Support for Families

CRAFT is an approach for helping family members change the way they interact with someone they love who is using substances that makes change more likely.

There are 3 goals:

1) Improve the quality of life of the concerned significant other.

2) Reduce the loved one’s substance use.

3) Engage the loved one in treatment and support.

It is an evidence-based, individualized approach where we have a menu of different options and skills to review based on your unique family and your unique needs and goals.

Invitation to Change is based on CRAFT and developed by the Centre for Motivation and Change. In addition to CRAFT it also incorporates aspects from other evidence-based psychological therapies such as Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Many people use “Intervention” as a short form to refer to the Johnson Intervention. An “intervention” typically refers to a carefully planned process by family and friends where they confront someone about their substance use, the effects that it has on others, and ask them to accept treatment.

Research suggests that it can be effective for getting people into treatment, however a minority of families complete it. In comparison to CRAFT, more families complete the treatment and more loved ones enter treatment using this approach. Read more here, or here, or contact us for further scientific articles and references comparing this approach, as well as Al-Anon to CRAFT.

Cost is one barrier to therapy- but often getting there can be another. Finding a provider close to home or work, taking additional time off work to travel to an appointment, fighting traffic, rushing to find and pay for parking- all of this can be stressful and even add to the list of things that are already overwhelming you. I provide services virtually, through an end to end encrypted provider (Jane app) so that you can attend from the convenience of your own home or office. It’s similar to Zoom, Doxy, Facetime, or other services that you may already use. You get a link via email about 30mins before your appointment- click the link and voila! You are connected and ready for your appointment!

All questionnaires and consent forms are also send through the Jane app. You can complete them when it works FOR YOU. No coming 30mins early, or having to stay late to complete the forms. Payment can also be made through the app (all your information is kept separate and in accordance with Canadian privacy guidelines)- or through e-transfer.

Once you book an appointment online through Jane, you will also receive an email link from the Jane app to complete some intake forms. They will include questions about you, such as, “what are your concerns” and “what have you tried already”. You will also receive a consent form about my services. This outlines the risks and benefits, your rights, what to do if you have a complaint, as well information about payment and fees. If you have questions about any of those things- you don’t have to sign the online form. You can wait until we have our first appointment to discuss everything.

Approximately 30mins before our appointment, you will receive an email from the Jane app with the link for our virtual meeting. You just click the link and you’re connected. It is very similar to Zoom, Doxy, Facetime, or other video services you might have already tried. At our first meeting we will go over questions you have about treatment and I will ask you more questions about what has been happening. I want to make sure I understand all aspects of your life, your loved one, the challenge(s) you’re facing, and how these challenges have changed over time. That will help us create a unique road map for change.

Guidance on how to connect to your appointment from the Jane app is here. If you want to test your video before your appointment, click here. You can also click here for trouble shooting tips.

Often partners may want to attend sessions together when the loved one who is using substances is their adult child. This is fine and actually has many advantages for getting everyone on the same page and using a consistent approach. After booking your appointment, please email about this arrangement so we can send a second set of consent and intake forms to the other family member who will be attending sessions with you.

Similar to the recommended fees by the BC Psychological Association guidelines for pricing, fees for services are set at $245 per therapy hour (50mins).

Sessions are 50mins in length so that there is 10mins for additional documentation and service planning. Additional services (e.g. letters, care coordination meetings) are charged in 10-minute increments at one-fifth of the hourly rate.

Psychological services are exempt from GST and costs are often covered by insurance or Employee and Family Assistance Program plans. See your plan for details. They are also tax deductible medical expenses. See the Canadian Revenue Agency website or speak to your accountant for more information.

If you have limited coverage we can work together to figure out what options might work so you can get the most out of our time together. That might mean supplementing our work with workbooks and manuals, or other free/low cost services so that we focus our limited time on problem solving the the “stuck points” or areas of confusion and complexity.

Services are paid for by the client (or another designated payer such as a parent). Our services are not covered by MSP but a portion of our services are often covered through Workplace Health, Health Spending Accounts, and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. Check your policy for what is covered under “Psychological Services” as well as for any yearly limits.

Yes. You may also be able to claim any non-reimbursed fees as tax deductible medical expenses. Please speak to your accountant and/or consult the Canada Revenue Agency for more information

We never double book. Each therapy hour is saved just for you. As a result, we require 48 hour notice for cancellations otherwise the full fee will be charged.

We use the Jane app for our virtual services. You will receive a link to your appointment approximately 30mins before it starts. You can connect through your computer, cellphone, or tablet device as long as you have a working camera, speakers and microphone. For tips on connecting, go here.

If you’d like to test your video before your appointment, click here.

Trouble shooting tips are here.

Yes! CRAFT has been studied for all kinds of family relationships and it is effective for parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, etc. All that matters in that you have ongoing contact with your loved one.

If you do not have ongoing, or frequent contact at this stage (e.g. less than weekly) with your loved one we can still work together- we just may need to discuss how to improve and increase interactions first.

Dr. Heather Fulton limits her work in substance use health to adults or those in their late teens (18yrs+).

If your loved one is an adolescent, you would likely be better served by another treatment provider with expertise in child and adolescent mental health. Other providers and/or peer helpers with training in CRAFT/Invitation to Change can be found through Helping Families Help (please note that this resource is not Canadian-based so not all providers listed can work with Canadian clients given legal requirements). Another free resource for support is FAR Canada.

No. CRAFT, ITC and similar approaches are NOT family therapy. Dr. Heather Fulton is NOT a family therapist.

Family therapy typically involves members of a family working together to improve communication and functioning. In CRAFT, or Invitation to Change, your loved one is not regularly attending sessions with you (although they may attend some sessions as a “guest”). Importantly, they are not a client of Wayfinder Wellness Centre.

In CRAFT/Invitation to Change we will be focusing on you and the holistic helping framework for how to support your loved one with substance use difficulties.