Who’s Driving Your Bus? : Family Systems | Mental Health Monday
With Margaret Swift Thompson
Originally Aired on Monday, June 20, 2022 @ 11:00 am PST
Who’s Driving Your Bus? : Family Systems with Margaret Swift Thompson
If there are 21 million people in the US with a substance use disorder and one person loves them, that is 42 million people who are walking wounded from this family disease. Without including the behavioral addictions.
Entering recovery due to the fallout of her’s ex’s secret life in his sexually compulsive behavior, Margaret did not know what she didn’t know. From denial to obsession, being wholly derailed from recovery if they communicated, she was consumed by trying to control and manage him to avoid her pain.
Margaret will walk us through the parallel process of the family response to the disease of addiction. She will speak about triggers for the loved ones that set off Monkey Chatter.
This Bus Analogy came from such an unexpected source and has been one she repeatedly uses along her recovery journey.
Her passion is to educate and support people who love someone with addiction. She tells her clients they have a no-fault illness, and are not responsible for cleaning up the wreckage in their family. Margaret faced her food addiction,and seven painful years later, and with abstinence, she gained heartbreaking insight into how her illness harmed her children and husband.
Addiction leaves its imprint on families, and recovery also does.
There is hope and healing for the entire family in recovery.
During this engaging session of #MentalHealthMonday Margaret will help us learn:
- How addiction affects an entire family system
- Her personal story of experiencing addiction in a family
- Tools to navigate a loved one’s addiction and recovery
ABOUT MARGARET
Having dedicated her career to the family disease of addiction for over 20 years at Hazelden Betty Ford, Margaret brings a wealth of knowledge and clinical experience to her recovery coaching practice, Embrace Family Recovery, LLC. Clients work alongside Margaret to develop healthier coping strategies for this baffling family disease. She believes in possibility over pathology.
Margaret is a dynamic speaker and a lifelong student. She is a CTA-certified coach, and she brings her long-term active recovery from codependency and food addiction to the table. Her creative approach to family work matches her enthusiasm and ability.
We believe that when women heal, families heal, and communities do too.
The SHE RECOVERS Foundation Weekly #MentalHealthMonday Educational Series is composed of hour-long, live, recovery-focused educational sessions featuring today’s leaders in women’s wellness, mental health, and addiction recovery.
All #MentalHealthMonday sessions are broadcasted on Facebook and added to our Youtube Channel for future viewing.
With Great Thanks
This series is made possible by Alkermes.
The SHE RECOVERS Foundation was awarded funding in 2021 as part of the Alkermes Inspiration Grants® program to re-launch #MentalHealthMonday in the fall of 2021. This critical grant support will help us to continue delivering our innovative #MentalHealthMonday Educational series and better meet the increasingly diverse needs of our growing community. We are humbled, grateful, and invigorated by this honor.
