Put on the healing B.A.L.M., today
& Be A Loving Mirror
The only professionally facilitated, year long, online recovery education and continuing support program in the country specifically for parents, relatives or anyone concerned with someone struggling with substance use disorder.
"The greatest gift I have ever given my family is my OWN recovery"
- Sarah M., recovering parent
Start getting your life back today with this safe, private, relevant, user-friendly, convenient, supportive, online (Zoom), affordable, & professionally facilitated program for family members.
- You no longer have to carve out precious time to get to an Al-anon meeting.
- You will get real recovery from your favorite chair, in your pajamas, wearing headphones.
- Ease your burden no matter which direction your loved one goes on their recovery journey.
Introducing The 24/7 BALM Family Recovery Education Program
The research shows that when the family gets help, the struggling loved one has a much greater chance of attaining and maintaining recovery. Yet, many families whose loved ones DO get treatment maintain their own:
Our mission is to help ALL families blaze the trail to recovery in their homes, aims to reverse the often stated misunderstanding that families:
We welcome the opportunity to educate families so they can become true partners in helping the treatment center turn the tide from addiction to recovery in their family.
Families who go through The B.A.L.M. program often find themselves:
To accomplish this we offer the BALM Comprehensive Family Recovery Education Program. The BALM – Be A Loving Mirror
A unique communication process and tool that transforms the family’s ability to attend to their own self-care and recovery, while also engaging in a positive, potentially life-changing way of communicating with their loved one
The Be A Loving Mirror Method of Family Recovery creates engaged, empowered families who:
How It Works: OUR UNIQUE FAMILY RECOVERY EDUCATION PROGRAM INCLUDES INFORMATION, TRANSFORMATION & SUPPORT
INFORMATION:
The Daily BALM – a weekly live meeting (presented approximately45- 48 times each year) and over 100 recordings available to families through the Family Recovery Academy Website. The Information learning path includes 12 courses, one for each principle of family recovery. Each course includes a lesson explaining its principle plus:
TRANSFORMATION: This learning path consists of the course known as The Seven Steps to BALM. This course provides tools and practice that help families lovingly get THEIR lives back as they also learn how to most effectively help their struggling loved one and includes:
Participants are encouraged to come live to this course at least once, starting on week one and sticking with it through week eight, and are welcome to sit in as many sessions as they would like to attend throughout the year.
This course is often offered both in the day and in the evening throughout the year and families often take it again and again.
SUPPORT: The Support Learning Path has two components:
1. Coaching/support groups that are held twice weekly. These are available to all enrollees throughout the year. For many families, this alone is worth enrollment as they have a place to get guidance on how to implement all they are learning and hear how other families are doing so.
2. Journal Your Way to Recovery: A BALM Path to Be A Loving Mirror to Yourself, a journaling class designed to take the participant deeper into their recovery process using the BALM along with powerful journaling skills and tools.
The Venues:
TESTIMONIALS: What Some of Our Parents Are Saying About The BALM:
BALM Recovering Parent, South Carolina
With a large diverse family that has been affected by alcoholism and addiction, I can shout out from the mountain top that the BALM Program has saved my life over and over again.
As a longtime member of al anon, the BALM Program has enhanced my program and given me additional tools for living life to the fullest on life's terms.
I would recommend the BALM Program to anyone who is being consumed by a loved one’s life of addiction.
The peace and serenity I have gained by practicing the BALM Program is a priceless gift that has helped my entire family.
A BALM Recovering Parent, Massachusetts
As an employee of a state Family Court for thirty-seven and one half years, I dealt daily with families in crisis due to addiction to alcohol, street and/or prescription drugs, gambling and other similar addictions. Then my own family was touched by addiction. After my loved one became sober, their addiction counselor referred me to the BALM Program, developed and run by Beverly Buncher.
Through the BALM Program, my family was able to learn and develop skills for dealing with an addicted loved one in a positive and loving manner. It contributed directly to the well- being of our family and its’ members. It also teaches you to be calm through meditation, breathing and other techniques that contribute to your healing.
