31 S. Braddock St. | Winchester, VA 22601

(540) 535-1111 | Available 24/7

31 S. Braddock St. | Winchester, VA 22601

(540) 535-1111 | Available 24/7

Our Family Program for Addiction

If you are suffering from your loved one’s addiction, you’re not alone. Addiction is an insidious disease, and its ripple effects are often felt deeply through the entire family unit. At Bridging the Gaps, we understand how important supporting family members is to the recovery process. Our family program aims to educate, support, and uplift family members as they navigate the complex path of their loved one’s recovery.

Illustration
Illustration

Our Family Program for Addiction

If you are suffering from your loved one’s addiction, you’re not alone. Addiction is an insidious disease, and its ripple effects are often felt deeply through the entire family unit. At Bridging the Gaps, we understand how important supporting family members is to the recovery process. Our family program aims to educate, support, and uplift family members as they navigate the complex path of their loved one’s recovery.

Heading photo

Family Roles in Addiction

The Benefits of Being Involved in Your Loved One’s Treatment

Family support and involvement play a crucial role in the recovery process for your loved one struggling with addiction. While professional therapy and treatment are important components, your involvement can significantly enhance the effectiveness of these interventions.

By including you in addiction therapy, we provide a support system for your loved one in their recovery journey. Addiction can be a lonely and isolating experience, and your support can make a significant difference in their motivation to stay sober. You can offer emotional support, encouragement, and hold them accountable in their recovery.

Your participation allows for a deeper understanding of addiction and its impact on your loved one’s life. You may have witnessed the progression of their addiction and can provide valuable insight into underlying issues or triggers. This information helps us develop personalized treatment plans that address these factors.

Involving you in therapy can lead to improved communication and relationships within your family. Addiction often strains relationships and creates tension, but therapy provides a safe and supportive space to address these issues. Through therapy, you can learn healthy communication strategies, set boundaries, and rebuild trust that may have been damaged by addiction.

Moreover, your participation in your loved one’s addiction therapy can also help you understand the recovery process better. Many family members are unfamiliar with the complexities of addiction, and therapy can educate you on the disease and its treatment. At Bridging the Gaps, our weekly family education program educates families on the disease of addiction and provides them with actionable strategies to help their loved ones through recovery. This increased understanding can lead to more empathy and support from you, which is crucial for your loved one’s recovery.

Involving you in your loved one’s treatment process allows for a more holistic approach to treatment, which we are very passionate about at BTG. Addiction not only affects the individual but also has ripple effects on their loved ones. By including you in therapy, we can address the impact of addiction on the family as a whole and support everyone’s healing process. This approach also helps prevent codependency or enabling behaviors that may hinder your loved one’s recovery.

Addiction Impacts the Whole Family

Addiction is a Family Disease

If you are a family member of someone struggling with addiction, you may feel hopeless, angry, and yearning for change. At Bridging the Gaps, we understand addiction not only as an individual disease, but a family disease. This is because substance use not only affects the individual who is using, but the individual’s family. The ways in which consequences of use manifest in a substance user’s life parallel that of the family. This is why we recognize the need for family recovery. We believe it is essential to offer you education, support, and most of all, hope. 

The most commonly used term used when referring to a family member who is struggling to navigate a loved one’s active use or early recovery is “codependent.” Codependency can simply be defined as taking away your loved one’s ability to experience the natural consequences of his/her use. However, it is important to note that the line between “enabling” someone’s use and providing healthy support in early recovery can be blurry. We do not seek to pathologize your deep love, concern, and fear for your family member, but we do seek to assist in gaining insights into the proven ways to make the enabling/support line clearer.

Also, we cannot provide the best care possible for your loved one without information from the experts on their life–you! It may feel that what you have tried over and over to help does not work, but it is recognized that perhaps only a small change to the timing, tone, and consistency in which you intervene may make a world of difference in motivating your loved one to change.  

It is important to remember that you are not to blame for your loved one’s use, but this does not mean that you cannot play a role in creating an environment that invites recovery for your loved one. Oftentimes, substance use or other maladaptive behaviors recur due to a fear of the future without use rather than a “want” to keep using. At Bridging the Gaps, we believe you can assist your loved one in recognizing that a drug and alcohol free life is worth it.

