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Healing Begins with Dependable Understanding – The CRAFT Program Can Be a 1st Step

Feb 18, 2025 | Featured Articles, News, Resources | 0 comments

CRAFT group in Colorado

The CRAFT Program offers Free Addiction Support and Coping Strategies for Families and Loved Ones

Healing begins with understanding and thrives in a safe, supportive environment where everyone feels valued and heard. Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) is a free resource designed to support the family members and friends of individuals facing addiction, also referred to as a substance use disorder. With compassion and understanding. At Axis Health System, we are committed to fostering trust, connection, and resilience—essential elements for families navigating the challenges of supporting a loved one through substance use. Trust lays the foundation for healing, helping families repair fractured relationships, build healthier connections, and rediscover hope throughout their journey. One of the most impactful resources for families in this situation is the free CRAFT program (Community Reinforcement and Family Training).

What is CRAFT?

Grounded in evidence-based practices, CRAFT is a thoughtfully designed program to meet families where they are, offering practical tools to navigate setbacks, improve communication, and encourage positive behavioral change. Unlike traditional approaches, CRAFT empowers families to take an active role in a loved one’s recovery while prioritizing their own emotional well-being. With its focus on understanding, adaptability, and compassion, this program helps families strengthen bonds, build resilience, and create a nurturing environment where recovery becomes possible.

The CRAFT program is more than a collection of strategies—it’s a lifeline for families feeling uncertain or overwhelmed about how best to support someone they deeply care about. From setting healthy boundaries and encouraging treatment to fostering constructive communication, CRAFT equips families with the knowledge, tools, and confidence they need to move forward together. It provides a clear path toward healing, offering both practical guidance and hope for a brighter future.

How can CRAFT help me?

Whether you’re navigating the uncertainty of addiction or striving to rebuild strained relationships, CRAFT can illuminate a pathway forward. It acknowledges the courage it takes to start this journey and provides a framework that encourages progress—one step at a time.

A group program that teaches individuals skills to support and encourage family and loved ones in recovery while also nurturing their own emotional well-being.

  • Identify triggers: Figure out when the person who is addicted to substances is most tempted to use. Is it when they’re upset? Is it a particular time of day? This can also help loved ones determine if they’re causing an unintentional trigger.
  • Improve communication: Communicate clearly with the user (and vice versa) in every aspect of their lives.
  • Focus on positive reinforcement: Use positive reinforcement consistently to encourage non-using and pro-social behaviors.
  • Employ natural consequences: Take away positive reinforcement when the person is using and let them face the consequences on their own.
  • Identify emotional barriers: Assess, determine, and address the things that could be making them unhappy. It also encourages loved ones to reward themselves when they work toward improving their own circumstances.
  • Work with a therapist: In working with a CRAFT-certified therapist, learn about ideal times to bring up treatment to someone with a substance use disorder. Then, learn how to immediately act on it if the person struggling with addiction agrees.
  • Continue offering support: Support the loved one through therapy, and be patient if the person addicted to substances drops out of therapy prematurely.

If you’re seeking a way to support your loved one while also finding strength and clarity as a family, finding a CRAFT group to join can be a great start. Led by trained professionals, these groups offer expert guidance paired with the compassion of a community that understands your journey. Together, you’ll learn how to navigate the road to recovery, rebuild meaningful connections, and create a lasting foundation of healing and resilience. Axis does not currently offer any CRAFT groups at our locations. We invite you to find a local group using the link below; it can be the 1st step toward a future that has hope, strength, and renewed trust.

Find a CRAFT Group Near You

For more information, email Jessica Triplett, Prevention Program Manager at the Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health.

Are you a provider who needs to make a referral to Axis?

The staff at Axis Health System believe collaboration is key to providing exceptional care to rural communities in Western Colorado. Our referral process connects clients to the behavioral health services they need, ensuring support every step of the way. Whether you’re a provider, agency, or organization, we invite you to partner with us and refer clients to our network of care. 

Visit our Behavioral Health Referrals page for more information and our online referral form.