Penticton, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 25, 2026) - Familywood, a virtual clinical counselling practice dedicated exclusively to families affected by addiction, has released a complimentary, evidence-informed guide designed to support families navigating the complex realities of loving someone with addiction.
"Families are often deeply impacted and the least supported in the context of addiction," said Dr. Zach Walsh, Clinical Psychologist and Professor, University of British Columbia. "When families receive appropriate support, outcomes improve not just for them, but for the individual struggling as well. Resources like this help shift the focus toward the broader system, where meaningful and sustained change is more likely to occur."
Loving Someone With Addiction: A Clinical Guide for Families, the resource brings together insights from leading clinicians and researchers across Canada from when they joined the Familywood Podcast to help families better understand what is happening in their homes, and how to respond in ways that support both themselves and their loved one.
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The guide features perspectives informed by:
- Ross St. George, Clinical Director, Familywood
- Dr. Zach Walsh, Clinical Psychologist and Professor, University of British Columbia
- Dr. Martin Zack, Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
- Dr. Carissa Muth, Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Director, Sunshine Coast Health Centre & Georgia Strait Women's Clinic
- Dr. Melanie Person, Faculty, Gonzaga University
- Rob De Clark, Executive Director, Home Based Recovery
- Stacey Petersen, Executive Director, Cedars Recovery
- Elizabeth Loudon, COO, RSG Solutions
- Rochelle Davison, Recovery Coach
The guide explores a range of often misunderstood dynamics that families experience, including the gradual loss of self, patterns of people-pleasing and self-silencing, and the difference between helpful and unhelpful supporting behaviours. It also addresses the impact of chronic stress through hypervigilance and burnout, the tendency toward over-responsibility and control, experiences of emotional numbing and detachment, and the roles that shame and secrecy play within family systems.
Rather than positioning families as part of the problem, the guide reframes these patterns as adaptive responses to prolonged stress.
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"Loving someone with addiction can slowly erode your sense of self," said St. George. "Without realizing it, families begin to organize their lives around the chaos. This is not a failure of character. It is a predictable human response to an unpredictable environment."
The guide emphasizes a dual focus on emotional support and practical action, helping families reduce reactivity, set boundaries without escalation, and respond more effectively in high-stress situations.
Familywood's model is built on the premise that when families stabilize, outcomes improve across the system.
The release of the guide comes at a time when demand for family-focused addiction support is growing and Familywood's services are more clinically important than ever.
The guide is available as a complimentary download at: https://familywood.ca/loving-someone-with-addiction/
About Familywood
Familywood is a licensed clinical counselling practice dedicated exclusively to supporting families affected by addiction. Through evidence-informed, trauma-aware care, Familywood helps spouses, parents, and adult children build clarity, stability, and resilience in the face of ongoing substance use challenges. Familywood's services are delivered by virtually Master's-level, licensed clinicians and focus on both practical strategies and deeper relational healing.
Media Contact
Ross St. George, MC, RCC, CCC
Clinical Director, Familywood
Email: rstgeorge@familywood.ca
Phone: 888-350-7247 x 101
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/289646
Source: Familywood Family Support Services Inc.