Lastly, it is of utmost importance to us that YOU can find recovery regardless of the successes or using recurrences that your loved one experiences. If you are not given the support and education to become confident in yourself and in your own recovery, then being the emotionally sound family member that your loved one needs becomes difficult. Therefore, your personal mental, emotional, and spiritual health are equally as important to your family member who is in our care. 

Our family program aims to help family members of our clients understand the disease of addiction, work through their own personal pain and internal struggles, and learn how they can best support their loved one as they journey through recovery.

Heading photo

Meet Our Family Program Coordinator

Hi, I’m Gina.

As BTG’s Family Program Coordinator, it is my honor to help you understand your loved one’s addiction, mend and strengthen your relationships, and help you support your loved one (and yourself!) through this recovery process. Because it’s important that we get to know each other a little better, I’d like to tell you a bit about myself.
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from The Pennsylvania State and Purdue Universities, specializing in psychology and addictions. I am a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor Assistant, Qualified Mental Health Professional Trainee, and Certified Trauma Professional. I am currently advancing my education and training to become a certified addiction professional within the military and veteran culture. I wholeheartedly support BTG’s education and engagement components in the recovery process, especially within the family unit. Addiction is insidious, impacting not only the clients but theirfamilies as well. I am committed to educating, supporting, and helping clients and their families repair their relationships throughout their recovery.
Remember, I am here for you as you work through early recovery with your loved one. I am happy to be a resource and support for you during this difficult, yet hopeful, time.

About Our Family Addiction Program

The Family Program at BTG

The family program at BTG aims to accomplish three ends: to educate family members on the disease of addiction, support family members as they work to heal relationships with their loved ones, and uplift family members as they continue to navigate their loved one’s new life in recovery. We accomplish these ends through three integrated yet distinct offerings: our family education program, our conjoint sessions, and our family aftercare program.

A common question we receive from family members at BTG is, “why can’t they just stop?” In our weekly virtual family education program, our family program coordinator, Gina Helveston, addresses important topics pertaining to the disease of addiction to help family members to better understand what their loved one is going through. Attendance at these weekly education sessions is required to visit your loved one on the weekend.

Our family program provides opportunities for our clients and their loved ones to mend relationships and begin to understand each other better. Family therapy for addiction aims to improve communication, increase understanding and empathy, and strengthen relationships within the family unit. It also helps family members learn how to support their loved one in recovery and cope with any challenges that may arise. Conjoint sessions are scheduled when considered therapeutically appropriate. They include our family program coordinator and the client’s counselor in order to facilitate a healthy, productive dialogue where everyone feels heard and respected.

The support doesn’t end when your loved one finishes treatment. Our family aftercare program allows family members to share their experiences, uplift each other as they face common challenges, and celebrate with each other when they progress in their healing process.

Healing from the Pain of Addiction

What is the Goal of the Family Program at BTG?

The goal of our family program at BTG is to treat not only the individual struggling with addiction, but also their family members. Addiction doesn’t just affect the person using drugs or alcohol, it impacts everyone in their life – especially their family members. In order to have successful long-term recovery, it is important to involve the family in the treatment process.
One of the main goals of family therapy in addiction treatmentis to address underlying issues that may contribute to a person’s substance abuse. This can include family dynamics, past traumas, and other emotional or psychological issues. By working through these issues as a family, it can help prevent relapse and promote healthier coping mechanisms.

Additionally, family therapy can help identify enabling behaviors and codependency within the family system. These patterns often develop when a loved one is struggling with addiction and can hinder their recovery process. Family therapy can help family members recognize these behaviors and learn how to set healthy boundaries and support their loved one without enabling their addiction.
Overall, the goal of family therapy for addiction is to promote a supportive and healthy environment for both the individual in recovery and their family members. It recognizes that addiction is a family disease and that involving the entire family in treatment can greatly improve the chances of long-term success. By addressing underlying issues, improving communication and relationships, and promoting healthy coping mechanisms, family therapy can play a crucial role in the recovery process.

