Download Dora Krstic - European Federation of Therapeutic Communities

Working with families in dealing
with drug-related problems
Association ‘’UP’’
Dora Pal, social worker and family therapist
11th EFTC European Conference on Rehabilitation and Drug Policy,
Slovenia
THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING
WITH RELATIVES -1.

Family is the first social system
 Addiction appears within the family– the
addict is a part of the family system
 Three levels of relations of the addict and
the family apply:
-
drug addiction
addict’s dependence on the family
dependence of family members on the addict
THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING
WITH RELATIVES - 2.

Abstinence itself does not suffice for a
permanent end to addiction

There is every indication that addicts,
whose parents actively cooperate in the
process of social rehabilitation, are
more likely to complete the programme
and remain abstinent
THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING
WITH RELATIVES – 3.
It is essential that the person wishing to
rid oneself of addiction changes the
following: attitude, relationships,
behaviour, lifestyle, ways of
communication and defence
mechanisms in relationships. He or she
must confront the family and its ways. In
order to assist him or her, the family
should do the same.
WAYS OF WORKING WITH PARENTS
IN ASSOCIATION ‘’UP’’ - 1.

Individual counselling – Intended for
families in need of information or help
in solving the addiction problem.

The self-help group – Meetings are
anonymous and take place every two
weeks.
WAYS OF WORKING WITH PARENTS
IN ASSOCIATION ‘’UP’’ - 2.

The therapeutic group – Meetings take
place once a month and are intended for
family members whose relatives are
fighting addiction in therapeutic
communities and communes abroad
(foreign associates of ‘’UP’’).
WAYS OF WORKING WITH PARENTS
IN ASSOCIATION ‘’UP’’ - 3.

Seminars and the therapeutic group
– Meetings are held twice a month for
family members whose relatives are
part of the UP Reintegration
Programme. The moderators of these
meetings are a qualified family therapist
and a former addict.
WAYS OF WORKING WITH PARENTS
IN ASSOCIATION ‘’UP’’ – 4.
meetings – Take place
monthly or as needed and are
intended for families taking part in the
UP programmes (Reintegration
Programme and Youth Programme).
Moderated by qualified therapists.
 ‘’the parents’ school’’ –every month
from September to June. Intended for
everyone wishing to learn more about
the problem of addiction.
 Family
WAYS OF WORKING WITH PARENTS
IN ASSOCIATION ‘’UP’’ – 5.
to Parents Project –
Lectures for parents held at various
schools across Slovenia with the
purpose of informing parents about
the drug problem. Lectures are given
by people with a personal experience
of addiction in their family and former
addicts.
 Parents
UP – društvo za pomoč zasvojencem in
njihovim svojcem Slovenije
UP - association for assisting addicts and
their relatives in Slovenia)
Thank you for your attention
and have a nice and hopefully
sunny day!
Dora Pal, social worker and
Family therapist