The Sanctuary provides a safe environment for family members, where they can receive information regarding the alcoholics addiction as well as practical help and support in creating a healthy lifestyle. We believe that it is just as important for family members to be in recovery as the alcoholic themselves.Family members or friends may join the Sanctuary family and friends group even if the alcoholic is not in recovery themselves.
The group runs for family members on Saturdays, by our family support worker, 10.30am to 12 noon. This group is specifically designed for family members only, in order that they can share their experiences, views and emotions within a safe and contained atmosphere. The group explores the 12 Steps and how they can also implement them into their lives in order to become once again a fully functioning human being.
The group also explores issues such as:

• The disease/allergy concept of alcoholism
• 12 Steps for the family member
• Education around alcoholism
• Enabling
• Co-dependency
• The true impact of alcoholism on the family and understanding how the family and individual members are affected by alcoholism
• Improving relationships within the family and with the recovering alcoholic
• Developing a network of other family members in recovery
• Overcoming Denial

The therapeutic value of group work for families has been shown time and time again. The cost to families is significant in terms of health, relationships, emotionally and psychologically.