Support For All The Family - Sponsored Editorial

A new service to support family members struggling with a loved ones’ addiction is available to anyone in West Dunbartonshire.

Run by Alternatives WDCS, the Family Support service provides a mix of 1-1 support, peer support, group sessions and well-being activities.

Glynis Boyle, a therapeutic family worker, explained: “We received funding from the Corra Foundation and West Dunbartonshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership to establish a dedicated family support service for adults.

“We have a broad definition of what we mean by ‘family’ – it doesn’t need to be a blood relative, it could be a close friend, a colleague or partner, we’re here to support anyone struggling to cope with someone else’s addiction.”

Key Worker

Everyone is offered a key worker and 1-1 support.

They can also attend our weekly Family Support group which meets every Thursday evening in Clydebank.

There is also a Bereavement Support group which meets fortnightly in Ben View Resource Centre in Dumbarton.

Glynis added: “This is for family members who lost a loved one to addiction.

"It is for anyone who feels isolated or disenfranchised as they can’t grieve the loss with the wider community because of the stigma associated with drug deaths.”

They also have Wellbeing Wednesdays for family members accessing the groups or 1-1 support.

Glynis explained: “These sessions focus on learning to prioritise the needs of family members, as for every person in active addiction an average of 11 people are affected.

“We also offer family members complimentary therapies and give them time to relax and de-stress.”

Glynis and her colleague Mark are trained CRAFT facilitators.

The Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) empowers family members to prioritise themselves.

Learning To Cope

They learn new coping mechanisms, communication skills, resilience techniques and how to establish healthy boundaries to care for themselves while supporting loved ones in active addiction and recovery.

A group member who took part in the CRAFT workshops commented: “After only a couple of sessions my whole perception of my mum has changed, and it made me look at her addiction journey in a whole new light.

“These sessions filled me with a peace of mind that I am not alone, but also filled me with confidence and a fresh, positive outlook on my mum.”

The Family Support service work in partnership with other organisations to increase skills which provide practical support such as in the use of Naloxone and also signpost people to more
specialised support.

“We know family members know their people better than any service can, so if we provide them with these essential skills and coping methods, they are equipped to be a first responder in a
crisis situation,” Glynis said.

Community Partners

“We also signpost to local support groups such as Rocky Roads and DACA Family Support and national organisations like Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD) to make sure younger family members receive specialist support.

“If someone comes into Alternatives for support with their drug problem, they’ll be asked how can we also support your family.

"We need to be looking at the needs of the whole family.”

To find out more contact Glynis or Mark on 0141 9512420 or 01389 734500 or email info@alternativesWD.org