Through the BALM theory, you learn to heal and nurture yourself after the devastating realization that your family has been touched by addiction and to use your skills to help your loved one through the difficult process of obtaining and maintaining sobriety.
BALM teaches you to “Be a Loving Mirror”, to teach through your example. You will learn how to use the skills taught by BALM to better deal with the issues that come up with your loved one. It is true that what BALM teaches you, it helps you be “your loved-one’s best chance at recovery.”
As a BALM participant through its’ several programs, you will hear from professionals in the field of addiction and recovery as well as from recovered addicts themselves. They relate their own personal stories leaving you with the understanding that you are not alone.
BALM has lifted a great weight from my shoulders and has left me with skills that not only work to help me and my loved one, but also with skills that can be used in other areas of life where you interact with others, such as at work and other social groups.
BALM’s website is easily accessible and gives you 24/7 access to the Lessons taught and testimonials given to let you listen again to any and all Lessons taught by BALM, past and present. BALM is truly a lifeline for everyone who takes advantage of its’ many offerings. I will be forever grateful to the BAM family.
BALM Recovering Parent, Nevada
BALM is about communicating with love. I learned every addict deserves love, dignity and respect.
My son, a type 1 diabetic @ age eight went to college and lost himself. His erratic behavior baffled me. For two years he had mental health professionals telling us it was me and my protective ways. "He is fine, simply clip the wings."
Insulin dependent children can make the most laid back parents somewhat controlling. I was convinced I was the problem. I did a lot of inner work "letting go" yet his behavior continued growing out of control.
When I discovered he was using Kratom a synthetic drug undetectable via testing I was happy to know I wasn't crazy but now what?
Heartbroken, lost and confused a physician friend recommended coaching/ BALM for this difficult "journey."
Journey? I wanted this fixed immediately. I recall my words, "just stop." I had no idea he'd require treatment.
Sadly, with passage of time, he had developed the "art of refusal" and convinced me he would die before going to treatment. I knew my conversations needed to be heard at the deepest level imaginable.
BALM taught me how to have loving conversations with healthy boundaries.
Thanks to BALM I was able to have a calm face-to-face intervention conversation with him.
He heard my heart and knew I was committed to "loving him to life vs loving him to death". He agreed to an intense wilderness program and transitioned into a long term structured sober living home.
He is 10 months sober and the insanity has stopped. Initially I signed up for the twelve week (continues throughout the year) course with coaching and then opted to take the seven week course. I reenrolled this year and suspect I'll be a BALMER for life.
Jim Graham, Certified BALM Family Recovery Life Coach, BALM Recovering Family Member
Addiction is a one-way trip of taking and isolation. Yet, the very act of taking addictive substances is only part of the problem.
Addictive thinking and behavior passes from generation to generation even if there is no using.
My chain has been broken because of The Balm. Working the BALM recovers our natural relationships.
Today my family resolves issues in a Balm way instead of the addicted ways. I am a better parent because of the BALM. Instead of using control and anger to manage my family, I use love and loving conversation.
The BALM provides a clear path to family recovery. I learned what a boundary is and how to set one. The BALM has helped me be more aware of how I show up for the addict and myself.
Jill Prevas, BALM Family Recovery Life Coach, BALM Recovering Parent Pennsylvania
I have a passion to work with people trapped in the family disease of addiction. When I discovered The BALM program, I realized this was a great way for me to fulfill this passion.
My husband and I have direct experience with the disease of addiction. In 2009 we discovered that our beautiful 17-year-old daughter was a full blown heroin addict. At this time, the BALM was not in existence. My husband and I followed the traditional route of attending Alanon meetings. Fortunately, Alanon provided family healing and recovery for us.
Our daughter also received sobriety through a lot of work on her part and a lot of money spent by us on treatment facilities. Unfortunately, our family story is not the norm. Most family members do not go to Alanon, for whatever reason, they jump right in and try to manage and fix their loved one’s addiction.
As a result, the cycle of family addiction continues. The BALM Family Comprehensive changes all of that. A structure of change is provided. The family member receives education on the disease of addiction. They also become part of a community that provides support and encouragement.
