This month, PEP Society launched our new Family Recovery Learning Series: free, online monthly sessions designed to help you understand addiction, care for your own well-being, and feel more confident in the middle of it all. Our first session: Challenging Conversations: Can We Talk?
When someone you love is struggling with addiction, even simple conversations can feel overwhelming. Emotions run high. Words get tangled. What begins as an honest attempt to connect can quickly escalate into conflict or silence.
But what if there were another way?
Communication is a tough line to walk: it can either heal a divide or create chaos, sometimes in the same conversation. In our Learning Series, we explore how to navigate these tough conversations with greater confidence, compassion, and clarity.
Conversations should avoid feeding into the ‘chaos.’ For example, in a conversation like this, follow JADE: a 12-step slogan that reminds us not to engage in justifying, arguing, defending, and explaining.
Avoid:
Justifying
Arguing
Defending
Explaining
Learn more about JADE at the k.
Learning to Speak and Listen Differently
When you're in crisis or carrying years of pain, it's easy to slip into patterns that unintentionally add to the tension. One of the most transformative shifts comes when we learn to communicate in ways that reduce conflict.
That means:
Expressing your feelings without blame.
Listening with the goal of understanding, not fixing.
Knowing when to pause and when to persist.
These are skills, and like any skills, they can be learned, practised, and strengthened. Through the Family Recovery Learning Series, PEP helps families develop these abilities and use them to reconnect with loved ones in meaningful, less reactive ways.
Boundaries: A Loving Act
Healthy communication also means knowing your limits. Setting boundaries doesn’t mean shutting someone out; it means choosing what you need in order to stay grounded, safe, and emotionally well.
It may look like:
Deciding what topics you will or won’t engage in.
Choosing when to walk away from an escalating conversation.
Saying “no” with kindness and firmness.
Boundaries aren’t walls—they’re bridges. When approached with clarity and consistency, they protect relationships by removing guesswork and reducing emotional strain.
Finding Your Own Recovery
Remember that families need recovery, too. The impact of addiction isn’t isolated. It ripples through every part of life. That’s why we focus not only on how to protect your relationship with your loved one, but how to take care of yourself.
Our goal is to create a space where families feel supported, heard, and empowered. Through learning sessions, Family Recovery Meetings, and the Family Support Line, we offer resources designed to meet you where you are, without judgment.
Challenging conversations will always be part of the journey. But with the right tools and support, they don’t have to be so damaging.
Let’s talk. We’re here to help.
Learn more about the PEP Learning Series and how to take your next step toward healing.
