Our Program
Family Road to Recovery is a donation-based program that utilizes an evidence-based approach designed for family members, individuals and friends who would like to improve their relationship with a loved one struggling with addiction or who is in recovery. Because we know addiction is a disease that impacts the entire family, Addiction Treatment Services understands the importance of offering support not just to the individual affected with substance use disorder, but also to the family. Participants of Family Road to Recovery will work on their own recovery by receiving education on addiction and how it is a disease, along with learning healthy communication, boundaries, co-dependency, trust, enabling, self-care and more.
What We Offer
We offer a wide variety of services and programs to families and friends with loved ones struggling or impacted by substance use disorder. From immediate services to longer programs, here's how Family Road to Recovery can help:
ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT
Working 1-on-1 with our Family Support Coordinator as needed, weekly or bi-weekly, virtually or in-person to help families receive support through open sharing, resource handouts, books, written exercises and role-playing to help prepare them to apply their learning to real-life situations. Referrals to other agencies are offered for additional support.
EXTENDED PROGRAMMING
Our therapist-led 8-week Group Series is an evidence-based program that guides 8 psychoeducational group sessions over Zoom. These sessions are held once a week, for a duration of 90 minutes.
PEER-LED SUPPORT GROUPS
Family-to-Family Support Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at The Porch 1010 S. Garfield or via Zoom. Our family support group takes time to share, listen and lift each other up. Once a month we feature a Recovery Speaker or local educational speaker.
Grief Support Group meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month (starting on July 19th) from 6 to 7 p.m. at The Porch 1010 S. Garfield. Our grief group will help families and friends through the process of moving through grief after the loss of a loved one. We will have the opportunity to have a therapist-led group on occasion or hear from guest speakers.
Ready to Take the Next Steps in Supporting Your Loved One?
Contact our ATS Access Department or Family Support Coordinator!
ATS Access | 231-346-5216
Nancy Dow, Family Support Coordinator | 231-346-5254
NancyD@AddictionTreatmentServices.org
Family Road to Recovery Testimonials
“I cannot say enough about The Family Road To Recovery Program. At a time in my life when I could barely hold it together while dealing with my husband’s alcohol addiction, I found Nancy Dow and this amazing program. I was feeling very lost and confused, resentful and angry. I was desperately trying to hold it together, for me and for our children. I knew that I needed someone to talk to. The Family Road To Recovery Program not only gave me a place to talk to someone but provided resources that were helpful as well. I felt like I had someone in my corner, someone who genuinely cared and understood what I was going through. What a blessing this program is and I will always be so grateful.”
“We had been lost for many years dealing with our son's alcohol use disorder. A friend recommended that we reach out to Nancy at ATS for help. We did and it has been a huge blessing. We finally found someone who could answer questions and help us navigate this issue. We are so relieved we found this program. It has been a huge help to us - we just wish we had found it sooner. “
“Our family is so grateful for the support we are receiving from ATS. We called them when our adult son was experiencing alcohol dependency events. He found a good rehab but we were at a loss for what we could and should do to help him and us.
We contacted ATS and were fortunate to receive an immediate reply from Nancy Dow. Nancy is amazing (We call her St. Nancy). She spent many hours helping to relieve our anxieties and giving us specific ideas for dealing with our particular situation. She also invited us to be part of some excellent meetings with other people who have a family member in recovery and we share our feelings, thoughts and concerns.
WE are hopeful and grateful. We know we needed to take this day to day. We are appreciative that the resources of ATS will be with us as we journey on.”
“Things I learned at Family Road To Recovery:
1. I always feel better after a meeting despite whatever is going on with my loved one.
2. I can’t change my loved one… I can only change myself & how I react to things.
3. I learned to quit trying to manage my loved one's affairs & bailing him out & letting him suffer the consequences of his actions. I learned I was enabling his addictions & not really helping but I did the best I could with what I knew AT THE TIME. I now know better thanks to the Family Recovery Program at ATS.
I will always be grateful for what this program has done for me & our family.”
“Family Road to Recovery Program is an unconditional, nonjudgmental space where people become family. They help you to process the journey you have been given with patience and understanding. Although you will still be met with the ups and downs from your loved one's addiction, you know without any doubt you have someone always available to support you. We are thankful for the gift we have been blessed with in the Family Road to Recovery Program.”
"My wife and I found this program and its Coordinator (Nancy Dow), in the Traverse City region to be extremely helpful and a most supportive resource. In our struggles with trying to help our 26 y/o son, our 1:1 zoom sessions with Nancy, along with the monthly Group meetings, it was all a great help. It truly bolstered our resolve and focus to stay proactive. Sharing experiences and feelings with other families is simply invaluable.”
“My husband and I were at an absolute loss as to how to communicate effectively with our son, who struggles with Substance Use Disorder. We needed guidance and support to understand how to cope. We were at such a loss and overwhelmed with sadness. We called every counseling office we could think of and nobody could fit us in for at least three months (and we were willing to pay whatever they charged). We had no idea where to go. Thank God we found the Family Road to Recovery, it's brought us hope and coping skills. Nancy Dow made us feel immediately comfortable since she has unfortunately suffered an unspeakable loss in her own life due to substance use. Listening to stories of other parents suffering the same kind of sadness has made us feel as though there was a community we can lean on when needed. Family Road to Recovery provides speaking engagements, gatherings allowing loved ones affected buy SUD to lend a listening ear, opportunities to help those in recovery and thankfully, unwavering one-on-one support. There is a lot of judgement and shame associated with this disease. In addition to helping families like ours, Family Road to Recovery continues to educate the Grand Traverse community and advocate for substance use disorders. Nobody dreams of growing up to be an alcoholic or a drug addict, in order to fight this disease, we need as much help and advocacy as possible. We hope other organizations can help support the efforts of this wonderful arm of Addiction Treatment Services.”
“We have found the Family Road to Recovery Program to be extremely helpful to us as we learn more about substance use disorder and ways that we can be of help to our loved one. Through presentations from people who are in recovery, we learn more about the difficulties and feelings experienced by those who are dealing with this disorder, as well as boundaries that need to be set regarding when to offer help and when to step back. One of the very important elements of the program is in assisting participants in understanding that we are not alone in our struggles with this disorder. Through support from others, we are better able to maintain our own wellbeing. We are very thankful that we gave this program a try. We have benefited immensely.”