As a family member begins to implement the BALM principles they realize a transformation is taking place. They receive the tools to mirror love back to their family member, instead of shame and blame. They also learn how to "be a loving mirror" to themselves.
I am now a Certified BALM Family Recovery Coach and get to see firsthand, these wonderful changes take place in my client's lives! I am so grateful that I have the professional tools needed to coach family members through the trials and sometimes craziness of addiction.
The research shows that when the family gets help, the struggling loved one has a much greater chance of attaining and maintaining recovery. Yet, many families whose loved ones DO get treatment maintain their own:
- denial
- negative enabling
- disrespect for treatment professionals
- ‘need’ to advocate for their loved one’s will rather than for their recovery
- feeling that they can only be okay if their loved one is okay.
Our mission is to help ALL families blaze the trail to recovery in their homes, aims to reverse the often stated misunderstanding that families:
- can only be an irritant to the treatment center
- are only useful in their ability to provide payments,
- must turn their back on their struggling loved one to be effective.
We welcome the opportunity to educate families so they can become true partners in helping the treatment center turn the tide from addiction to recovery in their family.
Families who go through The B.A.L.M. program often find themselves:
- able to get their lives back
- improving relationships with all family members
- able to contribute consistently to the loved one’s recovery rather than the addiction
- partnering with treatment providers as true advocates of a loved one’s recovery.
To accomplish this we offer the BALM Comprehensive Family Recovery Education Program. The BALM – Be A Loving Mirror
A unique communication process and tool that transforms the family’s ability to attend to their own self-care and recovery, while also engaging in a positive, potentially life-changing way of communicating with their loved one
The Be A Loving Mirror Method of Family Recovery creates engaged, empowered families who:
- Experience a shift from denial to awareness
- Move from enabling to helping
- Partner positively with treatment professionals
- Advocate for their loved one’s recovery, NOT for their loved one’s will!
- Replace despair with informed hope
How It Works: OUR UNIQUE FAMILY RECOVERY EDUCATION PROGRAM INCLUDES INFORMATION, TRANSFORMATION & SUPPORT
INFORMATION:
The Daily BALM – a weekly live meeting (presented approximately45- 48 times each year) and over 100 recordings available to families through the Family Recovery Academy Website. The Information learning path includes 12 courses, one for each principle of family recovery. Each course includes a lesson explaining its principle plus:
- Interviews with Experts
- Interviews with Recovering Persons
- Interviews with Recovering Family Members
- A workbook
- PowerPoint's
- Handouts
- Recorded Meditation Guides
TRANSFORMATION: This learning path consists of the course known as The Seven Steps to BALM. This course provides tools and practice that help families lovingly get THEIR lives back as they also learn how to most effectively help their struggling loved one and includes:
- The first four principles of the Daily BALM are the pre-requisites of the 7 Steps course
- A weekly live class on each of the 7 Steps
- 7 Steps to BALM E-Textbook for the course
- A lesson on the step of the week
- Centering practice each week
- Live demonstrations of how to do each step
- Break out sessions (with a partner) that give participants opportunities to practice the step during class
- Feedback from professional coaches as they practice
- A weekly partner (recovery buddy) to practice with between classes
- Discussion
- Q and A
Participants are encouraged to come live to this course at least once, starting on week one and sticking with it through week eight, and are welcome to sit in as many sessions as they would like to attend throughout the year.
This course is often offered both in the day and in the evening throughout the year and families often take it again and again.
SUPPORT: The Support Learning Path has two components:
1. Coaching/support groups that are held twice weekly. These are available to all enrollees throughout the year. For many families, this alone is worth enrollment as they have a place to get guidance on how to implement all they are learning and hear how other families are doing so.
- 2 structured calls each week designed to provide families with coaching and the opportunity to set their own recovery goals and commitments for the week
- Led by expert BALM Coaches with personal experience and training in recovery.
2. Journal Your Way to Recovery: A BALM Path to Be A Loving Mirror to Yourself, a journaling class designed to take the participant deeper into their recovery process using the BALM along with powerful journaling skills and tools.
