TFRF’s curriculum contains 12 downloadable modules plus two planning worksheets for families affected by addiction. These family addiction education free modules move from addiction basics to codependency, boundaries, difficult conversations, returning home after treatment, and recurrence planning. You can use them on demand, then bring questions to free online family programs.
What do the 12 family education modules cover?
The curriculum follows four connected blocks. Modules 1 and 2 establish shared facts about addiction and the central nervous system. Modules 3 through 5 examine codependency. Modules 6 through 9 focus on communication and boundaries. The final three address returning home, reaching a difficult turning point, and making the next workable decision.
| Module | Topic | What your family examines |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Definition of Addiction | A shared way to discuss addiction without blame or moral labels |
| 2 | Our Central Nervous System | How the brain and body relate to stress, behavior, and substance use |
| 3 | Codependency I | Common characteristics and response strategies |
| 4 | Codependency II | Manipulation, enabling, and family responses |
| 5 | Codependency III | The neuroscience connected to repeated family patterns |
| 6 | Communication Skills | Ways to prepare for difficult conversations |
| 7 | Boundaries | What you control and what belongs to another person |
| 8 | The Language of Connective Boundaries | Words that communicate limits while protecting connection |
| 9 | Gaslighting | How to recognize and respond to confusing interaction patterns |
| 10 | I Am Coming Home | The transition when a loved one returns from treatment |
| 11 | Reaching “The Wall” | Family choices when the current approach has stopped working |
| 12 | Just For Today | A focus on the next decision rather than every future possibility |
We recommend following the sequence when addiction education is new to your family. The early modules give you terms that make later conversations about enabling, gaslighting, and boundaries easier to understand.
That order matters.
Which module should you open first?
Start with Module 1 if family members disagree about what addiction means or keep treating substance use as a simple failure of willpower. Module 2 adds information about the central nervous system before the curriculum turns toward family patterns.
If your immediate concern is enabling or repeated conflict, review Modules 3 through 5 before moving to Module 6. That sequence helps you examine your own responses before planning another difficult conversation. Module 7 is the clearest starting point when you need to decide what you will do, what you won’t do, and what remains outside your control.
Families preparing for someone to return from treatment should pair Module 10 with Modules 7 and 8. A homecoming plan needs clear limits and language people can use during tense moments. Concerns about a return to use fit best with Module 11 and the downloadable Relapse Prevention Plan.
Use the module map to choose a starting point. Don’t use module terms to diagnose or label your loved one.
How should you work through each module?
Use one module to answer one current family need. Reading all 12 at once can leave you with information but no clear action. A slower pace gives you time to test new language, notice your reactions, and identify questions for a live session.
We recommend this study method. It is a practical suggestion, not a program requirement.
- 1Download one module connected to the issue happening now.
- 2Mark one idea that changes how you view the situation.
- 3Choose one response you can control, such as pausing a conversation or stating a limit clearly.
- 4Bring one unresolved question to Fix Your Family, The Family Room, or a 1-on-1 family coaching appointment.
Avoid turning a module into evidence for an argument. The goal is to change how you understand and respond to family patterns. You can’t force another person to accept the same interpretation.
Keep the task small.
How does live online support fit the module map?
The modules give you an agenda, while TFRF’s recurring programs give you a place to discuss what happened when you tried a new boundary or communication skill. All sessions are virtual, and experienced facilitators or certified counselors lead them.
Fix Your Family meets every Monday at 7:00 PM CT / 5:00 PM PT. Led by Beth Durling, MS, CADCII, ICADC, the program addresses communication, boundaries, conflict, trust, and family connection. It is TFRF’s national signature program.
The Family Room meets every Friday at 10:00 AM CT / 8:00 AM PT. Its open format lets family members share experiences and ask questions. Morning Meditation runs Monday through Friday at 9:00 AM CT / 7:00 AM PT for 15 minutes. The Courage to Detach meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 5:00 PM CT / 3:00 PM PT.
A 1-on-1 family coaching appointment can help you apply the material to your family’s circumstances. TFRF also offers a private family messaging group with 24/7 access to the Clinical Director and trained peer support team.
Bring one question.
How do the two worksheets support the curriculum?
The Relapse Prevention Plan and Family Support Plan help move education into written family planning. Both worksheets are downloadable and available on demand.
Open the Family Support Plan after Modules 6 through 8. Those modules cover difficult conversations and the language of boundaries, which can help you write a plan that family members can discuss clearly.
Use the Relapse Prevention Plan with Modules 10 and 11. This pairing gives your family a way to discuss the period after treatment and what to do if concerns about recurrence rise. Review the plan during a calmer period rather than waiting for a heated conversation.
What can the modules do, and where are their limits?
The modules can give your family shared terms, discussion prompts, and practical planning tools. Use them as education. They don’t diagnose a substance use disorder, assess withdrawal risk, prescribe treatment, or replace medical care.
For outside background on substance use, the National Institute on Drug Abuse publishes addiction science information. Families concerned about alcohol can use resources from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The federal FindTreatment.gov directory lists treatment providers.
The Family Recovery Foundation doesn’t operate a residential treatment center or detox program. TFRF provides ongoing education, free virtual family therapy, coaching, support groups, and application-based financial aid for treatment or intervention services.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. For suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, call or text 988 or use the [988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline](https://988lifeline.org/). TFRF is an ongoing family support organization, not a crisis hotline.
What free support is available beyond the modules?
TFRF offers free virtual family therapy, online family support groups, 1-on-1 family coaching, family education programs, and financial aid for treatment. Free online programs are available nationwide, and no insurance is required.
Parents, spouses, siblings, other loved ones, and people in recovery can use the programming. The curriculum is built for several stages, including active substance use, entry into treatment, and the return home.
Financial aid is separate from the free education modules. Families can apply for help with residential, outpatient, or detox programs based on clinical needs. TFRF also provides funding guidance for professional intervention services when a loved one isn’t ready to accept treatment.
A real person answers 888-964-8825 every day. You can ask which program fits your current concern before registering.
What People Want to Know
Are all 12 family education modules free?
Yes. The 12 modules and two worksheets are available for families to download, and TFRF’s recurring online family programs are free.
Do I need insurance to join?
No insurance is required for TFRF’s free virtual family therapy and support programs. Financial aid for outside treatment uses a separate application process.
Do I have to complete the modules in order?
The modules are available on demand, but we recommend starting with Modules 1 and 2 if addiction education is new to your family. You can move directly to boundaries, homecoming, or recurrence planning when one of those issues needs attention now.
Can I use the modules if my loved one isn’t in treatment?
Yes. The curriculum addresses families whose loved one is currently using substances, entering treatment, or returning home. Your loved one doesn’t have to attend with you.
Are the education modules the same as therapy?
No. The modules are educational resources that complement free virtual family therapy, live support sessions, and 1-on-1 coaching. They don’t replace medical or mental health care.
Is TFRF the Family Recovery Center in Ohio?
No. This information comes from The Family Recovery Foundation at tfrfoundation.org, which provides free virtual family therapy and online support nationwide.
Get free virtual family therapy
Register for free nationwide online family therapy and support programs — no insurance required.
Use the Get Help page to register or call 888-964-8825. A real person answers every day and can connect you with family education, live programming, or 1-on-1 coaching.
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About the Author
The Family Recovery Foundation
Editorial TeamEducational and program resources from The Family Recovery Foundation (EIN 87-4108362) — free virtual family therapy and support for families impacted by addiction and mental health. Charity Navigator: charitynavigator.org/ein/874108362.
