At REAL: Recovery Education & Applied Learning, we understand how difficult and emotional the journey through addiction recovery is. Approximately 50% of teens and young adults have tried an illegal drug, accounting for the nearly 30 million individuals affected by substance use disorder. With the surplus of conflicting information online, figuring out how to best approach the recovery process can be extremely overwhelming. We know from first-hand experience.
REAL had a team of top industry experts in collaboration with parents, adolescents and young adults develop the REAL platform to help families make sense of the overwhelming decisions they face when it comes to the issues surrounding their child’s substance use and potential addiction.
Our learning platform for parents leads with empathy and full-fledged support while emphasizing community. The team behind REAL features nationally-recognized experts in the addiction and recovery space—MDs, pediatricians, psychiatrists, therapists and licensed counselors.
Resources we provide include:
- 18 courses with 42 lessons designed by industry experts as well as actual families who have faced substance use disorder
- Expert vetted content, including videos and workbooks
- Therapist–moderated, 24/7 online community of parents and professionals
- Virtual events and 15 to 20 hours of live weekly workshops with experts
Our learning is centered around providing parents with the tools and knowledge needed to assess their child’s substance use and how to make the difficult, but imperative family decisions often required for a loved one’s long-term recovery. From paying for rehab, handling legal issues and dealing with the possibility of relapse, members can engage with our top experts to effectively manage the challenges of recovery and create a positive environment where recovery can flourish.
Courses on Substance Use Disorder
“What do I do now?” is a commonly asked question when you suspect or know that your child is dealing with a substance use disorder. Our comprehensive course filled with original content assists parents through each step of the recovery process. Experts and real families who have dealt with a substance use disorder lead the courses. Available on-demand 24/7, parents can learn at their own pace, choosing the courses they need when they need them.
Course topics include:
- Prevention and diagnosis
- Establishing and managing boundaries
- Aligning the family unit to work together in supporting your child’s recovery effectively
- Exploring treatment options to determine the best provider, along with insurance and payment options
- Self-compassion and rebuilding family relationships
- Outpatient and residential living and sober living
- Managing relapses, which are often part of the overall recovery process
- Celebrating recovery milestones along the way for your child and yourself.
To supplement the course material, we have provided an extensive, carefully vetted library of resources, such as books, articles, podcasts and interviews. We want you to have the most accurate information possible from the most trusted sources.
A Real Online Community
REAL offers a private, safe space where parents can feel comfortable connecting with each other. Through this community, families can come together to support and learn from one another. Alongside professionals, they can share experiences, listen to other families, adolescents and young adults who have had similar first-hand experiences with substance use issues, and engage in discussions with our addiction specialists without fear of stigma or judgment.
We bring the REAL community together in a special way. We will host daily programming related to the course curriculum and provide the latest information on substance use disorders. These events, all led by our team of experts, will include lectures, town hall meetings and direct conversations with a variety of people—doctors, advocates, musicians, athletes and more. We want to show that the disease of addiction affects individuals from all walks of life.
REAL had a team of top industry experts in collaboration with parents, adolescents and young adults develop the REAL platform to help families make sense of the overwhelming decisions they face when it comes to the issues surrounding their child’s substance use and potential addiction. We hope our proprietary learning platform, library of resources and compassionate community can bring you some peace of mind as you go through your journey.