Living While Loving Your Child Through Addiction

Have you ever thought, "I've tried everything and nothing works?"If you're parenting a child struggling with addiction, that belief probably feels true.You've read books. Listened to podcasts. Gone to meetings. Tried boundaries, consequences, conversations, and prayers. Yet nothing seems to create lasting change.In this episode, Heather explores three powerful forces that quietly keep families stuck:• Stigma and isolation • The belief that you've already tried everything • The idea that your child must change before your life can get better Heather explains how these beliefs reinforce each other, creating a cycle of hopelessness and powerlessness that affects both parents and children.Drawing from her own experience as a mother and recovery coach, she shares why many parents get stuck as they're trying to navigate an incredibly difficult situation without the support, perspective, and skills needed to sustain change.You'll also learn:• How addiction stigma affects both parents and children • How isolation makes change harder • Why small improvements matter more than dramatic breakthroughs • The science behind how a parent's emotional regulation influences relationships • What CRAFT and Invitation to Change teach about family influence • Why your life can improve even before your child changes If you've been carrying guilt, shame, or the feeling that you've exhausted every option, this episode offers a different perspective.Resources From Heather Ross Coaching If you want answers and support to help you and your child Sign up for a 45-minute $17 Road to Recovery call with Heather using the link below. https://heatherrosscoachingcalendar.as.me/RoadtoRecovery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A New Perspective About Enabling - If you've ever worried about enabling, this guide is for you! https://heatherrosscoaching.com/perspective-about-enabling/Your ReviewMatters! How to leave a podcast reviewhttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/5xkPZM8mj-E

Guest Colleen Freeland opens up about her 20-year struggle with daily drinking, even while maintaining what looked like a “perfect” high-achieving life. She shares the pivotal moment when she realized alcohol wasn’t the real problem—it was what she believed about herself—and that what she truly needed was to do less, not more.That insight led her to create a whole new approach to change. In this episode, Colleen explains why emotional sobriety matters more than willpower, why drinking less doesn’t mean giving up joy, and how she helps women cut back by up to 80% with tools that calm the nervous system and rebuild self-trust.This is not another story about “just quitting.” Colleen shows why emotional sobriety is the missing piece for so many women, how cutting back can feel empowering, and what it really means to get happy, not sober.If you’ve ever felt stuck in shame, perfectionism, or the belief that alcohol is the only problem—you’ll walk away from this conversation with hope, clarity, and a whole new way to think about change.Resources From Heather Ross Coaching If you want answers and support to help you and your child Sign up for a 45-minute $17 Road to Recovery call with Heather using the link below. https://heatherrosscoachingcalendar.as.me/RoadtoRecovery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The truth about enabling - If you've ever worried about enabling, this guide is for you! https://heatherrosscoaching.com/perspective-about-enabling/Boundaries That Create Connection Masterclasshttps://heatherrosscoaching.com/boundaries-that-create-connection-masterclass/How to leave a podcast reviewhttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/5xkPZM8mj-EConnect with Colleen Freelandhttps://emotionalsobrietycoaching.com/https://www.tiktok.com/@hangoverwhispererhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/its-not-about-the-alcohol/id1654335817

In this heartfelt conversation, Heather sits down with Pam Lanhart from Thrive Family Recovery Resources to explore how to keep living with purpose, joy, and connection when life throws everything at you—family challenges, health scares, and the unpredictable ups and downs of a child struggling with substance use.Together, Heather and Pam discuss:•How to reclaim moments of joy without feeling like you’re betraying your child who is struggling•Why mental and emotional health require daily, intentional “work”•The power of routines, gratitude, and small daily practices to anchor you in the hardest seasons•What it really means to model emotional health and resilience for your children•How living in alignment with your values brings peace of mind, even when life feels uncertainPam also shares the practices that have carried her through her darkest moments, including journaling, movement, gratitude, and creating opportunities for connection and fun, reminding us that it is not only okay to be okay, it’s essential.If you’ve ever felt like life’s waves were too relentless to find your footing, this conversation will inspire you to anchor in your own healing, reclaim the small joys, and show up in a way you can feel proud of, no matter what life brings.Resources From Heather Ross Coaching If you want answers and support to help you and your child Sign up for a 45-minute $17 Road to Recovery call with Heather using the link below. https://heatherrosscoachingcalendar.as.me/RoadtoRecovery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The truth about enabling - If you've ever worried about enabling, this guide is for you! https://heatherrosscoaching.com/perspective-about-enabling/Pam's linkshttps://www.togetherfamilyrecovery.com/watch-the-filmhttps://www.thrivefrr.org/

In this heart-opening conversation, Heather is joined by Debby Kerr-Henry who is the sponsor of The Unlimited Gavel Club, a Toastmasters group where approximately 60 incarcerated men learn to write, speak, debate, and reclaim their sense of purpose. In this episode,Debby shares why she believes their stories - especially about substance use and recovery - belong in the conversation far beyond prison walls.Together, Heather and Debby explore:•What it’s like inside an incentivized prison and how The Unlimited Gavel Club works.•Who these men are beyond their sentences and the humanity and hope they bring to their work.•Why voices we often ignore hold vital wisdom about substance use, resilience, and change.This episode is an invitation to challenge stigma, open your heart, and discover how healing is possible in places you might never expect.Join the Free Virtual Event: Living Beyond Our Walls: Substance Use Presentations with Testimonials and Q&A.Featuring the men of The Unlimited Gavel Club at Tomoka Correctional Institution.Open to anyone impacted by substance use or curious to learn. Register here https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/EBwwNt0oRMynqiO6QhPnigResources From Heather Ross Coaching If you want answers and support to help you and your child Sign up for a 45-minute $17 Road to Recovery call with Heather using the link below. https://heatherrosscoachingcalendar.as.me/RoadtoRecovery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The truth about enabling - If you've ever worried about enabling, this guide is for you! https://heatherrosscoaching.com/perspective-about-enabling/

