Help for Moms Whose Kids Struggle With Substance Use | Cathy Taughinbaugh
Parent Recovery Coach, Cathy Taughinbaugh
For those that don’t know you, can you tell us about yourself?
Help for Moms! Cathy Taughinbaugh’s “Rise Up Moms” Club
My name is Cathy Taughinbaugh. I’m a former educator and now work as a Certified Parent Coach (CPC). I work with parents who are concerned about their child’s drug or alcohol use.
A number of years ago, after discovering drug and alcohol use had become an issue with my children, I decided to support other parents and share information about drug and alcohol abuse, treatment and recovery at Cathy Taughinbaugh.com.
I’ve had extensive training in the CRAFT program, which is designed to help families, and am a member of The Partnership for Drug-Free Kid’s National Parent Network, where I volunteer to work with parents through their Parent Coaching Program.
What inspired you to start the Rise Up Moms Club?
In 2004, one of my children entered treatment for drug abuse. I found myself thrown into the world of addiction with no training or knowledge of the subject. I was anxious, filled with fear and under a tremendous amount of stress as I attempted to understand and solve my child’s drug issues.
Family members really suffer when they are experiencing their loved one’s substance use. They feel many emotions, including anger, guilt, frustration and shame. The continual chaos and confusion when a parents is worried about her teen or young adult can be emotionally exhausting.
All family members, including moms need to find a way to heal. By understanding what is behind their loved one’s substance use, by developing an awareness about all their options, and by taking action, they can begin the process of healing and finding answers that work for their situation.
What are some of the topics that are going to be covered in Rise Up?
One of the first steps is for moms to take care of themselves in a healthy way. They will improve their ability to make good decisions. They become a role model and their actions may encourage their child to do the same.
The plan for the club is to cover twelve different themes over one full year. After surveying parents connected to my website, enabling and codependency seemed be a big concern for many of the parents.
Comments like, “I need very specific information on how parents enable their child, how to recognize enabling and also how to stop doing this.” or “How does a parent know the difference between co-dependency and support?” made me realize that this was a big issue for parents.
Another big issue is how to cope with the pain of having a child with a drug or alcohol problem. Parents often struggle with the shame and stigma associated with their situation for years. Easing the pain in any way that you can is important.
The twelve themes will cover taking care of yourself first, the difference between enabling and support, as well as the science behind addiction, how to resolve fear and shame, the power of positive communication, self-compassion and more.
Who is the Rise Up Moms Club for?
The purpose of the Rise Up Moms Club is to inform, educate, inspire and encourage moms who are struggling with their child’s use. I want moms to know that a wide range of tools and strategies are available to help them get through this crisis and feel less stressed.
The Rise Up Moms Club is for moms who are concerned about their child and are struggling to cope with their family’s situation as well as work through their own personal shame about having a child with drug or alcohol issues. Coming together and getting support from like minded people always helps a person feel less stressed and anxious.
Too often moms of kids who are struggling have remained isolated. They do not share what they are experiencing with friends or extended family because of the shame and stigma. They feel isolated and alone. This isolation does not help the depression, stress, anxiety and sadness that accompany any parent whose child is abusing drugs or alcohol.
The Rise Up Moms club is a place where moms can come together, and not feel judged. It is a place where moms can receive information, work sheets, reminders, encouragement as well as a live monthly teleconference. Video interviews with professionals and other experienced parents will be provided, so that a wide range of information will be provided.
You will be able to access the information out of the comfort of your home. You don’t have to go anywhere or face anyone if you are not ready to do that. Via email, videos and live teleconferences, the information will come to you.
What do you want moms to take away from the experience?
I want moms to know that they can be resilient and meet this crisis in their child’s lives in a way that will be helpful and will encourage positive change.
Educating yourself, taking care of yourself and learning to communicate in a positive way with your child, which will give him or her a better chance of finding recovery. It’s important for moms in this situation to take some time out of their busy lives to regroup and find their way through to a better place so that their family can heal and hopefully their child will as well.
My hope is that the Rise Up Moms Club will give moms an opportunity to connect with others, as they grow and thrive in a way that betters their lives. It’s not easy having a child with drug or alcohol issues. Moms overall were not trained to handle their child’s drug or alcohol issues and often are at a loss as to what to do to help themselves. This is an opportunity to receive information support, camaraderie and encouragement. Getting support helps to relieve the stress and anxiety of any challenging situation.