Recovery is Possible for Your Loved One

Our Holistic Treatment Methods for Addiction

Explore our comprehensive suite of holistic treatment methods designed to support a healthy recovery from addiction.

AA Meetings

Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) meetings follow a 12-step program that helps individuals develop coping mechanisms and strategies for managing their addiction in a healthy way.

AcuDetox

Acudetox (auricular detoxification) is a therapeutic technique that involves the application of acupuncture or acupressure to specific points on the ear to help detoxify the body and calm the nervous system.

Amino Acid Therapy

Amino Acid Therapy uses specific amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins, to help regulate brain chemistry and alleviate cravings and other discomfort associated with addiction and early recovery.

Group Education

Group education allows clients to learn more about the disease of addiction and develop cognitive and behavioral tools to avoid relapse, mend relationships, and establish healthy habits in recovery.

Group Psychotherapy &
Individual Sessions

Group psychotherapy is a small group of clients, led by a trained clinician, who come together to share their struggles, emotions, and experiences. Individual sessions allow clients to work with their assigned counselor to explore these themes further.

Neurofeedback

Neurofeedback (EEG biofeedback) is used to help patients break free from harmful patterns of thinking and behavior. This can help reduce cravings, improve impulse control, and promote emotional stability.

Nutrition Education

Nutrition education teaches our clients the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, as well as how certain foods can impact their physical and mental health.It also address the specific dietary needs of those struggling with addiction, such as vitamin deficiencies or food sensitivities that may contribute to cravings and relapse.

Brainspotting

Trauma-informed care takes into account the potential impact of past trauma on an individual’s current mental health and well-being. This approach recognizes that traumatic experiences can significantly contribute to addiction, and therefore aims to address these underlying issues utilizing trauma treatment techniques.

Learn What Sets Us Apart

The BTG Difference

Roots of Addiction

In order to create a healthy, sustainable recovery from drugs and alcohol, it is important to address the root cause by rebalancing brain chemistry, utilizing comprehensive psychotherapy, implementing proper nutrition, and nourishing one’s spirituality.

Long-Term Care

Our long-term continuum of care allows our clients to progress through our program at a pace that fits the severity of their disease, allowing them adequate time to heal that is unique to their individual situation. Research has shown that clients who stay engaged in treatment for longer have better long-term results once treatment is completed. 

Sober Living

Our supportive sober living allows clients to reintegrate into society safely, allowing them to utilize their newly-acquired life skills and coping mechanisms in everyday situations as they continue to benefit from a sober community. Our 3 residences provide the comforts of home with added support and accountability. 

Client Testimonials

Read what our clients have to say about us

Recovery is Possible for Your Loved One

Addictions We Treat

From Residential Treatment to Partial Hospitalization, We Have You Covered

Alcohol

Alcoholism is a chronic disorder that causes physical, psychological, and social consequences.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are psychoactive drugs that are usually prescribed to treat anxiety and insomnia, but they can also be abused.

Cannabis

Cannabis induces feelings of euphoria, but addiction can result in decreased work performance and impaired social functioning.

Cocaine

Cocaine initially produces euphoria and excitement, but use can result in serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke.

Fentanyl

Fentanyl is a highly addictive opioid drug with significant health risks including overdose or respiratory depression.

Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens, like mushrooms and ecstasy, are mind-altering drugs that can lead to personality changes and psychosis.

Heroin

Heroin is an opiate that produces intense relaxation, but it can also lead to life-threatening medical conditions.

Opioids

Commonly prescribed to manage pain, opioids are highly addictive and carry a risk of serious side effects.

Prescription Drugs

Prescription drug abuse and addiction is very common, with two million people in the US abusing them annually.

Stimulants

Stimulants, such as amphetamines, create feelings of energy and alertness, and can also lead to severe health problems.

Insights for Your Recovery Journey

Explore our latest blog articles on addiction treatment, mental health, and holistic recovery strategies.

FAQs

Find answers to commonly asked questions about addiction and recovery.

  • Why can’t my loved one just stop doing drugs or drinking alcohol?

