September 28, 2026

Graciously written and shared by Seth Goldfarb, McCall Family Recovery Coach.

“Sometimes we just can’t do it ourselves. Sometimes having somebody to extend an arm out to you, it’s just what it’s all about.”

Meet George — a father, grandfather, husband, local businessman, and client of the Family Recovery Coach Program at the McCall Behavioral Health Network. George’s adult son has been impacted by substance use disorder, and George has spent more than two decades navigating the challenges of loving someone through this journey.

“It’s been twenty years. Twenty years of addiction, and it has just broken my heart. Three days after seeing him with tubes, valves, and 22 different specialists working on him, he went right back to using substances.”

Over the years, George’s relationship with his son changed. He stopped attending family gatherings, and the two struggled to connect.

“We didn’t have anything in common anymore.”

Each attempt to help was followed by another return to substance use, leaving George overwhelmed, heartbroken, and alone.

“I didn’t know that there was anybody who could help me.”

Finding support and hope.

Everything began to shift when George found support through the McCall Behavioral Health Network’s Family Recovery Coach Program. Designed specifically for family members and friends of individuals impacted by substance use disorder, the program provides compassionate, one-on-one support to those navigating the challenges of loving someone with a substance use disorder.

“I found my strength through a Recovery Coach, and she has helped me,” George says of his work with Family Recovery Coach, Farrah McCullough.

Through nearly a year of coaching, George found greater peace, a renewed sense of freedom, and someone he could turn to on even the most difficult days.

A different way forward.

Many family members understandably focus their energy on hoping their loved one will stop using substances and return to the relationship they once had. While a loved one’s recovery journey is ultimately their own, our Family Recovery Coaches help family members recognize that their own healing and well-being matter, regardless of how their loved one’s journey unfolds.

Through one-on-one support, coaches help family members strengthen communication, set healthy boundaries, and develop tools to navigate difficult situations with greater confidence and compassion. Together, they explore how substance use affects family relationships and identify healthier ways to respond.

For George, this meant accepting that he could not control his son’s choices, while learning how to respond with compassion, care for himself, and continue showing up as a father.

“I learned the goal is to preserve the relationship. Showing increased empathy may lead him to be more open to discussing how he’s feeling mentally.”

Although he continues to hope for his son’s recovery, George has found peace in knowing that his own well-being does not have to be defined by his son’s journey.

No one should have to navigate a loved one’s substance use disorder alone.

George’s story is one that many families experience and serves as a reminder that substance use disorders impact entire families. Recovery is a personal journey, and support is available for everyone affected along the way.

If you or someone you know is supporting a loved one with a substance use disorder, McCall’s Family Recovery Coach Program is here to walk alongside you and your family. The program is offered at no cost to participants as part of the Community and Law Enforcement for Addiction Recovery (CLEAR) initiative.

McCall also hosts Recovering Together, a free support group where family members and friends can better understand substance use disorder, gain practical tools for supporting themselves and their loved ones, and connect with others who share similar experiences.

The group meets every Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Participants can attend in person or join us on Zoom. To join the group, please contact Ewa Szura, LCSW, Residential Clinician, at ewa.szura@mccallbhn.org or call 860.496.2100 ext. 1143.

To learn more about McCall’s Family Recovery Coach Program or the Recovering Together Support Group, please call 860.496.2100 or visit mccallbhn.org.

McCall’s Family Recovery Coach Program is grant funded and provided at no-cost to all participants.

For more information contact:

Farrah McCullough

Family Recovery Coach

Phone: 959.988.2658

farrah.mccullough@mccallbhn.org

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