- Meets weekly for six weeks
- Includes a specific journaling method developed specifically for the BALM
- Gives families journaling tools that will have access to long after their one year in the BALM program.
The Venues:
- Zoom Video Conferencing – families can get on classes up to 5 times per week to watch webinars, interact with other families, and get support from qualified BALM Family Recovery Life Coaches.
- Family Recovery Academy - our powerful Learning Management System – where all of the recordings, handouts, workbooks, overviews and orientation materials are housed in an organized way. Families thus have access to an encyclopedic collection of materials
- Video and Audio Recordings – Families can download recordings of all classes and interviews day or night 24/7 in the comfort of their own car, home, or office. Many tell us they listen as they are getting ready for bed, as they are getting up, as they are driving to work, as they are cooking dinner. While some prefer to watch and listen, others simply listen.
TESTIMONIALS: What Some of Our Parents Are Saying About The BALM:
BALM Recovering Parent, South Carolina
With a large diverse family that has been affected by alcoholism and addiction, I can shout out from the mountain top that the BALM Program has saved my life over and over again.
As a longtime member of al anon, the BALM Program has enhanced my program and given me additional tools for living life to the fullest on life's terms.
I would recommend the BALM Program to anyone who is being consumed by a loved one’s life of addiction.
The peace and serenity I have gained by practicing the BALM Program is a priceless gift that has helped my entire family.
A BALM Recovering Parent, Massachusetts
As an employee of a state Family Court for thirty-seven and one half years, I dealt daily with families in crisis due to addiction to alcohol, street and/or prescription drugs, gambling and other similar addictions. Then my own family was touched by addiction. After my loved one became sober, their addiction counselor referred me to the BALM Program, developed and run by Beverly Buncher.
Through the BALM Program, my family was able to learn and develop skills for dealing with an addicted loved one in a positive and loving manner. It contributed directly to the well- being of our family and its’ members. It also teaches you to be calm through meditation, breathing and other techniques that contribute to your healing.
Through the BALM theory, you learn to heal and nurture yourself after the devastating realization that your family has been touched by addiction and to use your skills to help your loved one through the difficult process of obtaining and maintaining sobriety.
BALM teaches you to “Be a Loving Mirror”, to teach through your example. You will learn how to use the skills taught by BALM to better deal with the issues that come up with your loved one. It is true that what BALM teaches you, it helps you be “your loved-one’s best chance at recovery.”
As a BALM participant through its’ several programs, you will hear from professionals in the field of addiction and recovery as well as from recovered addicts themselves. They relate their own personal stories leaving you with the understanding that you are not alone.
BALM has lifted a great weight from my shoulders and has left me with skills that not only work to help me and my loved one, but also with skills that can be used in other areas of life where you interact with others, such as at work and other social groups.
BALM’s website is easily accessible and gives you 24/7 access to the Lessons taught and testimonials given to let you listen again to any and all Lessons taught by BALM, past and present. BALM is truly a lifeline for everyone who takes advantage of its’ many offerings. I will be forever grateful to the BAM family.
BALM Recovering Parent, Nevada
BALM is about communicating with love. I learned every addict deserves love, dignity and respect.
My son, a type 1 diabetic @ age eight went to college and lost himself. His erratic behavior baffled me. For two years he had mental health professionals telling us it was me and my protective ways. "He is fine, simply clip the wings."
Insulin dependent children can make the most laid back parents somewhat controlling. I was convinced I was the problem. I did a lot of inner work "letting go" yet his behavior continued growing out of control.
When I discovered he was using Kratom a synthetic drug undetectable via testing I was happy to know I wasn't crazy but now what?
Heartbroken, lost and confused a physician friend recommended coaching/ BALM for this difficult "journey."
Journey? I wanted this fixed immediately. I recall my words, "just stop." I had no idea he'd require treatment.
Sadly, with passage of time, he had developed the "art of refusal" and convinced me he would die before going to treatment. I knew my conversations needed to be heard at the deepest level imaginable.
