CLASSICS REVISITED: What CRAFT Can Do in 12 WeeksCLASSICS REVISITED: What CRAFT Can Do in 12 Weeks
Coming Up for Air — Families Speak to Families about Addiction
Hosts outline how an 8–12 week CRAFT process can help families strengthen connection, improve communication and support a loved one’s treatment or recovery efforts. They stress safety, self-care and practice over time, presenting CRAFT as a long-term shift rather than a quick fix.
33:03•15 May 2026
What CRAFT Can Shift for Families in Just 12 Weeks
Episode Overview
- CRAFT was originally taught over 12 weekly sessions, showing that many families can help a loved one accept support within that timeframe.
- Safety comes first: families are urged to assess risks, address any physical violence separately, and create a clear safety plan.
- Mapping the ABCs of use – what happens before, during and after, as well as during non-use – gives families practical, real-time information to work with.
- Shifts in tone, cutting sarcasm and using reflective listening can quickly change how a loved one responds and rebuild connection.
- CRAFT skills, including self-care and CBT-light tools, are presented as a lifelong practice that reshapes relationships far beyond the first 12 weeks.
“"All we need is for you to get just a little bit of this information and attempt a few changes in the way you communicate. And I believe we have you for life."”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This conversation on *Coming Up for Air* lays out what 8–12 weeks of CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) can realistically look like for families worn down by a loved one’s substance use. Dominique Simone Levine, Laurie Mcdougall and Kayla Solomon talk straight to parents, partners and grandparents who’ve hit that “enough is enough” moment.
They sketch out how the original CRAFT research was set up, then walk through a fast-forward version of those first three months: learning about substance use disorder, putting safety first, and slowly rebuilding connection. You’ll hear how families are guided to map out the “ABCs” of use – what happens before, during and after – and why it’s just as important to notice the times someone *doesn’t* use. From there, the focus shifts to communication.
As Dominique puts it, once you cut the sarcasm and “arguing with logic”, and add even a bit of reflective listening, “you will be hooked on CRAFT because you will see the difference in the way your loved one responds to you.” The trio also highlight pieces Allies in Recovery have added, like reflective listening and “cutting out negative talk”, plus a light version of cognitive behavioural therapy to help families spot and soften their own spiralling thoughts.
It’s not sold as a magic 12-week cure; Kayla calls CRAFT “a lifestyle change” that you practise with everyone, so that when crisis hits, the skills are already there. Whether someone is using, in treatment, or in fragile recovery, the message is clear: families aren’t the problem to be pushed aside; they’re a powerful resource. If you’re tired, scared, or feeling written off as “codependent”, this episode offers a structured way to stay in the relationship without losing yourself.
What might change if you gave yourself those same tools and compassion?
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