From Worry to Peace
Essential Steps to Empower Moms of Adult Children Struggling with Substance Use
Joanne Richards, LCSW
Certified Family Recovery Coach
I was in the car feeling exhausted, another long day of pretending to be ok. My son was yelling at me again, blaming me again, insisting I hand over $200. I lost my peace, again. Will I ever feel better? Will he?
Will this ever end? What if it doesn't? He's using, again! What if it gets worse? I can't take anymore!
~ Sue (one of thousands of moms saying the same thing)
I need Peace and I need it now!
Fear. Worry. Regret. Anger.
Hopelessness. All of it, and more, can feel relentless. You can find relief and freedom from it too!
You need to know how to restore your peace ~ the steps, the path. This guide gives you a path, and
makes it doable step by step. I can't promise that you won't feel down again. I do promise that you can get back on the path. The path of PEACE.
Together, let's relieve your pain and create more peace.
Why? Because you, your child, and your relationship with them is so important. It's urgent, and now is the time. With healing, education, and enhancing your skills, you can do this. Here is where love and skills meet. Love wins here!.
On the Pathway to Peace
BREATH
Create a quiet, private space to sit or lay down.
Close your eyes. Touch your heart.
Inhale through your nose. Exhale fully through your mouth.
Do a cycle of 5-10 breaths (more if it feels right for you). Try this daily.
SELF-KINDNESS
Create a quiet, private space to sit or lay down.
Close your eyes. Touch your heart.
Inhale through your nose. Exhale fully through your mouth.
Do a cycle of 5-10 breaths (more if it feels right for you). Try this daily.
FEEL IT TO HEAL IT
Promise your emotions that you will give them compassion and care.
Create time and space for your emotions to be expressed safely (cry, scream, moan, write about them, hold them with care).
Find a trusted, supportive person, group, or therapist to process.
Acknowledge yourself with gratitude that you have chosen to embrace all parts of you with compassion and care.
REALITY CHECK
Know your thoughts will come and go, some will stick, but that doesn't make them true.
Become aware if you are imagining the past or future, bring yourself to present moment. (breathe, touch a chair, grab an ice cube, study an object).
Ask yourself if you know for sure that what you think is completely true.
Let it be when you can't let go. It is what it is ... Now what? Choices, not control.
GRATITUDE
Make it a formal practice in writing, voice recording, speaking out loud.
Look for good, kindness, beauty, comforts, any sweetness in the world.
Include yourself and the positives you brought to the day.
Look for a "silver lining", any learning, or growth from any situation.
Now, Let's put it into action. Keep Reading.
Steps Towards Peace .
Step One
ALLOW YOUR EMOTIONS WITH COMPASSION AND CARE. THE INTENSITY WILL PASS.
Step Two
BREATHE. BREATHE IN THROUGH YOUR NOSE, EXHALE THROUGH YOUR MOUTH.
Step Three
HOW WILL YOU BE KIND TO YOURSELF THIS DAY?
Write down 3 ways you can and will be or have been kind to you.
1.
2.
3.
Step Four
THE REALITY CHECK. IS WHAT YOU'RE THINKING AND BELIEVING COMPLETELY TRUE? WELCOME NEW IDEAS.
Is what I'm thinking true? It is what it is ... now what?
Step Five
GRATITUDE. LOOK FOR THE GOOD AND THE BEAUTIFUL IN YOU AND AROUND YOU.
Write down 3 things for which you are grateful.
I am grateful for:
I am grateful for:
I am grateful for:
Welcome to Peace!
About Me
As mom of a child who struggles with substance use, I have needed my own healing. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Family Recovery Coach, it gives me a unique and broad perspective to help others to turn break downs into break throughs. I know it gets dark and this road is hard.
That's how I know how to walk in the dark and find some light. Finding peace is an essential foundation to learning and loving with skills so that we can connect, communicate, collaborate, and create
conditions that inspire change in our lives, and for our children. Let's walk together.
We've been told there's not much we can do as parents. That's just not true. I help parents find relief from overwhelming fear and nurture inner peace so that they can learn and use tools that work for their particular circumstances.
When you combine all that, you have more of what you need when you need it the most. Move from confusion to clarity, from fear to peace, from doubtful to skillful, so that you are better able to practice methods that are proven to make a difference and create change.
I trust the methods I share because they work. I trust they can work for you too.
