The Parallel Process: Growing Alongside Your Adolescent or Young Adult Child in Treatment

This book was required reading when my child was in treatment, and it quickly became one of the most impactful books I’ve ever read. It changed how I parent all of my children and how I relate to people in every part of my life. The lesson about not helping others more than they help themselves was eye-opening. The guidance on setting household non-negotiables, expectations, and related consequences instead of reacting with extreme punishments has been transformative. It teaches accountability, calm, and intention for both parents and children.

You will not be disappointed if you read this book carefully and with an open heart. A book that will move and educate you. I am a child and adolesent psychologist/therapist with many years of experience. I have seen children into wilderness programs and saw them coming back changed and greatly improved, more mature and confident. The key is the child's distance from an entitled position in her/his family and living with and adjusting to other children, supporting and learning to rely on themselves and peers to regulate their emotions and behavior. The book is about the parents' role in creating the problem and how to work out the parenting issues, primerily but not only boundaries issues, while the child is away from home, and once she/he is back into the family fold. Written sensitively and with terrific insights, based on Ms Pozatek's first hand years of clinician's experience, in and out of a wilderness program. A very useful book for parents, not only those whose children are in treatment, It is also a guide for professionals. Sometimes, I actually buy the book to give to my clients.

This book is a great resource for those in the difficult situation of lost connection with an adolescent. It helped identify patterns not only in my teen but myself that prevented effective communication and contributed to an untenable living situation. The path is not paved with sunshine and roses but the struggle towards self awareness changes ingrained thoughts to beget a more authentic and healthy existence. Thank you for sharing your experience in this work!

While there is nothing startlingly new about the information contained here if one is familiar with the field of addiction as a family disease, it is clearly written -- not too much jargon and approachable -- and so useful as either an introduction to this aspect of being the parent of a recovering child or as a succinct reminder of the process.

Wife says she loves it.

Vert useful book. Very easy to read and contains a lot of valuable information.

My 26 year old son just started residential treatment for depression, anxiety and ADD. His therapist recommended this book. He had been living in our basement playing video games and getting more and more depressed. Little did I know how much my own parenting style was adding to his grief and keeping him from developing into his own person. I saw myself in so many of the examples in this book. After reading it, I feel empowered to make the changes I need to make while my son is working on his own issues. Instead of being worried and afraid for him in treatment, I’m now reassured that we will each find out way to being a better, more whole person.

A self-development book to aide me and my husband through the process of sending our son to a Wilderness School. It's got good insights, though as with all books that rely upon anectodes to convey advice, the stories don't actually match us and we have to work at translating the advice to ourselves. Also since I don't love self-help books, and I really do not enjoy lengthy, drawn out forwards, preludes, acknowledgements etc. etc., this book is not my favorite. But it does have some nuggets of wisdom which I have appreciated. I understand why the wilderness school made this assigned reading.

This book gives great insight on how to be part of the healing process for mm child and myself even though we are apart

Este libro es increíble para cualquier padre/madre con hijo/a con ansiedad, deficit de atención y otros retos!!!

If your son or daughter is in a residential treatment center in the US, or in a wilderness program, this book is for you. Parents' involvement is crucial. Highly recommended.