About Family Recovery Compass

Call our local number 01603 513 362
Request Call Back

Call our local number 01603 513 091
Request Call Back
Call our local number 01603 513 091
Request Call Back

About Family Recovery Compass, By Abbeycare

Family Recovery Compass is a newsletter for friends and family members who feel trapped between supporting a loved one in addiction, and protecting their own wellbeing.

Living through addiction and pursuing recovery are extremely difficult experiences.

Loved ones want to help...usually overwhelmingly so. But many end up exhausted, and financially drained.

Some try self-help groups, or even go as far as therapy. But in isolation, these rarely work out.

Because, most friends and family focus on changing their loved one's behaviour, instead of their own responses.

With a dependency and the focus so much on someone else changing (which we cannot control), no lessons are learned, of what to do in situations of manipulation, crisis, or genuine need for support.

But when we change our own behaviour, the system we live in, changes too.

Their Choices, Your Responses

You can't control their choices, but you can control how you react.

And the positive effects that unfold thereafter, might surprise you.

Short version: Family Recovery Compass helps you support your loved one, effectively, while protecting your own wellbeing and energy, in 5 mins a week.

Who Are We?

Abbeycare have spent the last 20 years helping thousands of individuals recover from alcohol and substance use addictions, in our UK residential clinic programmes.

Our dedicated aftercare and family support team, work with clients' families every single day, helping them navigate life in recovery, relapse, and everything in between.

We bring this front-line experience, to your inbox, every week.

We started Family Recovery Compass because we saw the same challenges repeating, almost predictably, in family support sessions and realised that a newsletter could take our practical tools and techniques, beyond our clinic walls.

So what began as simple handouts and phone consults for loved ones, has evolved into a newsletter helping hundreds of families and friends support their own stability, and that of a loved one, beyond addiction.

Meet The Creative Team

harrietgarfoot

EDITOR

Harriet Garfoot

Editor-In-Chief at Family Recovery Compass, Harriet writes on stress, mental health, and addiction recovery.

mischa headshot

WRITER

Mischa Ezekpo

Mischa Ezekpo is degree qualified in Psychology, and writes on mental health, depression, and addiction.

philippascammell

WRITER

Philippa Scammell

Philippa Scammell holds a Master's degree in Psychology, and writes on clinical psychology and addiction recovery.

Response Scripts & Decision Trees

Each issue contains a response script, or decision tree delivered in a clear actionable format and takes around 5 mins to read.

These are not generic pointers, but rather what to do and say in situations like:

  • Attempted financial demands
  • Guilt based emotional pressure
  • Boundary challenges
  • Crisis management
  • Supporting vs Enabling decisions

Our goal is that you'll know exactly how to navigate addiction's toughest challenges, without compromising your values or emotional stability.

Ready to Support Recovery Without Sacrificing Yourself?

Join hundred of families and loved ones who've take control back, and support themselves, while helping someone else, grow beyond addiction:

Get Access
New response scripts, decision trees, and solutions, for you and a loved one, every week:

About the author

Harriet Garfoot

Harriet Garfoot BA, MA has an Undergraduate degree in Education Studies and English, and a Master's degree in English Literature, from Bishop Grosseteste University. Harriet writes on stress & mental health, and is a member of the Burney Society. Content reviewed by Laura Morris (Clinical Lead).

Last Updated: July 20, 2025