Grieving the Living: Coping with Loss Without Closure

When someone you love struggles with addiction, the entire family feels the weight, but what if recovery could run parallel?On this episode of Groove with Portia, I’m joined by Lisa Katona-Smith, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and founder of Parallel Recovery. Lisa opens up about her personal journey through addiction as a mother, and how her family’s experience with ambiguous grief and emotional fatigue inspired her to create a new path toward healing.We explore the concept of parallel recovery support, a family-centered approach to addiction recovery that empowers parents and loved ones to heal alongside the person struggling with substance use disorder. Lisa explains why the traditional recovery system often overlooks families, and how sustainable practices like boundary-setting, emotional detachment, and self-compassion are essential for long-term recovery and mental wellness.If you’ve ever wrestled with questions like “How do I support a loved one with addiction without losing myself?” or “Can I feel hopeful again after years of grief and emotional exhaustion?”—this episode will give you the tools and inspiration to begin healing, for both your loved one and yourself.Lisa also shares insights from her new book Parallel Recovery: A Guide for Those Who Love Someone with Substance Use Disorder.Connect with Lisa: https://lisakatonasmith.com/