What Is the CRAFT Approach to Addiction?

When it comes to addiction treatment, each individual will go on a unique journey to recovery. And approaches such as the CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) method can be extremely helpful, especially in the early stages of recovery.

But CRAFT doesn’t just focus on the individual struggling with addiction. It focuses on the entire family unit, involving loved ones in the recovery process in ways that are positive, supportive, and proactive.

This blog post explores what the CRAFT approach is, how it works, and why, for some people, it’s considered an effective method for encouraging recovery and creating a supportive environment where change can happen.

What Is the CRAFT Approach?

The CRAFT approach (which is an acronym that stands for Community Reinforcement and Family Training) is an evidence-based programme, which is designed to specifically help families and friends of individuals with addiction and encourage their loved ones toward recovery.

CRAFT approaches recognise that addiction doesn’t only impact the individual and that it also has a ripple effect on family and relationships.

Through support sessions, this method is supposed to provide loved ones with:

• Tools and techniques to communicate effectively.
• A safe space to discuss how it’s impacted them personally.
• How they can help reduce enabling behaviours.
• Ways to help motivate their loved ones to seek treatment.

It’s particularly useful because it teaches families how to influence positive behaviour change without ultimatums or confrontations, which often simply don’t work unless the individual is ready for change.

Who Developed the CRAFT Approach?

This method has been around for over 30 years, and Dr. Robert Meyers first developed it in the 1970s.

The inspiration behind creating this approach was from personal struggles. He had grown up with a father who suffered from alcoholism, meaning he had first-hand insight into how substance abuse could harm family units. Sadly, Meyers also went on to struggle with addiction later in life, but he has since achieved recovery.

He has openly discussed how his mother would attend alcoholics anonymous meetings in the hopes of understanding more, as there was no group support for loved ones. CRAFT was the first programme that promoted support for family members of someone with addiction.

How Does the CRAFT Approach Work?

CRAFT is all about reinforcing positive behaviour and reducing the rewards associated with substance use.

So, rather than focusing on punishment or harsh confrontations, CRAFT essentially shifts this focus to promote a compassionate approach that involves three main elements. This requires understanding and modifying behaviour, encouraging positive communication, supporting positive changes, and allowing natural consequences to happen.

Understanding and Modifying Behaviour

The approach teaches family members to identify the triggers and rewards that might be reinforcing their loved one’s substance use.

Very often, people turn to substances because they are looking for a way to cope with stress, emotions, or specific situations. By understanding these underlying factors, family members can work to create a supportive environment that minimises triggers and provides positive alternatives to substance use.

Encouraging Positive Communication

A common struggle loved ones have is communicating with their loved one who is going through addiction.

It’s incredibly difficult to reason or talk openly with someone going through this, and it’s simply down to addiction not being rational. Addiction takes away the ability to act and think rationally because they are no longer in control. So, one of the main aspects of CRAFT is teaching people effective communication skills for their specific and unique situations in scenarios like this.

It’s common for emotions to run high, leading to arguments, accusations, or silence. CRAFT helps people learn how to express their concerns in a way that is non-judgemental, supportive, and constructive to minimise the risk of conversations becoming volatile or unproductive.

Supporting Positive Changes

With this approach, there’s a strong emphasis on positive reinforcement. Loved ones are encouraged to recognise and reward even the smallest of steps toward recovery because progress is progress, no matter what.

Whether that’s attending a rehabilitation clinic or a therapy session, cutting down on substance use, or engaging in healthier behaviours, highlighting progress rather than focusing on the setbacks, CRAFT helps motivate the individual with addiction to continue on their journey to recovery.

Allowing Natural Consequences to Happen

A big part of CRAFT is learning how to stop enabling behaviours, even though they come from a place of love most of the time.

Enabling is a very common and normal reaction to seeing a loved one struggling. Our initial response will be to protect them, even if we know it’s a short-term fix. This approach helps loved ones to really understand how this is ineffective, and, in most cases, it makes the addiction worse.

Allowing natural consequences to happen takes a lot of strength when you care deeply, and this approach helps with developing the ability not to shield them when a direct result happens. The logic behind this is that the sooner they feel these consequences, the closer they are to the realisation they might need help.

Who Is the CRAFT Approach for?

It is particularly helpful in situations where loved ones feel a sense of hopelessness, and the person with addiction is still very resistant to seeking treatment. However, it’s important to remember that CRAFT is not about forcing someone into recovery. It’s about gently encouraging and motivating them to recognise their need for change.

Families who are struggling with how to respond to their loved one’s addiction, who want to avoid confrontational methods, and who are looking for a supportive framework to encourage real change are often ideal candidates for CRAFT.

Since CRAFT also emphasises self-care, it’s a method that aims to improve the overall well-being of everyone involved, not just the individual with addiction.

Does It Work?

One of the reasons CRAFT is so widely respected in the field of addiction treatment is that it is entirely rooted in behavioural science.

Research shows that rewarding positive behaviour can be more effective in encouraging long-term change than punishing negative behaviour. CRAFT also draws on evidence from cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), particularly the idea that changing how we respond to certain triggers and stimuli can lead to changes in behaviour.

According to studies, CRAFT is highly effective at helping individuals seek treatment, with research showing that it can increase the likelihood of a loved one entering treatment by as much as 63%, which is incredible.

This is a much higher success rate than other forms of interventions and different approaches, making it a preferred choice for families struggling to navigate the complex dynamics of addiction.

CRAFT in Practice: What Can You Expect?

Families and loved ones who participate in a CRAFT programme usually receive guidance and training from a qualified therapist or addiction specialist. Here’s what a typical CRAFT process might look like:

• Initial assessment: Families meet with a trained counsellor to discuss their specific situation, including the history of their loved one’s substance use, current behaviours, and the challenges and concerns they’re having.
• Learning communication skills: Practical training in communication skills is provided. They learn how to shift from aggressive approaches to methods that are calm, compassionate, and focused on positive reinforcement.
• Boundaries: This might look like discussing how to react to certain behaviours or agreeing only to discuss substance use when the loved one is in a receptive state.
• Monitoring progress: Throughout the process, people are encouraged to monitor their own behaviour and their loved one’s progress, adjusting their approach as needed based on what is working.
• Celebrating successes: As we touched on earlier, whether it’s a reduced level of substance use or simply a willingness to discuss recovery, every step forward is seen as progress.

CRAFT Approach: The Key Takeaways

Addiction is a challenging journey, but families don’t have to go through it alone or resort to aggressive tactics that will strain relationships even more.

CRAFT offers a compassionate, evidence-based approach that empowers families to play an active role in the recovery process in ways that are supportive and positive.

Whether you’re supporting a loved one who is just beginning to acknowledge their addiction or someone who has struggled with it for years, the CRAFT approach provides practical tools to foster communication, reinforce healthy behaviours, and encourage change – all while promoting your well-being.

It’s a balanced and also a humane approach to a complex issue. And for many families, it’s a vital resource in the journey toward recovery.