THE STAIRS WORK WITH:

1
THE STAIRS WORK WITH

• Support groups for children and youth aged 7-20
  of drug addicted parents
• -aim to release shame and guilt
• Support groups for drug abusing parents
• -aim to support parents in their parenthood
• Separate meetings with children who witnessed
  domestic violence aged 5-20
• -aim to help the children describe and
  understand their harrowing experiences
• Support groups for children and youth aged 7-20
  of parent with psychiatric illness
• - aim to release shame and guilt

2
Purpose

• To meet other children with similar experiences
• To talk about their situation, their feelings and
  thoughts
• Achieve knowledge about
• -Chemical abuse
• -Psychiatric illness and symptoms
• -violence and its effects on the family
• to help the children find alternativs and
  possibilities in their own life
• to strengthen own identity
• to play and have fun together
• to obtain tools for life
• to develop connections in a positive network

3
Unspoken rules

• Do not talk about the real problem

• Do not trust anybody

• Do not feel anything

4
Topics

• Intake/Goal setting
• Feelings
• Defences
• Chemical dependency
• Bounds and violations
• Communication
• Families
• Specialness
• Risks and chioses
• Finishing group

5
Common feelings of children in families with drug
abuse

• Sorrow
• Anger
• Shame
• guilt

6
IMPORTANT MESSAGES

• I did not cause it
• I can not cure
• I can cope with
• All my feelings are okey
• I can learn new strategies
• I can make good choises
• I am special
• My needs are important
• Inspire to hope and that you can find help