Community Reinforcement And Family Training
The CRAFT
A non-confrontational evidence-based intervention.
The CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) program is a non-confrontational evidence-based intervention that helps family and friends develop effective strategies for helping their loved one who is struggling with substance use issues or challenges and for feeling better themselves.
CRAFT Program teaches family and friends new skills in rapport building, positive reinforcement, communication, and problem solving, motivation techniques, how to analyze substance use patterns, how and when to intervene, safety precautions and more.
What Is The CRAFT Approach?
Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) is intended to help family members of people with a substance use issues or challenges learn how to steer their loved one away from substance abuse. It is a great method for helping someone that’s refusing treatment or refusing to admit they are no longer in control of how much they consume.
Instead of an old-school intervention where the family and friends get together and confront the person in an attempt to enroll them in a rehabilitation program, the CRAFT method encourages close significant others (which the program calls CSOs) to reward their loved one when they choose sobriety or show control.
“The CRAFT method is much more scientific [than old intervention techniques]. It’s based on the idea you reinforce good behavior, and you don’t reinforce bad behavior.”
Dr. John C. Umhau, MD, Addiction Specialist.
Are You Looking For Family Support?
The Happier Life Project team will provide non-clinical in person, virtual, and phone coaching from trained peer family support facilitators. Participants can request a day and time for one on one coaching sessions.
Impact Of The CRAFT Method
The CRAFT Method has proven to be effective at getting people who are dealing with an addiction to admit that they have a problem and seek therapy.
When 62 concerned family members signed up to take on the CRAFT method under clinical supervision to determine the program’s effectiveness, 74% of the group ended up getting their loved ones to treatment.
Another study by the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology3 had similar results, with the CRAFT method helping 67% of people addicted to substances seek out treatment. This is compared to around 29% of users whose family members relied on Al-Anon or Nar-Anon, which are support groups for families supporting someone with a substance use issues or challenges.
Alyssa Murray, the administrative assistant at The Happier Life Project works in the background helping The Happier Life Project run smoothly. Alyssa has had both personal and professional experience working with the recovery community which provides her with a unique ability to empathize and connect with those who are affected by addiction as well as mental health conditions.
Carolina Ayala, the founder and executive director of The Happier Life Project leads the organization as a trauma-informed certified peer coach, facilitator, and advocate for the recovery community in Riverside County. Carolina’s unique approach combines her years of business administration experience with her direct experience as a justice-involved woman in long-term recovery.
A founding board member with lived experience. As an early team member of Happier Life Project, Madeline is devoted to reducing stigma around Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Disorders and helping connect people in need to resources. While pursuing a degree in Psychology, she is a Certified Mindfulness Meditation teacher and is constantly exploring the intersection of nature and therapy though studying family constellation therapy, equine therapy, sustainable living practices, and permaculture. Madelina Collective is a network of women around the world who collaborate with the shared goal of bringing change, inspiration, and perspective to the world through art and innovation. She is actively engaged in fostering creativity and connection amongst women from diverse backgrounds in an effort to be a light for other seekers.
Leah is first and foremost a relationship builder who recognizes the significance of working in a collaborative and welcoming environment.