My hope is that the Rise Up Moms Club empowers moms to be able to make better decisions, push themselves daily to make changes, grow and eventually turn things around.
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To follow Cathy, here are her social media links 
To get a copy of her free guide, “7 Ways to Find Parental Recovery When Your Child is Addicted,” and sign up for her newsletter/blog updates, click here.
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Thank you Lisa for the opportunity to interview with you! It has been great connecting with you wonderful work!
You’re so welcome! I love your new Rise Up MOMS program!
Cathy brings us a creative, fresh, and necessary program for mom’s – and you bring us the news, Lisa. Thank you! What a great idea, and knowing Cathy as I do, I can assure any interested parties the program will be real-life based and well-considered (not to mention helpful). Both of you have my personal endorsement, and it’s been my pleasure knowing you – and your fine work – for some time…
Bill
Thank you Bill. I appreciate your comment!
Great to see the other side of the coin. Being a recovering addict myself and having put my parents through 16 years of chronic substance use, i never really knew or understood what they went through. Specifically my mother, she stood on the front line day in and day out and fought my addiction. Sadly as im sure you know, nothing she could do would make the actual change in me. I had to take responsibility and make the decision for myself. The saying, you can take a horse to water put you cant make him drink rings true in this matter.
One thing is, she never gave up hope and thank God today im clean and sober.
I wish to tell parents that i don’t believe its your fault, kids are going to make decisions and unfortunately through peer pressure and experimentation trying drugs or alcohol in this day is par for the course of growing up. I wish all who read that you don’t have to go through what my family went through.
God bless
Hi Bethesda,
I appreciate hearing your comment. Families do struggle when substance use occurs, especially parents. They do take the brunt of the fear and negativity that goes along with it. That is wonderful that your parents stood by you, did what they could to help you change and never gave up hope. Parents can have an influence, however I agree that each person does need to make that final decision regarding their own lives. That is wonderful that you are clean and sober! Congratulations and I wish you all the best.
Extraordinary to see the opposite side of the coin. Being a recouping junkie myself and having put my guardians through 16 years of constant substance use, i never truly knew or comprehended what they experienced. Particularly my mom, she remained on the forefront all the live long day and battled my enslavement. Tragically as im beyond any doubt you don’t know anything, she could do would roll out the real improvement in me. I needed to assume liability and settle on the choice for myself. The expression, you can take a steed to water put you cannot make him drink seems to be valid in this matter. One thing is, she never surrendered trust and express gratitude toward God today im spotless and calm. I wish to tell folks that i don’t trust its your shortcoming, children are going to settle on choices and tragically through companion weight and experimentation attempting medications or liquor in this day is about as good anyone might expect of growing up. I wish all who read that you don’t need to experience what my family experienced. God favor
Congrats to you that you have come out the other side. That is wonderful that your mom remained on the forefront. It is a hard thing to watch your child self-destruct. Most parents are never certain what to do that will help their child, so are left with a very frustrating situation.
There is so much peer pressure these days and and kids are often feeling stressed, so unfortunately substance use continues to be a big problem. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I wish you all the best.
I wish to tell people that i don’t believe its you’re weakness, kids are going to settle on decisions and grievously through sidekick weight and experimentation endeavoring pharmaceuticals or alcohol in this day is about as great anybody may expect of growing up. I wish all who read that you don’t have to experience what my family experienced.
You bring us imaginative, crisp, and fundamental project for mother’s – and you present to us the news, Lisa. Much thanks to you! What an awesome thought, and knowing Cathy as I do, I can guarantee any invested individuals the project will be genuine based and all around considered (also accommodating). Both of you have my own support, and it’s been my pleasure knowing you – and your fine work – for quite a while…
Why thank you so much for your compliment, Sharron!
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Timmy Reyes
Author
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I wish to tell individuals that i don’t trust its you’re shortcoming, children are going to settle on choices and appallingly through sidekick weight and experimentation attempting pharmaceuticals or liquor in this day is about as awesome anyone may expect of growing up. I wish all who read that you don’t need to experience what my family experienced.