Coaches, Mentors and A Whole Lot of Tenacity: Wrapping Families With the Support They Need to Heal from Addiction with Lori Thompson

ABOUT THE EPISODE:Families who have a child or children with substance use disorder often have struggles other families don't ever experience or know about. Having a coach and mentor to come alongside you is invaluable when it comes to navigating the tricky family dynamics involved. My guest in this episode brings a wealth of hands-on experience working with teens, young adults and parents as they work to overcome addiction and restore relationships. Lori Thompson leads a team of parent coaches and young adult mentors in Wonder's Colorado region and took the time to share her thoughts and perspectives with me. You'll hear from Lori:how her experience as both a sheriff deputy and a middle-school resource officer helped prepare her for a career as a counselorthe similarities she sees in kids when they're struggling with substance use and some of what she believes are the root causes for their strugglethe impact COVID-19 has had on teens and young adults who are currently in treatmentwhy it's so important for parents to give their kids "a little bit of rope" in these days of constant connectionwhat we'd hear in a mentoring session if we were a fly on the wallhow her team deals with kids who are only participating in mentoring because their parents forced them tothe vital role of vulnerability in the process of parenting an adolescent or young adult child with substance use disorderwhy it's important for parents to find the objective middle ground between catastrophizing and putting your head in the sandwhy she sits a little longer when things get really tough with a kid and everyone else has left the roomand so much moreLori is a warm, compassionate, and insightful soul who I know you'll gain a lot from in this very meaningful episode.EPISODE RESOURCES:Lori Thompson, Wonder ColoradoNonviolent Communication by Marshall RosenbergThe Happiness Trap by Russ HarrisThis podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream CommunityLearn about The Stream, our private online community for momsFind us on Instagram hereWatch the podcast on YouTube hereDownload a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and AlcoholHopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.