In this solo episode of Families Navigating Addiction and Recovery, I challenge the traditional, outdated "guidelines" that often trap families in black-and-white thinking.

From ultimatums and "tough love" to complete division, conventional advice frequently ignores the neurological realities of addiction and leaves family members facing severe chronic stress, burnout, and health risks.

While families did not cause the addiction, they hold the greatest power to influence positive change. I outline how families can shift from reacting to addiction's rules of engagement to establishing their own rules, learning to regulate their nervous systems, and stepping out of learned helplessness.

🎧 Follow or subscribe to Families Navigating Addiction and Recovery for more conversations about addiction and family recovery.

⭐ Leave a review and share this episode with someone who may benefit from it.

Jeff Jones helps families impacted by addiction understand how addiction affects the entire family system. Through his coaching, masterclass, book, and educational content, he helps families create clearer communication, healthier response patterns, and a different way forward.

If your family is navigating addiction and you're looking for a different way forward, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me.

Book a free discovery call: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/book-a-call/

This six-session masterclass helps families understand how addiction affects the entire family and move away from confusion, emotional overload, and constant reaction. Families learn how to develop steadier, more intentional responses and create healthier patterns within the family.

Learn more: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/masterclass-upgrade/

In Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution, Jeff Jones offers a different way for families to understand addiction by looking at the family system as a whole. The book introduces practical tools, Both/And thinking, clearer communication, and family rules that are stronger than addiction's chaos while maintaining connection with the person you love.

Get the book: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/rethinking-addiction-book/

Work with Jeff: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jones-0303834/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefamilyrecoverysolution

Substack: https://jeffjones.substack.com/

#FamilyAddictionSupport #FamilyRecovery #AddictionRecovery #LearnedHelplessness #NervousSystemRegulation #ToughLove #FamilyBurnout #AddictionEducation #ChronicStress #HealingFamilies

In this episode of Families Navigating Addiction and Recovery, I sit down with Gina Birkemeier, LPC, author of Generations Deep: Unmasking Inherited Trauma and Dysfunction to Rewrite Our Stories Through Faith and Therapy.

We dive into how inherited family patterns, secrets, and shame drive both addiction and family dysfunction. Gina shares how families can recognize when they are operating out of trauma, how to move from rigid "hiding" to active "healing," and why family members must prioritize their own recovery journey, not just focus on their loved one in active addiction.

🎧 Follow or subscribe to Families Navigating Addiction and Recovery for more conversations about addiction and family recovery.

⭐ Leave a review and share this episode with someone who may benefit from it.

Gina Birkemeier, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor, author, speaker, and founder of My Outloud Voice. With a dual background in theology and psychology, she teaches therapists and facilitates groups internationally, including in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Zimbabwe, on breaking generational patterns of trauma and shame.

Website: https://ginabirkemeier.com/

Substack: Search Gina Birkemeier on Substack for weekly articles, journal prompts, and centering exercises.

Instagram: @myoutloudvoice

Generations Deep: Unmasking Inherited Trauma and Dysfunction to Rewrite Our Stories Through Faith and Therapy
By Gina Birkemeier, LPC

Generations Deep Workbook
Features the ETPQ, Expanded Trauma Perspective Questionnaire, developed with 60 trauma-informed therapists.

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Discussed in relation to finding meaning between stimulus and response.

Dr. Dan Siegel's Hand Model of the Brain
Discussed as a way to understand the "flipped lid" and amygdala hijacking.

Jeff Jones helps families impacted by addiction understand how addiction affects the entire family system. Through his coaching, masterclass, book, and educational content, he helps families create clearer communication, healthier response patterns, and a different way forward.

If your family is navigating addiction and you're looking for a different way forward, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me.

Book a free discovery call: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/book-a-call/

This six-week masterclass helps families understand how addiction affects the entire family and move away from confusion, emotional overload, and constant reaction. Families learn how to develop steadier, more intentional responses and create healthier patterns within the family.

