Hi Friend,,

It’s not uncommon for parents to focus exclusively on their child or loved one when they are struggling with substance use, even to the detriment of their own health and well-being. It’s also completely understandable.

However, a critical part of helping a loved one overcome addiction is a parent’s own self-care. Watch as Heidi, a peer parent coach at the Partnership, describes how her efforts to take care of herself made her a better problem-solver and a positive example for her daughter in how to manage stress and anxiety.

Heart of the Matter with Elizabeth Vargas

“I was clenching my teeth so hard that my back molar cracked,” Heidi says. “At that point, I said ‘Time out. I need to do something different here.’”

Hear Heidi’s whole story — how she found ways to focus on her own health, and the impact that focus had on her daughter’s substance use in the first episode of our new year-long video series.

WATCH

Partnership will be releasing new videos every two weeks covering new topics and featuring a variety of voices, from parents to advocates to experts in the field. Look for the next video on March 15. In the meantime, you can dive even deeper at each of the links below.

Want to learn more? Check out these additional self-care resources.