Skip to content
Book now
A waterfall in a green canyon

For spouses, partners & friends

Loving someone who is struggling

When your partner, spouse or close friend is struggling with alcohol or drugs, it affects every part of your life, and it can feel like no one understands.

Free discovery callSend a message
Two people holding hands in comfort

You matter too

Support for the person beside them

Maybe you’re walking on eggshells, covering for them, or wondering how much longer you can keep going.

You don’t have to choose between giving up on them and losing yourself. There is another way.

As a certified family recovery coach trained in CRAFT and Invitation to Change, I help spouses, partners and friends learn calm, compassionate ways to communicate, set boundaries that protect their own wellbeing, and invite their loved one toward change. Your loved one doesn’t need to be ready for help for these tools to make a difference.

We can meet in person in Coaldale or Lethbridge, or by phone or Zoom from anywhere in Alberta.

What we’ll work on

  • How to talk about drinking or drug use without it turning into a fight
  • How to set boundaries that protect you and your family
  • How to take care of yourself, whatever your loved one decides
  • What to do when your loved one refuses help
Read: What to do when your loved one refuses help
Book a free discovery callExplore services

FAQs

Questions you might have

Still wondering? Send me a message anytime.

Contact Joanne
Is family recovery coaching the same as counselling?

No. I’m a certified family recovery coach, not a counsellor or therapist, and coaching isn’t addiction treatment. It’s practical, skills-based support for you, the person who loves someone who is struggling. Many people find it helpful alongside counselling or their loved one’s treatment.

Is this only for parents?

Not at all. I support parents, spouses and partners, siblings, adult children, grandparents and friends: anyone who loves someone struggling with substance use.

Does it matter what substance my loved one is using?

No. The CRAFT and Invitation to Change tools help whether your loved one is struggling with alcohol or drugs.

What if my loved one won’t get help?

That’s where many people start, and it’s exactly what these tools are for. You don’t need your loved one to be ready, or even to know you’re getting support. Read more in What to Do When Your Loved One Refuses Help.

Do you only work with people in Coaldale and Lethbridge?

I’m based in Coaldale and Lethbridge, Alberta. Family Intervention & Support sessions can be in person or by Zoom, and coaching is by phone or Zoom, so I work with people in Taber, Medicine Hat and across Alberta.

Take the first step

Book a free 30-minute discovery call. It’s a private, confidential phone conversation about what’s happening in your family and what you need right now.

Free discovery callSend a message

Explore

Ways I can help

A family of three in a field at sunset, the father lifting a young girl into the air

2-hour intensive

Family Intervention & Support

Perfect for someone who needs breakthrough guidance without committing long-term.

Read more
A person in a denim jacket on a laptop by a sunny window

Weekly · Starts with a free call

1:1 Family Recovery Coaching

Personalized coaching support for people navigating the weight of loving someone with substance use challenges.

Read more
Evergreen trees framing a mountain lake

In person · For women

Retreats

In-person retreats for women who don’t know what to do anymore while loving someone who’s struggling with substance use.

Read more