BALM taught me how to have loving conversations with healthy boundaries.
Thanks to BALM I was able to have a calm face-to-face intervention conversation with him.
He heard my heart and knew I was committed to "loving him to life vs loving him to death". He agreed to an intense wilderness program and transitioned into a long term structured sober living home.
He is 10 months sober and the insanity has stopped. Initially I signed up for the twelve week (continues throughout the year) course with coaching and then opted to take the seven week course. I reenrolled this year and suspect I'll be a BALMER for life.
Jim Graham, Certified BALM Family Recovery Life Coach, BALM Recovering Family Member
Addiction is a one-way trip of taking and isolation. Yet, the very act of taking addictive substances is only part of the problem.
Addictive thinking and behavior passes from generation to generation even if there is no using.
My chain has been broken because of The Balm. Working the BALM recovers our natural relationships.
Today my family resolves issues in a Balm way instead of the addicted ways. I am a better parent because of the BALM. Instead of using control and anger to manage my family, I use love and loving conversation.
The BALM provides a clear path to family recovery. I learned what a boundary is and how to set one. The BALM has helped me be more aware of how I show up for the addict and myself.
Jill Prevas, BALM Family Recovery Life Coach, BALM Recovering Parent Pennsylvania
I have a passion to work with people trapped in the family disease of addiction. When I discovered The BALM program, I realized this was a great way for me to fulfill this passion.
My husband and I have direct experience with the disease of addiction. In 2009 we discovered that our beautiful 17-year-old daughter was a full blown heroin addict. At this time, the BALM was not in existence. My husband and I followed the traditional route of attending Alanon meetings. Fortunately, Alanon provided family healing and recovery for us.
Our daughter also received sobriety through a lot of work on her part and a lot of money spent by us on treatment facilities. Unfortunately, our family story is not the norm. Most family members do not go to Alanon, for whatever reason, they jump right in and try to manage and fix their loved one’s addiction.
As a result, the cycle of family addiction continues. The BALM Family Comprehensive changes all of that. A structure of change is provided. The family member receives education on the disease of addiction. They also become part of a community that provides support and encouragement.
As a family member begins to implement the BALM principles they realize a transformation is taking place. They receive the tools to mirror love back to their family member, instead of shame and blame. They also learn how to "be a loving mirror" to themselves.
I am now a Certified BALM Family Recovery Coach and get to see firsthand, these wonderful changes take place in my client's lives! I am so grateful that I have the professional tools needed to coach family members through the trials and sometimes craziness of addiction.
Stacey K., recovering parent
The B.A.L.M. family member recovery program and private coaching is like taking years of Alanon and putting it into 12 weeks. The two are a wonderful combo together. B.A.L.M. has brought me to a more center of calmness and has helped me come from a place of love when dealing with my son. In addition, it has helped dealing with others I interact with in my life. My conversations with my son have changed drastically after learning to script and remembering to Be A Loving Mirror. The live interactive calls, B.A.L.M. principles, 7 steps to B.A.L.M. and calls with my assigned recovery buddy have been such a blessing to my own recovery and also in supporting my son's recovery (not his disease). I could go on longer, this is a condensed version of my love of the B.A.L.M. program.
The B.A.L.M. family member recovery program and private coaching is like taking years of Alanon and putting it into 12 weeks. The two are a wonderful combo together. B.A.L.M. has brought me to a more center of calmness and has helped me come from a place of love when dealing with my son. In addition, it has helped dealing with others I interact with in my life. My conversations with my son have changed drastically after learning to script and remembering to Be A Loving Mirror. The live interactive calls, B.A.L.M. principles, 7 steps to B.A.L.M. and calls with my assigned recovery buddy have been such a blessing to my own recovery and also in supporting my son's recovery (not his disease). I could go on longer, this is a condensed version of my love of the B.A.L.M. program.
Investment includes up to 4 people.
Regrettably, no family is born with the knowledge of how to deal effectively with addiction. It is a skill that must be learned and practiced daily.
- NCAAD, The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.
- NCAAD, The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.