If you’ve ever felt stuck between loving your child and losing yourself, this episode will help you see that taking your life back doesn’t mean letting go. It means leading the way with compassion, clarity, and strength.Heather shares how years of fear, guilt, and hopelessness kept her stuck — and the exact moment she found a path forward. She introduces the two-part approach that helped her feel hopeful again: healing herself first and learning the skills to support her daughter in a way that built connection.You’ll walk away with a new perspective on what it really means to help your child — and the power you already have to change your experience, no matter what they choose.Resources From Heather Ross Coaching If you want answers and support to help you and your child Sign up for a 45-minute $17 Road to Recovery call with Heather using the link below. https://heatherrosscoachingcalendar.as.me/RoadtoRecovery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠A New Perspective About Enabling - If you've ever worried about enabling, this guide is for you! https://heatherrosscoaching.com/perspective-about-enabling/Helanna Johnson Memorial Scholarshiphttps://forms.fillout.com/t/rzzgZmhYMKus

Today we’re tackling one of the most painful questions parents face when their child is struggling with substance use - "Should I kick them out?"You’ll hear why this question is far more complicated than it’s often made out to be and why it deserves careful thought, not quick advice based on outdated, stigmatized ideas like "tough love" or "rock bottom."In this episode, Heather shares:Why the words we use when making hard decisions affect how we feel and show upWhat factors to consider before asking your child to leave, including safety, emotional health, and recovery capitalHow to recognize when fear, guilt, or pressure might be influencing your choicesWhat it looks like to thoughtfully create a transition if your child can’t safely stay at homeWhy honoring your own values and your child's right to self-determination leads to decisions you can live withIf you’ve ever felt trapped between two terrible options, letting chaos continue in your home or kicking your child out into the unknown, this episode will help you decide what’s best for you and your family. Resources From Heather Ross Coaching If you want answers and support to help you and your child Sign up for a 45-minute $17 Road to Recovery call with Heather using the link below. https://heatherrosscoachingcalendar.as.me/RoadtoRecovery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The truth about enabling - If you've ever worried about enabling, this guide is for you! https://heatherrosscoaching.com/perspective-about-enabling/

There is a crucial difference between pity and compassion—and this distinction can deeply impact your relationship with your child. When we pity our kids, we see them as helpless victims, stripping them of their agency and reinforcing our own feelings of hopelessness.But compassion is different—it sees their struggles without defining them by them, offering support in a way that preserves dignity and connection.Heather shares personal experiences that have shown her the stark contrast between pity and compassion. We’ll also explore how parents often unknowingly judge their child’s struggles, assuming they are solely a result of poor choices while overlooking the massive role of other factors. If you’ve ever thought, “I would never end up in that situation,” this episode will challenge that belief and help you shift from judgment to true understanding.In this episode, you’ll learn:• How pity and compassion create completely different dynamics in your relationship with your child• Why pity makes your child feel disconnected, unseen, and incapable of change• How compassion fosters trust, safety, and a stronger bond• 7 simple ways to shift from pity to compassion in your daily interactionsPlus, don’t miss my free Boundaries That Create Connection Masterclass on Tuesday, March 25th—where I’ll teach you how to set boundaries that actually strengthen your relationship rather than pushing your child away. Sign up using the link below!https://heatherrosscoaching.com/boundaries-that-create-connection-masterclass/If you found this episode helpful, please leave a 5-star review—your feedback helps other parents find the support they need. Resources From Heather Ross Coaching If you want answers and support to help you and your child Sign up for a 45-minute $17 Road to Recovery call with Heather using the link below. https://heatherrosscoachingcalendar.as.me/RoadtoRecovery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The truth about enabling - If you've ever worried about enabling, this guide is for you! https://heatherrosscoaching.com/perspective-about-enabling/

In this heartfelt episode, Heather shares her perspective on the damaging labels of codependent and enabler that are often placed on parents. She explains why these labels are not only unhelpful but also undermine a parent's natural instincts—instincts that are, in fact, a powerful tool for connection and support.Heather emphasizes that parents don’t need warnings about what not to do. Instead, they need clear, actionable guidance on how to help their child struggling with substance use while staying connected in a meaningful way.Listeners will discover:Why parental instincts are not the problem—they are the key.How small, intentional shifts in communication and boundaries can create meaningful change.The importance of questioning harmful labels and trusting their own 'why.'How having their own back and honoring their values is a vital part of helping their child.This episode is a powerful reminder that a parent's love is not a disorder, and they are never powerless. With the right tools and support, parents can show up effectively for their child and themselves.Resources From Heather Ross Coaching If you want answers and support to help you and your child Sign up for a 45-minute $17 Road to Recovery call with me using the link below. https://heatherrosscoachingcalendar.as.me/RoadtoRecovery⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The truth about enabling - If you've ever worried about enabling, this guide is for you! https://heatherrosscoaching.com/perspective-about-enabling/