CLASSICS REVISITED: Sectioning -- When to Consider Forcing Your Loved One into TreatmentCLASSICS REVISITED: Sectioning -- When to Consider Forcing Your Loved One into Treatment
Coming Up for Air — Families Speak to Families about Addiction
Laurie McDougall and Kayla Solomon talk through the harsh realities of sectioning a loved one into treatment, weighing safety against trust and long-term impact. Their discussion highlights how CRAFT skills can help families decide if, when, and why such a drastic step might be considered.
27:01•25 Sept 2026
Sectioning and CRAFT: When Forced Treatment Becomes a Last Resort
Episode Overview
- Sectioning is a serious, last-resort tool intended for acute danger, not everyday chronic risk.
- Forced treatment can damage trust and make a loved one less likely to seek help voluntarily.
- CRAFT focuses on dignity, respect and agency, asking families to build safer relationships instead of relying on quick fixes.
- Overdosing alone may not always justify sectioning, and time in institutional care can increase overdose risk when tolerance drops.
- Families are encouraged to strengthen CRAFT skills and assess their own reactions before considering any coercive measures.
“"Sectioning is intended to be used in extremely extreme circumstances. It's not the first go-to, and it's actually not the safest go-to."”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation digs into one of the toughest tools families might consider: "sectioning"—using the courts to force a loved one into treatment. Laurie McDougall and Kayla Solomon break down what sectioning actually means, especially in Massachusetts, where a Section 35 lets families petition a judge to have someone institutionalised. Kayla calls it "basically an involuntary institutionalization" and Laurie adds that "sectioning is intended to be used in extremely extreme circumstances.
It's not the first go-to." You’ll hear why they see it as a last-resort option rather than a standard response. The episode focuses on how sectioning fits with CRAFT, the evidence-based approach they teach. CRAFT prioritises dignity, respect and the person’s own agency, while sectioning can feel like "locking them up" and may damage trust. Laurie shares stories of families who’ve sectioned loved ones multiple times, only to find "it's not working" and the relationship is fraying.
They talk through real-world dilemmas: overdoses, psychotic breaks, co-occurring conditions, and the constant fear that comes with chronic substance use. A key message is that ongoing risk is different from an acute emergency. As Kayla puts it, "if it's chronic, it's not an emergency"—and reacting as if every day is crisis can push families towards drastic measures that don’t actually help.
Throughout, they keep returning to CRAFT skills: building a safe, non-judgemental relationship, improving communication, and focusing on one’s own behaviour rather than trying to control the other person. Sectioning, if ever used, sits inside that bigger picture, with families urged to ask: Will this increase safety, or break trust and raise overdose risk once the person leaves?
If you've ever thought "I just need a quick fix" for a loved one’s use, this conversation might make you pause, breathe, and rethink what real safety and support look like.
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.