Help For Families
Odyssey House Victoria is recognised as a national leader in working with substance-dependent parents, their children and members of the wider family. Odyssey House has extensive experience in and an understanding of the issues involved in supporting all members of the family.
This includes:
- Children affected by substance use
- Parents and other family members of individuals with a substance use problem
- Parents undergoing alcohol and other drug rehabilitation
Odyssey House has also been at the forefront of promoting change in the alcohol and other drug sector to better respond to children and families affected by drug and alcohol use.
Parent Support Program
A seven week course for parents affected by the substance use of a family member.
Group Aims:
- Support for parents living with the substance use of a loved one.
- Reduce the stress, anxiety and guilt experienced by parents.
- Increase parents' confidence in responding to their children.
- Increase assertive parental demands for responsible adolescent behaviour.
- Opportunity to meet other parents dealing with similar issues.
- Develop strategies to deal with associated behaviours such as family isolation, aggression,
theft and impact on other family members.
- Decrease in stress and increase in parenting satisfaction with more control
over life direction.
What we cover:
- Learn about effects of different drugs
- Learn ways to improve family well-being
- Ways to reduce family stress
- Adolescent/adult development and substance use
- The importance of linking choices and consequences
- Implementing family change
- Learn strategies to promote responsibility, manage difficult behaviours and improve
communication
What parents say:
"Since involvement with this program I can talk with my child and can cope better."
"I feel as if I have my life back, I feel more in control."
"The support from the group is a life saver, I don't feel so alone."
"My husband and I were attacking each other, constantly at each other's throats, now we can talk and come to agreement about what to do."
Contact:
A brief telephone interview will be conducted when you join up for the program.
For more program details and to register call 03 9420 7600 and ask about the Parent Support Course.
Cost: Free
Family Eclipse Program
The Family Eclipse Program is a family inclusive program for young people (16-24 years) with co-occurring mental health and substance use and their families. The program provides individual family sessions and multi-family group sessions.
Family Eclipse offers participants the chance to:
• Learn about the interactional affects of drug use and mental illness and the principles of treatment
• Gain greater understanding of both drug and mental health problems
• Effectively support the treatment of loved ones
• Understand the reasons for family stress and learn ways to reduce its effects on family life and individuals
• Learn to enhance communication between family members and improve problem solving skills
• Improve relations between family members
• Work together in a coordinated way with existing treatment services
• Gain access to other relevant services related to the young person’s mental health and drug use
• Prevent hospitalisations and other negative events such as hospital emergencies, detoxification and incarcerations.
Contact: Community Services, Assessments & Admissions
For more information about mental health services click here.
