The Compassion Antidote: A Path to Change for You and Your Child Struggling with Substance Use

The Compassion Antidote offers a proven framework for creating change for your child and family. The Compassion Antidote will guide you through evidence-based strategies for more productive conversations with your son or daughter. The value of positive reinforcement, allowing for natural consequences, and setting clear boundaries while taking care of yourself will give you the best chance that your child will be open to living a healthier life.

This easy-to-understand guide will help parents and other family members stay positive and continue to help their child change. Along the way, stories from families with similar struggles, fears, hopes, and dreams for their young adults and teens will be inspiring. 

You don't have to let go and detach from your child—you can lean in and stay close. The Compassion Antidote draws on proven ideas from the Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) approach to explain the necessary steps to communicate better with empathy and understanding. 

The Compassion Antidote will change the way you think about your role in family addiction. It will give you tools and strategies to help your struggling young adult or teen transform their life—from being tethered to drug or alcohol use to reaching their potential and thriving.

"If you are a parent or a loved one looking for guidance, this book will offer insight, compassion, and a friend to guide you through this struggle." -Jeff Foote, PhD, Co-Founder of CMC: Foundation for Change and The Center for Motivation and Change, author of Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change

"An informative and personal narrative that shows how evidence-supported practices and caring relationships can open the door for, and support, a loved one's recovery." -Ken Carpenter, PhD, CMC: Foundation for Change and The Center for Motivation and Change

"Cathy Taughinbaugh's book is an appreciated addition to the limited library of books about CRAFT and other relationship-positive approaches to addiction." -Lara Okoloko, MSW, Certified CRAFT Clinician

"This little book is a gem, one that parents will want to keep close at hand....every step of the way." -Sandy Swenson, parent advocate and author of The Joey Song: A Mother's Story of Her Son's Addiction

"Filled with the personal experiences, anecdotes, and case studies of the parents she's coached over the past ten years, Cathy offers a myriad of suggestions to help parents help their children and themselves." -Lisa Frederiksen, author of The 10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! and founder of Breaking the Cycles

"The book wonderfully summarized the possibilities and successes of using CRAFT methodologies." -Ron Grover, parent advocate, and blogger at An Addict in Our Son's Bedroom

"The Compassion Antidote reminds the reader that they are not alone, offers hope and a way forward." -Denise Mariano, Director, Family Support and Advocacy, Partnership to End Addiction

"'Take Heart, Compassion, Changing the Conversation'; as a member of a family with addiction, Ms. Taughinbaugh's chapter titles strike deep into my heart and soul." -Patrick Doyle LICSW, Family Addiction Coach

"The Compassion Antidote offers parents an approach more aligned with their instincts to support their children through life's challenges instead of letting go." -Rose Barbour, parent of two sons in long-term recovery, addiction advocate, writer, and blogger

Catherine Taughinbaugh is a Certified Parent Coach who works with parents concerned about their teens or young adults. She is a facilitator of the Invitation to Change Approach support group and is a Partnership to End Addiction Parent Coach.

Catherine is committed to educating parents and other family members about the dangers of substance use. She invites you to join her website community, which focuses on sharing information so parents can help create change.

She is the author of The Compassion Antidote, A Path to Change for You and Your Child Struggling with Substance Use, where she shares her experience with using a kind, more positive approach when you are concerned about your child. Be sure to sign up for the Sunday newsletter that shares information, inspiration, and hope.

For more about Catherine, visit CathyTaughinbaugh.com.