Learn more: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/masterclass-upgrade/

In Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution, Jeff Jones offers a different way for families to understand addiction by looking at the family system as a whole. The book introduces practical tools, Both/And thinking, clearer communication, and family rules that are stronger than addiction's chaos while maintaining connection with the person you love.

Get the book: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/rethinking-addiction-book/

Work with Jeff: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jones-0303834/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefamilyrecoverysolution

Substack: https://jeffjones.substack.com/

#InheritedTrauma #GenerationalTrauma #FamilyDysfunction #TraumaRecovery #FamilyRecovery #AddictionRecovery #FamilyAddictionSupport #NervousSystemRegulation #BreakingGenerationalCycles #HealingFamilies

In this episode of Families Navigating Addiction and Recovery, I'm joined by my colleague and friend Kristin Horstman, a gray area drinking coach.

We dive into what "gray area drinking" actually means, why traditional labels like "alcoholic" often create barriers to getting help, and how families can use nervous system regulation, co-regulation, and targeted nutrition to break the cycle of cravings and support long-term healing.

🎧 Follow or subscribe to Families Navigating Addiction and Recovery for more conversations about addiction and family recovery.

⭐ Leave a review and share this episode with someone who may benefit from it.

Kristin Horstman is a gray area drinking coach, speaker, and community facilitator who helps individuals navigate life without alcohol by focusing on nervous system regulation, amino acid nutrition, and daily somatic habits.

After ending her own 20-year relationship with alcohol, she now helps others build vibrant, alcohol-free lives. She is also a facilitator for Zero Proof Experiences and the host of the podcast Sunsets Are the New Happy Hour.

Website:
https://kristenhorstman.com/

Podcast: Sunsets Are the New Happy Hour
https://www.youtube.com/@kristinhorstman

Jeff Jones helps families impacted by addiction understand how addiction affects the entire family system. Through his coaching, masterclass, book, and educational content, he helps families create clearer communication, healthier response patterns, and a different way forward.

If your family is navigating addiction and you're looking for a different way forward, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me.

Book a free discovery call:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/book-a-call/

This six-week masterclass helps families understand how addiction affects the entire family and move away from confusion, emotional overload, and constant reaction. Families learn how to develop steadier, more intentional responses and create healthier patterns within the family.

Learn more:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/masterclass-upgrade/

In Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution, Jeff Jones offers a different way for families to understand addiction by looking at the family system as a whole. The book introduces practical tools, Both/And thinking, clearer communication, and family rules that are stronger than addiction's chaos while maintaining connection with the person you love.

Get the book:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/rethinking-addiction-book/

Work with Jeff: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jones-0303834/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefamilyrecoverysolution

Substack: https://jeffjones.substack.com/

#GrayAreaDrinking #AlcoholFreeLiving #SoberCurious #NervousSystemRegulation #AlcoholRecovery #AddictionRecovery #FamilyRecovery #FamilyAddictionSupport

In this episode of Families Navigating Addiction and Recovery, I sit down with Christina Veselak, founder of the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition and a licensed marriage and family therapist. We explore the critical, often-overlooked "third leg" of addiction recovery: stabilizing brain chemistry through targeted amino acid therapy and nutrition to eliminate cravings and prevent relapse.

Christina T. Veselak is the founder of the Academy for Addiction and Mental Health Nutrition and a licensed marriage and family therapist with over 30 years of experience. She specializes in online relapse prevention coaching, mental health nutrition, and consulting for residential detox programs. She is also a founding member and former Executive Director of the Alliance for Addiction Solutions. Website: aminoacidtherapy.com Recommended Resources & Reading Books: Seven Weeks to Sobriety by Joan Mathews Larson The Mood Cure by Julia Ross Eat for Recovery: A Guide to Radiant Recovery by Christina Veselak Tools & Kits: Research, training, and low-cost dietary tools at eatingproteinsaveslives.org

If your family is navigating addiction and you're looking for a different way forward, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me here: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/book-a-call/

