1. Supporting Children Who Have Been Hurt By A Loved One’s Addiction
Kass Wille, Hazelden Betty Ford Children’s Program Counselor
Heather Levin, Hazelden Betty Ford Children’s Program Counselor

2. Basic Program Information
No child is ever turned away due to the inability to pay!
Four day psycho-education program for kids 7-12 who come from a family where addiction has been or is still a problem
Kid friendly and fun
Caregiver component on Saturday and Sunday
Sobriety requirement
Continuing care program, Stage II, offered bi-monthly
Weekly aftercare groups for kids, teens, and adults
School based programming

3. First Hurt, Last Helped
1 in 3 children live in a family where substance use is a problem
Adults can go to tx, counseling, get help for themselves – kids don’t have that and are often not even asked if they are ok
The last vestige of denial – don’t want to think that their children were hurt
Caregivers are children’s first teachers- Whether positive or negative, they model:
Problem solving
Responding to emotions
Coping skills
Talk about different ways hurt –
Broken promises
Unsafe environments
Fighting
Loss – tangible, intangible

4. Bag of Rocks
How do people get better from alcohol and drugs?

5. Listen Educate Play How Can You Help?
Listen - We believe kids deserve to be heard and have a voice. Its important to validate their perspective and feelings. Give them opportunities to share in different ways. Talking, writing, drawing, sharing, with peers, adults and in a group. Kids benefit from hearing the stories of other children because they hear that they are not alone. This experience decreases shame and helps children feel ok being themselves.
Talk about share with grown ups and how we facilitate that. When adults listen and validate children’s feelings and words, it tells them they MATTER.
As a professional, listen to kids. Trust their perspective. Ask questions and help them process their thoughts and feelings. Be curious! Don’t be scared to ask them their feelings and thoughts, break those laws of addiction
Educate - When kids are armed with accurate and age appropriate information about addiction it helps them to take responsibility in their own prevention, understand what has been happening with their family, build empathy and understanding for their loved ones, gain a healthy understanding of what they can and cannot control, increase emotional resilience, decrease guilt and shame, etc.
Education and Prevention-
What addiction is
How people get it & get better
Chance to ask questions
Kid friendly and fun
Say no, ask for help
Adults learn the same language
Coping skills
Let it out and talk about it
How to identify and explain feelings to others
It’s ok to cry
drawing, writing
Anger management and forgiveness
Externalizing addiction
Self-Care
Problem solving
Autonomy
It’s not your fault.
You deserve help just for yourself.
You are not alone.
People can and do get better; but even if they don’t, kids can feel better.
It’s okay to talk about your thoughts and feelings with safe people.
People with addiction are not bad people, but bad things can happen
Play - Being a kid!
A kids number one job
Recovering families must learn to have fun together
Filial play therapy and boundaries
Kids talk when they play, great way for them to connect.
All of our learning is disguised in fun! Its how they establish safety and remember what we teach them.

6. Thank you for all that you do!
For more information contact: Kass Wille Heather Levin