staying close will benefit you and your struggling teen or adult child.
When we are no longer able to change a situation - we are challenged to change ourselves. ~ Viktor E. Frankl
Parents can influence and help their children change.
There is...
What is Invitation to Change?
The Invitation to Change Approach (ITC) is a holistic helping framework based on science and kindness. It is designed for the families and loved ones of people struggling with substance use and the professionals who support them.
The psychologists at CMC Foundation for Change created ITC. Some are also the authors of the book Beyond Addiction How Science and Kindness Help People Change. If you found Beyond Addiction helpful, you'll love what ITC offers.
Whether you're familiar with Beyond Addiction or not, this group will help you find ways to help yourself and support your struggling son or daughter.
The Science of ITC (Based on the CMC Foundation's Website)
The ITC is founded on the idea that behavior does not exist in a vacuum—and that, instead, the best way to support a loved one who is struggling is to see their behavior as part of a bigger picture. This means looking at the person's context: historical (their unique experiences and journey) and social (the relationships that surround them).
Several psychological studies have shown that social connection plays a vital role in a person's change process, highlighting that the tone and quality of interactions within close relationships significantly impact a person's outcomes. That is why the ITC focuses on what family members (and other close connections) can do, learn, and say to increase the chances that their loved one changes their behaviors—it makes a difference!
The concepts and strategies included in the ITC are also found in three evidence-based approaches—
- Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT)
- Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Acceptance
- Commitment Therapy (ACT)
All have been used to address substance use in a loved one and help people stay connected to what they value in the presence of emotional pain.
Research studies that have included both professionals and real families have shown that CRAFT, MI, and ACT have been influential in the following ways:
- Helping loved ones seek treatment (CRAFT)
- Improving communication between family members in ways that help individuals navigate their ambivalence about making changes (MI),
- Increasing the likelihood of engaging in more meaningful and healthy behaviors (MI, ACT)
- Improving the tone of family interactions (CRAFT)
- Helping family members navigate the emotional challenges and pain that can come along with
- Helping a loved one who is struggling (ACT, CRAFT)
The studies supporting the use of these processes (science), the impact of supportive social connectedness (kindness), and collaboration with families led us to develop the Invitation to Change approach, housing all these concepts and strategies under one roof.
How Can ITC Help You?
The ITC is made up of three main parts:
- Helping with understanding
- Helping with Awareness
- Helping with Action
The concepts are based on practice because that's how you implement and maintain new behaviors in your life.
Helping with Understanding
First, how you understand your child's behavior matters a lot, and the Helping with Understanding section will give you a new way to think about the problem—one that allows a lot more room for positive change!
Helping with Awareness
This second section focuses on the awareness of your thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and values, along with plenty of self-compassion to lean into the discomfort and vulnerability of supporting your child under such difficult circumstances.
Helping with Action
The third and final section focuses on communication tools and behavior tools. Suppose you struggle to communicate with your child without fighting, and you both feel misunderstood. In that case, communication skills will help you talk to your child in a collaborative way that strengthens your connection and opens them up to the possibility of change.
Behavior tools teach you to encourage and reward behaviors you want to see more of and discourage ones you don't want to see.
Practice, Practice, Practice: Practice is essential to change and learning new things. The more you practice, the better you get when you know something new. You also experience how much work it takes to change your life. Hopefully, that will help you see that your child needs the same time, space, and practice to make changes in their life too.
Learn how to encourage change for you and your son or daughter.
The Invitation to Change Approach (ITC) will be the basis for our discussions. This approach is based on compassion, connection, and the belief that you are not powerless – you can do something to help your child.
Potential Benefits:
- Create conditions that motivate change
- Feel confident and empowered to practice new skills, tools, and practices in your relationships with your child and other family members.
- Improve communication and relationships while you help your child change
- Decrease stress, increase confidence and wellbeing
Registration required! If this group sounds like it's for you, please sign up through the form below.
I will confirm your registration and send you additional information as the date gets closer.
This group will meet:
- Start date: The next ITC group will start on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
- Feel free to sign up; you will receive updates on accessing the meeting.
- Time: 5:30 pm PT, 6:30 pm MT, 7:30 pm CT, 8:30 pm ET
- The group sessions are 75 minutes long.
- Online through Zoom
- Facilitated by Cathy Taughinbaugh and Paula Browne
Topics from the ITC Approach include:
- How to better understand the problem.
- Why does your child's behavior make sense to them?
- Ambivalence is a normal part of the change process.
- What you can do to help your child change.
- The value of staying close and keeping the conversation going.
- Self-care so you can stay resilient.
How is ITC different from other groups?
ITC is not a therapy or general support group. It's a learning group within a supportive environment.
The group content differs from peer-run support groups like 12-step groups and SMART recovery. We don't spend much time going deep into our personal histories or experiences or solving specific issues.
An ITC group has topic-driven discussions that introduce members to strategies, skills, and new perspectives they can start implementing. You will connect with a supportive community and engage with tools and techniques to use daily.
In addition:
- We know it can be hard to join a new group. We've both been there. The other group members probably feel the same way. The most important thing to remember is that you will be in a group with people who understand you. Their child is also struggling with substance use.
- If you sign up, please plan to attend all or most meetings. It's essential to keep your commitment to yourself and the group process.
- This group will focus on parents supporting teens or young adult children.
- This group is free – however, you do need to invest your time and purchase a copy of The Invitation to Change – A Short Guide for $14.99
Cathy Taughinbaugh and Paula Browne facilitate this group.
Cathy Taughinbaugh is the author of The Compassion Antidote. She has Level 1 Certification in Invitation to Change and a Certificate of Completion from Robert J. Meyers, Ph.D.& Associates, Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT). Cathy is a Certified Parent Coach through the Parent Coach Trainers Academy and a Certified Life Coach from the Life Coach Institute of Orange County.
Paula Browne has thirty years in recovery. She is a Level 1 Certification in Invitation to Change, SMART Recovery + Family and friends, CRAFT, and Motivational Interviewing. Paula is a Center for Addiction Recovery and Training (CCAR) Peer Recovery Coach + Using My Values to Elevate My Recovery Coach Practice + Ethical Considerations + Professionalism.
We are honored to share this powerful work with you!
Please reach out if you have any questions.
