Welcome to

PAL is a support group for parents and other family members who are trying to help a loved one in seeking recovery.

Click FIND A Meeting for current meeting locations.

PAL’s free weekly meetings use an evidence-based curriculum designed specifically for parents by professionals in the treatment and recovery industry. PAL has trained hundreds of volunteer facilitator parents.

OR fill out the form below to learn how to START a local meeting if you are a parent of an addicted loved one. (See below for qualifications)

Facilitator

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About PAL Meetings

PAL is a support group for parents and other family members who are trying to help a loved one in seeking recovery.

PAL’s evidence-based curriculum has been proven in studies to help parents’ wellbeing to improve and decrease enabling behavior. The studies also indicate that the loved one with substance abuse disorder was less likely to be using drugs/drinking alcohol once their family member attended PAL meetings. The curriculum includes topics such as delayed emotional growth, the role of the family in addiction, setting realistic boundaries, and healthy helping vs. enabling.

Weekly meetings offer addiction education and support at no charge for parents and other family members who are trying to support a loved one battling substance use disorder.

Who Can Start a PAL meeting?

We receive requests from people across the country looking for PAL meetings in their area. PAL has trained hundreds of volunteer facilitator parents. Some take responsibility for leadership of a group; some are co-facilitators who share leadership; and some sign up to be substitutes when needed. We are grateful for each and every one of these caring and giving souls. If you have an interest in becoming a PAL facilitator, please read the information below.

1. What’s most important in starting a new meeting, is your level of desire. A shared goal between two or more people working together, works best.

2. We provide free training and support for all of our facilitators!

3. To see how a typical meeting is run, look at our PAL Meeting Format.

4. A volunteer facilitator is not a teacher. Teachers need to have complete knowledge of their subject. A facilitator is more of a time-keeper, guide, and fellow student, learning the curriculum along with the other group members.

5. Meetings are usually 1.5 hours long and are mostly held on weekday evenings.

6. We can help you find a church or suitable location for your meeting (just as a church might provide for other outside groups such as AA or Al-Anon).

7. Once we have secured a location, you have your training, and all the resources we provide, then the information about your group can beshared with the public. We will provide brochures, flyers and information on our website sharing the meeting time and location.

 

Take the next step.

Find a Meeting