Grief and Loss in Addiction and Recovery - March 2019

Dawn Farm Addiction and Recovery Education Series

“Grief and Loss in Addiction and Recovery” was presented on March 26, 2019; by Jerry Fouchey, BS, MA, SpA, CADC; Dawn Farm Personal Medicine Therapist and Didactic Group Facilitator; and Barb Smith, author of “Brent’s World.” Unresolved grief and loss frequently accompany people throughout the process of moving from the culture of addiction to the culture of recovery. Families of people with addiction experience grief and loss as well. This program will explain various theories of grief and grief recovery, describe losses that people with substance use disorders and their families experience throughout the addiction and recovery processes, and discuss how recovery program tools can help individuals cope with grief and loss. The presentation will include a powerful personal story of grief, loss and recovery.

This program is part of the Dawn Farm Education Series, a FREE, annual education series developed to provide accurate, helpful, hopeful, practical, current information about substance use disorders, recovery, family and related issues. The Education Series is organized by Dawn Farm, a non-profit community of programs providing a continuum of substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. For information, please see http://www.dawnfarm.org/programs/education-series.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS:

Jerry Fouchey, BS, MA, Sp.A., CADC

Jerry Fouchey has extensive experience in the field of education as an administrator, facilitator, strategist, teacher and practitioner in the areas of educational administration, curriculum, instruction and staff development, and has played leadership roles in many initiatives in various public school districts. After several years as a Dawn Farm Spera Recovery Center Counselor and later as an Outpatient therapist, Jerry Fouchey currently serves as a Personal Medicine therapist and didactic group facilitator for Dawn Farm. He earned his BS, MA, and Sp.A. from Eastern Michigan University, has received additional training in substance use disorder prevention and treatment procedures, and is a Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CADC). Jerry was instrumental in the implementation of Dawn Farm’s Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Personal Medicine programs.

Barb Smith

Barb Smith is the author of “Brent’s World,” a book about the life and death of her oldest son. Barb is a frequent speaker at community, school and church functions.