A 6-Session Masterclass for Families Impacted by Addiction

Addiction doesn't just affect the person using. It reshapes the entire family. In this 6-week masterclass, you'll learn how to move out of confusion, emotional overload, and constant reaction, and begin developing steadier, more intentional leadership within your family. This premium masterclass upgrade includes instant access, learn-at-your-own-pace lessons, and full course access for families who are ready to better understand addiction's impact and begin creating new response patterns. Learn more: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/masterclass-upgrade/

Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution In Rethinking Addiction:

The New Family Recovery Solution, Jeff Jones offers a different way for families to understand addiction, not by focusing only on fixing the individual, but by looking at the family system as a whole. The book introduces practical tools, Both/And thinking, clearer communication, and a new way to create family rules that are stronger than addiction's chaos while staying connected to the person you love. Get the book: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/rethinking-addiction-book/

Connect with Jeff Jones

Work with Jeff: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jones-0303834/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefamilyrecoverysolution

Substack: https://jeffjones.substack.com/

In this episode, I'm sharing an overview from Session 6 of my 6-week Brain Health Masterclass for Families Impacted by Addiction.

This session is about making your best decisions with more confidence, especially when addiction in the family has created stress, fear, and uncertainty.

When addiction is present, decision-making can become reactive. You may find yourself making choices out of fear, exhaustion, or habit. Sometimes that looks like black-and-white thinking, either cutting your loved one off completely or continuing to tolerate the chaos and stress addiction creates.

In this episode, I talk about how to slow that process down and become more conscious of your decisions. I also share why it matters to create your own decision-making criteria, rather than waiting until a crisis forces your next choice.

I'll walk through ideas like Both/And thinking, family-based decision-making, the 10-10-10 model, and the cost of doing nothing.

My hope is that this episode helps you look at your decisions with greater clarity, honesty, and care for yourself and your family.

This episode also connects with ideas from my book, Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution, where I share a different way for families to understand addiction, communicate differently, and create family rules that are stronger than addiction's chaos.

If your family is navigating addiction and you're looking for a different way forward, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me here:

https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/book-a-call/

Addiction doesn't just affect the person using. It reshapes the entire family. In this 6-week masterclass, you'll learn how to move out of confusion, emotional overload, and constant reaction, and begin developing steadier, more intentional leadership within your family. This premium masterclass upgrade includes instant access, learn-at-your-own-pace lessons, and full course access for families who are ready to better understand addiction's impact and begin creating new response patterns.

Learn more: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/masterclass-upgrade/

In Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution, Jeff Jones offers a different way for families to understand addiction, not by focusing only on fixing the individual, but by looking at the family system as a whole. The book introduces practical tools, Both/And thinking, clearer communication, and a new way to create family rules that are stronger than addiction's chaos while staying connected to the person you love.

Get the book:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/rethinking-addiction-book/

Work with Jeff:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jones-0303834/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thefamilyrecoverysolution

Substack:
https://jeffjones.substack.com/

In this episode of the Families Navigating Addiction & Recovery podcast, I'm sharing an overview of Session 4 of my Brain Health Masterclass for Families, titled "Building Healthier Connections." In this session, I talk about how one person in the family can begin a change process that is not dependent on the addicted person changing first. I explore what it means to build a healthier connection with your loved one, especially if your goal is to influence the relationship in a new way. This includes looking at boundaries as more than rules or limits, but as a way to understand what is okay, what is not okay, and what happens next, so your nervous system can stay steady enough for you to communicate with more clarity. I also talk about verbal and nonverbal communication, the power of slowing your reaction into a response, and the incremental strategies families can use to stay connected while still honoring their own needs and values. My hope is that this episode helps you see that a healthier connection does not mean tolerating everything. It means becoming more conscious, more grounded, and more intentional in how you relate to addiction and to the person you love.

If your family is navigating addiction and you're looking for a different way forward, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me here:

https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/book-a-call/

Addiction doesn't just affect the person using. It reshapes the entire family. In this 6-week masterclass, you'll learn how to move out of confusion, emotional overload, and constant reaction, and begin developing steadier, more intentional leadership within your family. This premium masterclass upgrade includes instant access, learn-at-your-own-pace lessons, and full course access for families who are ready to better understand addiction's impact and begin creating new response patterns.

