Grief and Loss in Addiction and Recovery

Posted: Sep 21, 2012 at 8:53 PM [Sep 21, 2012]

Addiction produces many experiences of grief and loss, for the person with addiction and for family and friends. The nature of these experiences combined with the stigma, shame and general lack of understanding of addiction can make grief and loss associated with addiction exceptionally lonely and difficult to heal from.  

"Grief and Loss in Addiction and Recovery" will be presented on Tuesday September 25, 2012, from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm; by Janice Firn, LMSW, Clinical Social Worker, University of Michigan Hospital; Matthew Statman, LLMSW, CADC, Dawn Farm therapist and Education Series Coordinator; and Barb Smith, author of “Brent’s World.”  This program will describe theories of grief and grief recovery, losses that the chemically dependent individual and his/her family experience throughout the addiction and recovery processes, and how recovery program tools can help individuals cope with grief and loss. The program will also include a talk by a mother who lost her son to addiction-related causes. 

This program is part of the annual Dawn Farm Education Series.  All programs in the Education Series are FREE and open to anyone interested in attending – no registration is required. All programs will be presented from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Education Center auditorium, at 5305 Elliott Drive in Ypsilanti. The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of chemical dependency services. For information on this program and on upcoming programs, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series or contact Dawn Farm at 734-485-8725 or info@dawnfarm.org.