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Community & Safety

The HEAL Team

HEAL grew out of the Fighting Addiction Together community. These guides are written and reviewed by the people who run HEAL’s meetings, moderation and vetting.
A small group sitting in a bright living room, listening to one person share
Getting started

Your first HEAL meeting: what actually happens

No camera, no real name, no pressure to talk. Here is exactly what to expect when you open the door to your first live room — and how to leave whenever you want.

The HEAL Team2 min read
A mother and her adult son sitting on a front porch step with coffee mugs, talking in morning light
Families & allies

How to support someone in recovery: what helps, what hurts, and what to say

You don’t need a counseling degree to be good for someone’s recovery. You need steadiness, honest words and a few habits that make home feel safe. Here’s where to start.

The HEAL Team9 min read
A man with a duffel bag and a coffee mug standing on the front steps of a house in morning light
Life after treatment

Life after rehab: what to expect in your first 90 days

The first three months after treatment are when recovery moves from a structured program into your real life. Here is a week-by-week map of what tends to happen and how to get through it.

The HEAL Team10 min read
Neighbors handing over grocery bags at a front door, smiling
Life after treatment

How the help board works (and what it’s not for)

Rides, job leads, housing next steps, someone to talk to. The help board connects people who need practical help with people who can give it — with privacy built in.

The HEAL Team1 min read
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Trust & safety

How we vet treatment centers — and why the list is short

A center can’t buy its way onto HEAL’s list. Here is the standard every listing has to meet, who decides, and how we keep it current.

The HEAL Team1 min read
A woman on a porch with her eyes closed and a hand on her chest, breathing slowly beside a mug of tea
Recovery skills

How to deal with cravings: 12 skills that work in the moment

A craving feels like an order. It is closer to a wave: it rises, peaks and passes. Here are practical, pathway-neutral skills for riding out drug and alcohol cravings.

The HEAL Team10 min read
A couple sitting at a kitchen table having a calm, serious conversation with a notebook between them
Families & allies

Setting boundaries with an addicted loved one: scripts, examples and the line between help and enabling

Boundaries aren’t ultimatums or punishments. They’re clear statements about what you will and won’t do. Here are real scripts, examples, and how CRAFT can help.

The HEAL Team10 min read
A woman writing in a notebook at a window overlooking a lake
Getting started

Preparing for a hard conversation with your sponsor

Writing it down first makes it easier to say out loud. How to use the private workbook to get ready — and how to share only what you choose.

The HEAL Team1 min read
A couple sitting together at sunset, one comforting the other
Families & allies

When someone you love comes home from treatment

Families carry a lot, often quietly. A few honest things that help in the first months — and why you deserve support too.

The HEAL Team1 min read
A man holding a mug at a large window at dawn, looking out over a quiet city
Health & treatment

Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS): symptoms, timeline and coping

Weeks after you stop using, you may still feel foggy, flat, anxious or wired at 3 a.m. That lingering stretch is often called PAWS. Here is what is known, what is not, and how to cope.

The HEAL Team9 min read
A man talking with a friendly physician across a desk in a calm, sunlit clinic room
Health & treatment

What is MAT? Medication for addiction treatment, explained without the myths

Buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone are some of the most studied tools in addiction medicine, and some of the most misunderstood. Here’s a clear, plain-English guide.

The HEAL Team9 min read
Four friends walking together outdoors at golden hour, laughing
Life after treatment

Building a daily routine that actually holds

Small, repeatable steps beat big resolutions. A gentle approach to daily check-ins and practices — without streaks, scores or shame.

The HEAL Team1 min read
A couple holding hands across a kitchen table during a serious, honest conversation
Families & allies

How to rebuild trust after addiction: with your partner, family and work

Trust breaks in a pattern and comes back the same way: one kept promise at a time. A practical guide to repairing relationships at home and at work without groveling or rushing.

The HEAL Team9 min read
A diverse group of adults at a community workshop watching an instructor demonstrate on a training mannequin
Health & treatment

How to use Narcan (naloxone): a step-by-step guide to reversing an opioid overdose

Naloxone nasal spray is sold over the counter, it’s simple to use, and it can save a life in minutes. Here’s how to recognize an overdose and exactly what to do.

The HEAL Team9 min read
A woman in a navy blazer walking confidently into a bright office lobby holding a folder
Life after treatment

Getting a job after rehab: résumé gaps, your rights and Fair Chance hiring

You can absolutely build a working life in recovery. How to explain a résumé gap without oversharing, what the ADA does and does not protect, and where Fair Chance hiring can help.

The HEAL Team9 min read
A young woman and her mother researching treatment options together at a dining table with a laptop and notepad
Health & treatment

How to choose a rehab: the questions to ask, the credentials to check and the red flags to walk away from

Choosing addiction treatment often happens in a crisis, which is exactly when bad actors find people. Here’s how to vet a program calmly, check credentials and spot the scams.

The HEAL Team9 min read
A diverse group of friends laughing together around a picnic table in a park at golden hour
Life after treatment

How to make sober friends (even if you’ve never done it as an adult)

Your old social life may have revolved around using. Building a new one takes intention, repetition and a little courage. Here is where to find people and what to actually do together.

The HEAL Team9 min read
Two housemates chatting on the front steps of a well-kept two-story house in late afternoon light
Life after treatment

Sober living homes: what they are, how to choose one and what it really costs

A good sober living home can be the bridge between treatment and a life you want to keep. A bad one can be dangerous. Here’s how to tell them apart.

The HEAL Team9 min read
A man sitting on the edge of his bed at dawn in soft blue light, calm and awake
Recovery skills

Insomnia in early recovery: why sleep falls apart after quitting, and how to get it back

Lying awake at 3 a.m. is one of the most common, and most frustrating, parts of early recovery. Here’s why it happens and what actually helps, starting with CBT-I.

The HEAL Team9 min read
A woman sitting cross-legged on a couch writing in a notebook in soft morning light
Recovery skills

How to write a relapse prevention plan (with a free template)

A relapse prevention plan is a short, personal document you write on a good day to guide you on a hard one. Here is how to build yours, section by section, with a worked example.

The HEAL Team9 min read

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