Learn more: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/masterclass-upgrade/

In Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution, Jeff Jones offers a different way for families to understand addiction, not by focusing only on fixing the individual, but by looking at the family system as a whole. The book introduces practical tools, Both/And thinking, clearer communication, and a new way to create family rules that are stronger than addiction's chaos while staying connected to the person you love.

Get the book:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/rethinking-addiction-book/

Work with Jeff:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jones-0303834/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thefamilyrecoverysolution

Substack:
https://jeffjones.substack.com/

In this episode of the Families Navigating Addiction & Recovery podcast, I'm sharing an overview of Session 3 of my Brain Health Masterclass for Families, titled "Fueling Your Personal Resilience." In this session, I talk about why families often stay focused on trying to change the person with addiction first, even when that person's brain and behavior may be deeply affected by addiction. Instead, I introduce the idea of enabling health within your own body as a first step. This means learning how to support your own nervous system, thinking, daily habits, and physical resilience so you can respond with greater clarity rather than reacting out of fear, stress, or exhaustion. I also talk about bionutritional healing, amino acids, nutrient-dense foods, and simple inside-out practices, like morning and evening routines, that help create new patterns over time. My hope is that this episode helps you see that your own health and resilience are not separate from your family's recovery. They are part of the foundation for staying grounded, connected, and better able to influence change.

If your family is navigating addiction and you're looking for a different way forward, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me here:

https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/book-a-call/

Addiction doesn't just affect the person using. It reshapes the entire family. In this 6-week masterclass, you'll learn how to move out of confusion, emotional overload, and constant reaction, and begin developing steadier, more intentional leadership within your family. This premium masterclass upgrade includes instant access, learn-at-your-own-pace lessons, and full course access for families who are ready to better understand addiction's impact and begin creating new response patterns.

Learn more: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/masterclass-upgrade/

In Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution, Jeff Jones offers a different way for families to understand addiction, not by focusing only on fixing the individual, but by looking at the family system as a whole. The book introduces practical tools, Both/And thinking, clearer communication, and a new way to create family rules that are stronger than addiction's chaos while staying connected to the person you love.

Get the book:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/rethinking-addiction-book/

Work with Jeff:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jones-0303834/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thefamilyrecoverysolution

Substack:
https://jeffjones.substack.com/

In this episode of the Families Navigating Addiction & Recovery podcast, I'm sharing an overview from Session 2 of my Brain Health Masterclass for Families, called Finding Calm in the Storm of Addiction. When addiction is active in the family, it can feel like being pulled into raging rapids, where your attention narrows, your nervous system reacts, and you find yourself repeating the same arguments or patterns again and again. In this episode, I talk about how mindfulness can help you pause before reacting, how body sensations can become warning signs and guides, and how understanding the stress-trauma continuum can help you recognize what is happening inside you before the situation escalates. My hope is that this episode helps you begin shifting from automatic reactions into more grounded responses, so you can stay connected to yourself and begin creating a different kind of influence in the middle of addiction's chaos.

If your family is navigating addiction and you're looking for a different way forward, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call with me here:

https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/book-a-call/

Addiction doesn't just affect the person using. It reshapes the entire family. In this 6-week masterclass, you'll learn how to move out of confusion, emotional overload, and constant reaction, and begin developing steadier, more intentional leadership within your family. This premium masterclass upgrade includes instant access, learn-at-your-own-pace lessons, and full course access for families who are ready to better understand addiction's impact and begin creating new response patterns.

Learn more: https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/masterclass-upgrade/

In Rethinking Addiction: The New Family Recovery Solution, Jeff Jones offers a different way for families to understand addiction, not by focusing only on fixing the individual, but by looking at the family system as a whole. The book introduces practical tools, Both/And thinking, clearer communication, and a new way to create family rules that are stronger than addiction's chaos while staying connected to the person you love.

Get the book:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/rethinking-addiction-book/

Work with Jeff:
https://www.thefamilyrecoverysolution.com/

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jones-0303834/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thefamilyrecoverysolution

Substack:
https://jeffjones.substack.com/