CLEARFIELD — The Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging will be offering a free, 12-week course for family members, 18 or older, in Clearfield County affected by a loved one’s Substance Use Disorder/Addiction.
Bobbie Johnson, CCAAA director of mission advancement, and Jessica Clontz, CCAAA board member, received facilitator training for the BALM Family Recovery 12-Principle course and are now able to bring this tremendous resource to the community.
The PA Link has provided grant funding for both the facilitator training and two courses to be offered in Clearfield and DuBois this year.
BALM, which stands for “Be a Loving Mirror,” is based on the fact that those with Substance Use Disorder are human beings and deserve love just much as any other person.
As a family member of someone struggling with Substance Use Disorder (SUD), it is so important to model recovery, by regaining peace and calm, believing that the loved one can get well and learning to contribute only to recovery, not the addiction.
The family role is vital and has the power to positively impact the loved one’s path. Research shows when the family gets well, the loved one has a much better chance at getting and staying well.
The brains of those with SUD are “hijacked” by a drug (believing it is needed to survive). In turn, a family member’s brain can become “hijacked” and consumed with the loved one’s use, obsessed with trying to control or fix the problem.
Ultimately, family members in this situation can lose their own lives in the process. BALM can teach family members to regain their own lives and be the best they can be to wisely support their loved ones.
A class is forming in Clearfield now and will start Wednesday, May 19, meeting at the CCAAA building on 116 S. Second St., Clearfield. Class runs from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., every Wednesday for 12 weeks, and is completely free. Anyone interested in attending must register by calling 814-765-2696 and ask for Johnson.
Programs and services of the agency are funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging, Inc., Mature Resources Foundation and local and consumer contributions.