Sober Parenting Journey Inspires Hope and Dedication

The Family Resource Center of Central New Hampshire (FRC-CNH), has expanded its Parent Education curriculum to meet the needs of the community. An intensive 14 week series ‘Sober Parenting Journey’ first offered in the fall of 2017 to a select group of parents battling their addictions daily and winning, will begin again on March 6 for parents in recovery that are at least 90 days sober.

The experience of overcoming addiction is complicated and difficult. Parents and caregivers face the additional challenge of building strong positive relationships with their children while maintaining sobriety, a goal that is both rewarding and daunting. Specially trained parent education instructors guide this journey that provides a source of fellowship and support and enhances awareness of triggers that may bring about relapse. Topics tackled by the group members include personal recovery, accountability, positive actions and hard work.

Joining the March program as a peer consultant is AJ, a single dad sharing custody of 4 children. A graduate of the first Sober Parenting Journey class, AJ shared his honesty, thoughtfulness and leadership in forming a peer support network. AJ’s journey to sobriety has included participation in the FRC Parent Education class ‘Inside Out Dad’ offered at the Belknap County Jail, the jails ‘Corrections Opportunity for Recovery and Education’ (CORE) program as well as local recovery resources.

“My co-facilitators and I are very grateful to know that AJ will participate in this next class as a peer consultant. We recognize that although we have professional training on how best to support parents in recovery, he has the first-hand experience of walking through the fires. I look forward to watching AJ grow in his recovery, and to his natural ability to inspire hope and dedication to sobriety in others,” commented Tricia Tousignant, Parent Education Coordinator.

Sober Parenting Journey will begin on March 6 and run for 14 weeks on Tuesday evenings 5:30-8:00 pm and the LCS Family Resource Center, 719 North Main Street in Laconia. Dinner will be served in class and limited on-site childcare and assistance with transportation may be available upon request. To register contact Tricia at 528-0391 or email tricia.tousignant@lrcs.org.