Wayside House Family Program

A new way to support men in recovery 

Wayside House believes that no substance user, however isolated, is ever truly alone. Research shows that social supports have a protective effect against relapse, a finding borne out by the success of our Supportive Housing and Continuing Care programs.

The primary purpose of our new Family Program, currently being brought to life with generous support from ArcelorMittal Dofasco, is to broaden the base of social supports offered to men in recovery at Wayside.

Families are a crucial part of successful recovery and, as such, we are working to integrate them into the residential program’s course of treatment. Having observed how beneficial familial involvement can be, we are excited to formalize this new therapeutic avenue.​

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Program Structure

Family Program support sessions are led by a client’s assigned counselor and include whichever family members the client wishes to involve in their treatment plan. During these sessions, clients work through their treatment and transition plans with their family members and identify potential challenges and opportunities for support.

​Treatment goals incorporate crucial recovery topics such as communication, conflict resolution and healthy responses to stress. Family members are encouraged to participate in their loved ones’ treatment while respecting their autonomy and self-actualization.

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Program Mission

We aim to create a safe, therapeutic environment for client and family, thus encouraging their healing processes to mutually reinforce one another. Wayside House recognizes that our clients’ time in treatment, however impactful it may be, is only a small part of their recovery journey. The Family Program further fulfills our vision of Forever Aftercare by ensuring fewer clients take this lifechanging
journey alone.

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More to come...

Watch this space for updates as we roll out the first educational components of this exciting new program!