    While it may seem like a simple solution, quitting substance use is not easy for someone struggling with addiction. The changes in the brain caused by substance use can make it difficult for individuals to stop using on their own, even if they want to. Addiction is a complex disease that often requires professional treatment and ongoing support to overcome. While it is treatable and recovery is possible, it is a lifelong disease of the brain that requires a continued commitment to stay sober.

  • How can I help my loved one conquer their addiction?

    The best way to help a loved one with addiction is by encouraging them to seek professional treatment. You can also offer emotional support, but it’s important to set boundaries and take care of yourself as well. Educating yourself about addiction can also help you understand what your loved one is going through and how to best support them on their journey to recovery. Remember, it’s not your responsibility to “fix” your loved one’s addiction, but you can be a source of love, understanding, and encouragement in their recovery process. At BTG, our family education program helps family members learn about the disease of addiction, develop strategies for helping their loved one, and learn to prioritize their own mental health and wellbeing.

  • How long will the treatment process take for my loved one?

    We understand the uncertainty of treatment duration can be unsettling when you’re missing your loved one, but unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. BTG’s treatment program is not defined by a certain number of days. Instead, our addiction treatment program is highly individualized, starting the client out at the appropriate level of treatment that fits the severity of their disease. Treatment progresses as the client progresses through their recovery, not once they’ve met an allotted amount of time. We believe there isn’t a magic number of days to achieve sobriety – crafting a long-lasting, healthy recovery takes time, effort, and patience, and those who have progressed through our long-term continuum of care can attest to this. Clients who begin at our residential level of treatment have the opportunity to stay with us for a year or more, gaining more and more independence and integrating further and further back into the world as they show positive signs of improvement. We maintain constant communication with family members to ensure they are aware of their loved one’s progress.

  • What is the difference between your integrative, holistic approach to addiction treatment and medication-assisted therapy (MAT)?

    Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) utilizes prescription medications to help individuals recover from alcohol or opioid addiction. These medications may include drugs like naltrexone, which blocks the effects of alcohol or opioids on the brain and can help reduce cravings. While MAT may be an effective method for managing withdrawal symptoms, it does not address the underlying causes of addiction, like mental health issues or brain chemistry imbalances. The medications used in MAT treatment also often have strong side effects that decrease quality of life and often cause people to stop taking them. In fact, the MAT medication may become a new addiction.

    On the other hand, holistic approaches to treating addiction aim to treat not only physical dependence but also any underlying psychological or social issues that may be contributing to the addiction. At BTG, our integrative, holistic approach includes a combination of counseling and psychotherapy, amino acid therapy to restore proper brain chemistry, nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle modifications that can help individuals develop healthier coping skills and address any underlying physical and mental health issues. In addition to providing psychological support, we also incorporate healthy sober living activities like yoga, as well as participation in 12 Step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous to help establish a sober support system. By addressing the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of addiction, a holistic approach can provide lasting results. 

  • How can I help my loved one conquer their addiction?

    The best way to help a loved one with addiction is by encouraging them to seek professional treatment. You can also offer emotional support, but it’s important to set boundaries and take care of yourself as well. Educating yourself about addiction can also help you understand what your loved one is going through and how to best support them on their journey to recovery. Remember, it’s not your responsibility to “fix” your loved one’s addiction, but you can be a source of love, understanding, and encouragement in their recovery process. At BTG, our family education program helps family members learn about the disease of addiction, develop strategies for helping their loved one, and learn to prioritize their own mental health and wellbeing.

Insurance

Your Addiction Treatment Could Be Covered

If you do not see your provider listed, please contact us to learn more about obtaining coverage. We do not accept Medicaid at this time.

Illustration
Illustration
Illustration
Illustration
Illustration
Illustration
Illustration

Contact Us

Reach Out to Us

We welcome you to call our Admissions Director, Sue Dennis, at (540) 535-1111 to discuss admitting yourself or a loved one fortreatment. However, if you would first like us to verify your insurance, use this form or get in touch via phone or email.

Illustration

Please fill out the form below.

Thank you!

We will contact you shortly.

Can't send form.

Please try again later.