Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) is a therapeutic technique that teaches family, friends and relatives effective strategies that will help their loved ones enter programs for mental health and substance abuse recovery as well as improve their own lives.

 

CRAFT PRINCIPLES

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CRAFT principles are rooted from The Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA). The CRAFT program was designed to help concerned significant others (CSOs) who are worried about loved ones, or identified patients (IPs), that are resistant to mental health and substance abuse recovery programs. 

CRAFT OBJECTIVES
CRAFT focuses on teaching friends and family members of IPs the skills to improve their lives in several areas including; self-care, problem-solving, goal setting, and pleasurable activities. Participants of the CRAFT program learn:  

• Self-care

• Problem-solving

• Positive reinforcement strategies

• Positive communication strategies

• How to understand a loved one’s triggers for substance use

• Precautions for domestic violence

• Persuading a loved one to help

CRAFT gives significant others and family members the tools to help them help their loved one's who are resistant to entering programs for recovery. CRAFT prepares CSO’s with behavioral and motivational strategies for interacting with loved ones that are not ready to make a change. 

CRAFT helps CSOs learn to modify their reaction, expectations and behaviors towards the identified patient. Participants will learn to reduce or eliminate current substance use and addictive behaviors in IPs. CRAFT teaches concerned significant others and family members to help motivate your loved one in seeking treatment. CRAFT shows family members and significant others the importance of self-care as they manage their concerns with their loved one and maintain or rebuild their feelings of happiness.