For those who love someone battling addiction or mental health challenges, the journey can be isolating and overwhelming. To address this often-overlooked need, The Virtue Center in Norman is launching an eight-week support group to help family members and close friends navigate their well-being while supporting struggling loved ones.
The support group is open to the public at no cost, and anyone over 18 can attend.
The program, called Family Pathways, begins March 6 and will take place every Thursday at 5:30 pm. Led by trained therapist and facilitator Bayli Robertson, each 90-minute session will provide education, resources and a safe space for participants to share their experiences. Topics will include motivation, boundaries, communication and self-care, focusing on the complexities of supporting a loved one through hardship.
“When someone faces addiction or mental health challenges, those closest to them are often overlooked – but they deserve support too,” Robertson said. “The Family Pathways group at The Virtue Center is here to provide that care, helping them navigate their well-being while supporting others.”
The program aims to fill a critical gap in support services by prioritizing caregivers — parents, siblings, spouses, friends and other loved ones — who may struggle with anxiety and uncertainty while trying to help someone in need.
Robertson said she is particularly excited to lead a session about self-care practices.
“I think it's because it's just hard to watch someone that we love struggle, and it's hard to know what to do, right? That's where we get caught, because it's, you know, wanting to be helpful and wanting to balance that with healthy boundaries,” she said. “I think that can be a really hard place to navigate.”
She said she hopes participants leave the group with a new sense of community and with a set of tools they can use to make time for themselves.
More information can be found by calling The Virtue Center at (405) 321-0022, or registering here.
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