Care To Restore Families

Amber decided to go to residential treatment at Hazelden Betty Ford in Center City because she felt it was a matter of life or death for her. But she and her husband, Nolan, both struggled with alcohol addiction and their three kids had grown up feeling the consequences of that.  

Amber expected to come home from treatment to find chaos and anger—and she figured it would tear her family apart. "I thought I was going at it alone," she says.  

But it turned out she wasn't alone at all. While she was in treatment, Nolan reached out to Hazelden Betty Ford with lots of questions, and was connected with a wide array of services that support family members. He spoke with a recovery coach, participated in virtual and in-person workshops, and even signed their kids up for our Children's Program, which was offered at no cost to the family, thanks to donor support. 

At the Children's Program, Amber and Nolan's children learned that their parents' addiction was "not their fault or their responsibility," says Amber. "They felt safe to express their feelings and we learned how to listen to them. The program gave my kids a voice."   

In the meantime, the support Nolan got changed his outlook on addiction—and helped him start on his own road to recovery.  

"He saw it was a family problem, not a 'me' problem," says Amber. "He went from angry to sorry to supportive." The Family Services offered by Hazelden Betty Ford "changed everything," she adds. "I came home to a happy and adjusted family. Things are better now than I ever thought possible for us." 

Amber and Nolan are grateful to the donors who support Hazelden Betty Ford and make sure that Family Services are available to families like theirs. Unfortunately, services for family members and children affected by addiction aren't covered by insurance providers. And families struggling with addiction often don't have extra money to pay for services—no matter how badly they're needed. That's why—thanks entirely to donor support—most of our Family Services are offered at no cost to families.  

"I gave up my pay to go to treatment," says Amber. "Being able to get my children help, without having to worry about the financial burden—that was huge. I'm so thankful."